Patti Smith
Also known as Patricia Lee Smith
Singer, songwriter and poet; Horses (1975); National Book Award for Just Kids.
At a glance
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- Patti Smith is an American singer, songwriter, poet and author.
- Her 1975 debut album Horses made her a central figure of New York punk, and "Because the Night", written with Bruce Springsteen, reached number 13 in the US in 1978.
- Her memoir Just Kids, about her years with Robert Mapplethorpe, won the National Book Award in 2010; M Train, Year of the Monkey and Bread of Angels (2025) followed.
- She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
Key facts
- Born
- 30 December 1946, Chicago; grew up in Deptford Township, New Jersey1
- Music
- Horses (1975); "Because the Night" with Bruce Springsteen (1978), number 13 on the Billboard Hot 1001
- Books
- Just Kids (2010), National Book Award for Nonfiction; M Train (2015); Year of the Monkey (2019); Bread of Angels (2025)1
- Honours
- Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2005); Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (12 March 2007); Polar Music Prize (2011)1
Links
Sources
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