Patti Smith

Patti Smith was born on December 30, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Pitman, New Jersey. She is a poet, visual artist, and rock musician who became a central figure in the New York punk and new wave scene of the 1970s. Her debut album Horses (1975) is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock albums ever made. Smith pioneered a fusion of poetry and rock music that influenced countless artists. Her book Just Kids (2010), a memoir of her friendship and artistic partnership with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in late 1960s and 1970s New York, won the National Book Award for Nonfiction. Smith has published numerous poetry collections, including Babel (1978) and Auguries of Innocence (2005). Her other memoirs include M Train (2015) and Year of the Monkey (2019). She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. Known for her artistic integrity and poetic sensibility, Smith continues to perform, write, and exhibit visual art internationally. She remains one of the most distinctive and influential figures in American cultural life.