By Andy Greene - Rolling Stone - October 28, 2026
A previously unknown letter from Rolling Stones founder Brian Jones to Charlie Watts in July 1962, inviting the drummer to join the fledgling band several months before he accepted the job, is headed to the auction block. The handwritten letter and envelope are part of Sotheby’s New York’s Rock & Pop Sale on Dec. 15 and are estimated to sell for between $70,000 and $80,000.
Jones mailed the letter to Watts days before the Stones played their first official gig at the Marquee Club in London. They performed with future Kinks drummer Mick Avory at their early rehearsals and spent several months gigging with Tony Chapman, but neither drummer was a permanent solution.
At the time of the letter, Watts was the drummer in Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated. “If you are not going to work with Alex in the future,” Jones wrote to Watts, “and still want to play R&B, we are looking for a good drummer. Already we consider our band far better than Alex’s — we are getting a very tightly-knit sound. We are rehearsing on Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays. Anyway, if you have time, let me know what’s happening. Cheers, Brian Jones.”
As a postscript, Jones added: “If you are interested, our present line-up is a 2 guitars, harp, piano, + drums. We are going to use a bass guitar eventually. Our present drummer is atrocious!”
