Keith Richards is out of his tree, literally
Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards has been hospitalized for a mild concussion reportedly because he fell out of a palm tree while in Fiji.
“Following treatment locally and as a precautionary measure, he flew to a hospital accompanied by his wife, Patti, for observation,” said his publicist Fran Curtis Saturday.
Curtis would only confirm that the 62-year-old rocker was injured earlier in the week and flown to a hospital in New Zealand. No other details were given.
Salesi Finau, an employee of Fiji’s exclusive Wakaya Club resort, told the Associated Press the guitarist and his wife recently stayed there for about a week. Finau would not divulge the exact dates or whether Richards was hurt there.
The Stones played a concert in Wellington, N.Z. on April 18 as part of their “A Bigger Bang” tour.
Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald reports Richards and fellow Stones’ member Ron Wood were attempting to climb a palm tree on Wednesday when Richards slipped and fell, hitting his head.
The paper said Richards was flown to Auckland’s Ascot Hospital Thursday morning, where he still remains with his wife.
The hospital has refused to confirm whether the guitarist was a patient. Two independent sources at the hospital told New Zealand's Sunday Star Times Richards was being treated for a head injury there.
It is not the first time Richards had a falling injury. The band had to delay a tour in 1998 after he fell off a ladder while trying to get a book in the library of his Connecticut mansion. Richards damaged his ribs and chest.
The band’s next scheduled concert is at Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain on May 27.