Think listening to and interacting with your fans is something new - and just a bi-product of the internet? Think again. This 1967 letter from David Bowie to an early fan, shared as he turns 63, shows how he understood the importance of connecting with his fans from the very beginning.

Without pandering to his audience, throughout his long career Bowie changed with the times and was not afraid to experiment - sometimes with disappointing results. But that's part of what the fans love about Bowie. He's aloof and accessible at the same time.  It's a beautiful balancing act that every artist can learn from.

Bowie's original 1967 letter to a fan: