(The Rolling Stones-Related) Keith Richards Handwritten Letter to Fan (June, 1964). ...

Description

(The Rolling Stones-Related) Keith Richards Handwritten Letter to Fan (June, 1964). Handwritten personal letter (and envelope) to a fan named Connie from the Rolling Stones' Keith Richards circa early summer 1964. (Its backstory is quite unique and can be read in full online at HA.com.) Essentially, this fan and her friends ditched school for a few days in order to spend time with the Stones. While saying goodbye, she gave Keith her address and he wrote this letter in blue ballpoint ink a few days later. Written on El Tropicano Motor Hotel letterhead (and comes with a torn envelope, also from the hotel). Letter measures 7.25" x 10.5" and has large fold marks and several creases. Full LOA from PSA/DNA and Beckett Authentication Services.

More Information: Connie was fifteen when she saw the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show and was hooked. From that moment forward Connie wanted to meet as many British artists as possible. She heard on KBLA radio that the Rolling Stones were coming to her hometown of Los Angeles. They even mentioned their flight and what time it arrived. Connie and four friends took a bus to meet the plane. It turned out that they were the only ones there, so they were up front and center to meet the band.

This was the Stones' first tour of America. They were staying at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Connie and her friends skipped school for three days to hang out with them. Mick and Keith were always together during that time. Brian and Charlie shared a room, and Bill and Andrew Loog Oldham (their manager) had the third room. Mick and Keith would order rum and Cokes and cigarettes, which the eager teenagers shared. This was the party room.

Towards the end of their stay, the girls couldn't figure out why Mick and Keith pushed their twin beds together (and they never asked!). They saw other girls hanging around, but Connie and her friends were so innocent that nothing physical happened. The Stones were very kind and sweet to them.

At night, the girls walked around the hotel, Westwood, and Beverly Hills until a missing persons report was filed and the local police found them sitting on a nearby bench. Connie told the police, "the guys are leaving and I have to say goodbye" which the police allowed her to do.

A limo showed up and she saw Keith get in. Connie followed after him, told Keith she loved him and he said, "I love you, too." She asked him if he had anything else to remember him by as she already had autographs. Keith dug in his pocket and gave her some loose change. She gave him a letter with her address and he said he would write her. She did not believe he would but he did. The letter was written on the Stones' next stop in San Antonio, Texas, the day after they left LA. Keith writes: "Dear Connie, Thanks a lot for the sweet letter, we really enjoyed our stay in L.A. and we miss you all. Texas is really hot, we've all got a big tan. Anyway thanks for being so good to us, we all hope to be back very soon. Love Keith."

When she finally got home she got in big trouble. It was so cute and innocent. Not only for 15-year-old Connie and her friends, but the Rolling Stones. They were young and brand new to America and in some ways innocent as well. That would surely change as time moved forward. Funny enough, Keith sent the letter postage due. How appropriate indeed. A once-in-a-lifetime experience for Connie that you can add to the collection. It's only rock n' roll but we like it.


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