Inside David Bowie’s Personal Letter From 1967

Even before he became a world-famous star, David Bowie was already thinking about more than just fame and money. He didn’t just want to compose music or act on stage; he wanted to alter the world, make people think, and leave a lasting impression on the world around him. Nowadays, the word “influencer” may sound overused or even a little shallow, but Bowie saw it in a far deeper sense in 1967.

At 20, he was still trying to figure out where he fit in the music scene. He hadn’t made Ziggy Stardust yet, hadn’t reached the top of the charts, or built the larger-than-life persona that would define him. But even then, he had a definite and very grown-up point of view. He once commented:

“I guess it wasn’t always just about showing my work as an artist.”

“I really wanted to do something to make the culture I was living in better.”

That desire to make a difference and not just be there would eventually set him apart. Johnny Marr would subsequently argue that Bowie did this better than almost any other British musician ever. But none of those accolades came in 1967. Bowie was still working on things, driven by both his desire to succeed and his curiosity.

He said that influence typically acts in little ways when he looks back decades later. “Maybe you had a small idea in your head, and then you see that someone else has taken it and run with it,” he said. He says:

“You think, yeah, that person is doing what I really like to do… so that kind of influence I’m proud of, if I have been influential on people in that way, that’s really good.”

Bowie wanted to have that kind of quiet power: he wanted to put ideas in people’s heads and change their minds without them even knowing it. But he also knew something useful: he needed to be visible if he wanted to reach through to others. He appreciated things that were new and different, but he didn’t want to stay on the edge. He wanted more people to see him, a bigger stage, and a better interaction with his supporters.

One Letter That Meant Everything

At first, it didn’t look like success was going to happen. In June 1967, David Bowie’s first album, David Bowie, came out. It wasn’t simple, though. This record came out the same week as the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It would affect how music is made now. Bowie’s record didn’t stand out as much as that big cultural event. It barely made it to number 125 in the UK charts and had an even less effect in the US.

I was disappointed, yet something important happened without me knowing it.

A letter came in September 1967, a few months after the record came out. It was sent by a 14-year-old girl from the United States named Sandra Dodd. A lot of artists get fan letters and then forget about them, so it looked like one on the exterior. But it was a lot more important to Bowie. This was the first time someone from the US had spoken to him in person. It proved that his music had traveled across the ocean and made a personal connection with someone.

For an artist who aspired to transform culture all throughout the world, just one letter felt like a tremendous step forward.

Bowie was working with his manager, Kenneth Pitt, who was doing everything he could to get Bowie famous in the US at the moment. But things were going slowly, and the first reviews of his work weren’t particularly positive. So when Sandra’s letter came, it offered him what he had been looking for: not just recognition, but a meaningful connection.

What happened next says a lot about Bowie. He didn’t just put the letter down or ask someone else to do something; he did something about it. His supervisor urged him to do other tasks, but he got down at a typewriter and wrote back immediately.

The solution was neither quick nor far away. It was full of personality, laughter, and thinking. Even if there weren’t many people listening to his songs at the time, it showed that the young musician really cared about them.

Here is the full letter he sent:

“Dear Sandra,

“When I called in this, my manager’s office, a few moments ago I was handed my very first American fan letter – and it was from you. I was so pleased that I had to sit down and type an immediate reply, even though Ken is shouting at me to get on with a script he badly needs. That can wiat (wi-at? That’s a new English word which means wait).

“I’ve been waiting for some reaction to the album from American listeners. There were reviews in Billboard and Cash Box, but they were by professional critics and they rarely reflect the opinions of the public. The critics were very flattering however. They even liked the single ‘Love You Till Tuesday’. I’ve got a copy of the American album and they’ve printed the picture a little yellow. I’m really not that blond. I think the picture on the back is more ‘me’. Hope you like those enclosed.

“In answer to your questions, my real name is David Jones and I don’t have to tell you why I changed it. “Nobody’s going to make a monkey out of you” said my manager. My birthday is January 8th and I guess I’m 5’10”. There is a Fan Club here in England, but if things go well in the States then we’ll have one there I suppose. It’s a little early to even think about it.

“I hope one day to get to America. My manager tells me lots about it as he has been there many times with other acts he manages. I was watching an old film on TV the other night called “No Down Payment” a great film, but rather depressing if it is a true reflection of The American Way Of Life. However, shortly after that they showed a documentary about Robert Frost the American poet, filmed mainly at his home in Vermont, and that evened the score. I am sure that that is nearer the real America. I made my first movie last week. Just a fifteen minutes short, but it gave me some good experience for a full length deal I have starting in January.

“Thankyou for being so kind as to write to me and do please write again and let me know some more about yourself.

“Yours sincerely,

“(Signed, ‘David Bowie’)”