A letter from Frankie!!

I nearly jumped out of my chair with joy when I found this. It is a letter he wrote to Ebony Magazine in 1967 after his interview with them.

Coincidental with the publication of the article concerning me in the last issue of Ebony magazine, “Comeback Of An Ex-Star” (Jan. 1967), I have joined the United States Army.
My health is improved to the extent where I can participate in maneuvers, exercises and a one-mile run every morning befor breakfast.
I am presently in the infantry and hope that it will be possible for me to serve in Special Services so that I can resume my activities as an entertainer.
I feel that the experiences of the past and those described in the article have given me a greater insight into to misery, the loneliness, the frustration and the personal tragedies which can affect individuals. I think that this relization has added depth to my capacities as an artist.
I sincerely hope that other artist will recognize their responsibility, as I now recognize my responsibility, to the welfare of our people.
I sincerely hope that every performer will voluntarily, and in fact, eagerly, assume an active share in all movements benifiting our people and establishing their rights to live as individuals, as families and as members of a great democracy.

PVT. Frank J. Lymon

Fort Gordon Ga.

Upon first reading this I was amazed at how mature and self assured he sounded in this letter. He sounds so eager and ready for the next step in his life confident that his past is far behind him and that his experiences will help not hinder his career. I wonder if he wrote any of his own songs (besides Why Do Fools Fall In Love). Can you imagine the great autobiographical songs he would have. Great stories!
Back to the letter; as I began to read it again the words miserey, lonliness, frustration and tragedy stuck out to me. I wonder if his pain that he felt through his short life made it "easier" for him to become and addict, and if that same pain led him to start using again that fateful night of Feb. 27 1968.
I am so happy that I found this letter cause this leads right into what I had originally planned to post. In my next post I will post what I had planned to write in this post.

Here is the link to prove that I didn't make this letter up http://books.google.com/books?id=k-xzFES8bWcC&pg=PA10&dq=Frankie+lymon+ebony+1967&cd=3#v=onepage&q=Frankie%20lymon%20ebony%201967&f=false