A little-known folk singer who once complained that success was threatening to ruin his career has finally received a letter of reassurance sent to him by John Lennon nearly 40 years ago. The former Beatle wrote to Steve Tilston in 1971 after reading an interview with him in a music magazine. In a note now revealed in public for the first time Lennon told the young musician not to worry about accumulating wealth because it wouldn't change the important things in life.
Lennon signed the letter from him and Yoko Ono just months after The Beatles split up in December 1970. He sent it to the offices of now-defunct ZigZag magazine but never reached Tilston until a collector seeking to verify the letter first contacted him five years ago. Lennon, then 30, had read an article in which Tilston, then 21, had claimed that becoming wealthy might damage his ability to write powerful songs.
Addressing the songwriter and the journalist who interviewed him, Richard Howell, he wrote: "Being rich doesn't change your experiences in the way you think. The only difference, basically, is that you don't have you worry about money - food - roof etc. But all other experiences - emotions - relationships - are the same as anybodies. I know, I have been rich and poor and so has Yoko, (rich - poor - rich). So, whadya think of that. Love John and Yoko." He even included his home telephone number.
Yoko Ono, 77, confirmed that she remembered Lennon, who was assassinated aged 40 in 1980, writing the letter. She said: "'John reflected his moods of that moment in his writing. This one is very special because he was writing to another musician, didn't want to sound preachy, so made his handwriting oddly rough and artistic, calligraphically. It's nice to see this one after all these years. I love it." Lennon included a message of support for the co-editors of Oz magazine who were on trial at the time facing charges of conspiracy to corrupt public morals. They were acquitted later that year.
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