A handwritten letter from Brian Jones, one of the founding members of the Rolling Stones, to drummer Charlie Watts, inviting him to join the band in its early days, is set to be auctioned in December. The letter, dated June 1962, offers a rare glimpse into the formation of what would become one of rock music’s most iconic groups.

At the time of the letter, Watts was part of Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated, a leading ensemble in London’s rhythm and blues scene. Jones’s letter, addressed to “Mr. C. Watts” at his childhood home in Wembley, begins with an apology if the letter seems “impertinent,” before making a case for Watts to join the band—then unnamed but on the verge of their first gigs. Jones emphasizes the group’s growing cohesion, describing the band as “far better than Alex’s”—a reference to Korner’s band—and expresses a desire to bring in a “good drummer.” He closes with a candid critique of their current drummer, referring to him as “atrocious,” though the identity of that drummer is unclear.

The early lineup mentioned by Jones included two guitars, harmonica, piano, and drums, with plans to add a bass guitar, a position later filled by Bill Wyman in December 1962. Watts eventually joined the band in January 1963, completing the rhythm section alongside Wyman and becoming a central figure in the band’s sound for nearly six decades until his death in August 2021.

The letter also sheds light on the band’s early struggles and ambitions. It was written just weeks before the Rolling Stones’ first known public performance, which occurred after Korner’s band withdrew from a regular Thursday night slot at London’s Marquee Club. Jones and his fellow musicians stepped in, with Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ian Stewart, and others, marking the beginning of the group’s rise.

Jones’s role in the band’s formation extended beyond recruiting members. He placed an advert in Jazz News in May 1962 to attract musicians for the new R&B group and was seen as a pivotal figure in shaping the early direction of the Rolling Stones. However, his personal life became tumultuous over the years. Born in 1942 in Cheltenham, Jones fathered several children by 1961 and later embraced a rock’n’roll lifestyle marked by drug use and erratic behavior. This eventually led to tension within the group, and Jones was dismissed in 1969 after struggles with addiction and legal issues, including problems obtaining a US work permit.

Jones died later that year at age 27 under circumstances ruled as accidental drowning.

The letter is being sold by Watts’s sister, having remained in the family for over 60 years. It will be displayed publicly at Sotheby’s in New York from December 2 to 8, with online bidding open in the lead-up to the Rock & Pop auction on December 15. Estimates place its value between $70,000 and $80,000. Sotheby’s experts have described the document as “a remarkable first-hand glimpse” into the formative period of a band that would go on to become a major influence in rock history.