Keith Richards before he was famous

Before the Rolling Stones, Keith Richards sang for the Queen.

The nobody years

1950s A boy soprano
As a boy soprano, he sang at Westminster Abbey for the Queen.
His grandfather Gus Dupree, a touring jazz musician, gave him his first guitar. Source
1959 Expelled from school
He was expelled from Dartford Technical School for truancy.
He was expelled from Dartford Technical School for truancy. Source
1959 Chuck Berry's solos
At Sidcup Art College, he already knew most of Chuck Berry's solos.
At Sidcup Art College he had already learned most of Chuck Berry's solos. Source
1962 One London flat
By mid-1962, he shared a London flat with Mick Jagger and Brian Jones.
By mid-1962 he had left college and shared a London flat with Jagger and Brian Jones. Source
1943
Was born in Dartford, Kent, the only child of Doris and Herbert Richards. Source
1950s
To reach the guitar he had to stack books and cushions. Source
1950s
His grandfather taught him his first piece, Malagueña. Source
1954
He went to primary school with Mick Jagger and lived near him until 1954. Source
1950s
As a boy soprano he sang at Westminster Abbey for the Queen. Source
1950s
His father, a factory worker wounded in the Normandy invasion, disapproved of his music. Source
early 1960s
He met Jagger again by chance on a train platform and saw his Chess blues records. Source