Patti Smith facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Patti Smith
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Patti Smith at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, in 2024
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Patricia Lee Smith |
| Born | December 30, 1946 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Origin | Deptford Township, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1967–present |
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Patricia Lee Smith (born December 30, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, poet, and artist. She became a major figure in the punk rock movement in New York City with her first album, Horses, in 1975. Smith is known for mixing rock music with poetry in her songs.
Her most famous song is "Because the Night," which she wrote with Bruce Springsteen. It was a big hit in 1978, reaching number 13 on the U.S. charts and number five in the United Kingdom.
Smith has received many honors for her work. In 2007, she was welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She also won the National Book Award in 2010 for her book Just Kids. This book was a memoir about her friendship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe. Rolling Stone magazine has named her one of the greatest artists of all time.
Contents
Early Life and Influences
Patricia Lee Smith was born in Chicago, Illinois. Her mother, Beverly, was a waitress who had also been a jazz singer. Her father, Grant, was a factory worker. Patti is the oldest of four children. When she was four, her family moved near Philadelphia, and later settled in Deptford Township, New Jersey.
From a young age, Smith loved music. Her mother gave her albums by artists like Harry Belafonte and Bob Dylan. These records inspired her. After graduating from high school in 1964, she worked in a factory for a short time.
Career in Music and Arts
First Performances
In 1969, Smith traveled to Paris, France, with her sister. There, she performed music and art on the streets. When she returned to New York, she lived in the famous Hotel Chelsea with her friend, Robert Mapplethorpe.
She became active in the city's art and poetry scene. In 1971, she gave her first public poetry performance with her friend Lenny Kaye playing electric guitar. She also wrote lyrics for the band Blue Öyster Cult and was a rock music journalist for magazines like Rolling Stone.
The Patti Smith Group
In 1973, Smith and Lenny Kaye formed a band. They were later joined by Richard Sohl on piano, Ivan Král on guitar, and Jay Dee Daugherty on drums. This band became the Patti Smith Group. They recorded their first single, "Hey Joe/P... Factory," in 1974.
The band became well-known for their shows at the New York club CBGB. A record producer named Clive Davis saw them perform and signed them to Arista Records.
Famous Albums
The group's first album was Horses, released in 1975. It mixed punk rock with spoken poetry. The album's cover is a simple but powerful photograph of Smith taken by Mapplethorpe. It has become an iconic image in rock history.
Their second album, Radio Ethiopia, had a rougher, more raw sound. While it wasn't as popular at first, many of its songs are still performed by Smith today. In 1977, during a tour for the album, Smith fell from the stage and was seriously injured. She took time off to recover and plan her next steps.
The band released two more albums. Easter (1978) was their biggest commercial success and included the hit single "Because the Night". Their next album, Wave (1979), was less successful but still had popular songs like "Frederick" and "Dancing Barefoot".
Later Career and Albums
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After a break from music in the 1980s, Smith returned in 1988 with the album Dream of Life. It featured the inspiring song "People Have the Power".
In the 1990s, friends like Michael Stipe from the band R.E.M. encouraged her to tour again. In 1996, she released Gone Again, which included "About a Boy," a tribute to Kurt Cobain of the band Nirvana, who had died tragically.
Over the years, Smith has released many more albums, including:
- Peace and Noise (1997)
- Gung Ho (2000)
- Trampin' (2004)
- Twelve (2007), an album of cover songs.
- Banga (2012)
She has also collaborated with many other artists, including U2 and R.E.M.. In 2016, she performed Bob Dylan's song "A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall" at the Nobel Prize ceremony on his behalf.
Writing and Photography
Besides music, Smith is a talented writer and photographer. Her 2010 memoir, Just Kids, won the National Book Award. The book tells the story of her life in New York City and her close friendship with Robert Mapplethorpe. She has also published other books, including M Train and Year of the Monkey.
Smith's photography has been shown in galleries around the world. She often takes pictures of objects that belonged to artists she admires, like Arthur Rimbaud and William Blake.
Activism and Beliefs
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Patti Smith often uses her voice to support causes she believes in. She has performed at many events for peace and human rights. She supported Ralph Nader in the 2000 U.S. presidential election and has spoken out against war.
In 2006, she wrote two protest songs. "Qana" was about an airstrike in Lebanon, and "Without Chains" was about a man held at the Guantanamo Bay detainment camp. She believes that artists have a duty to speak up about injustice. Smith also cares deeply about the environment and performed at the opening of the COP26 climate summit in 2021.
Smith was raised with a strong religious background but left organized religion as a teen. She felt it was too restrictive. This inspired the famous line in her version of the song "Gloria": "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine." She has said she is interested in many different faiths and believes that religious rules are man-made.
Personal Life
In 1967, Smith moved to New York City. She met photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, and they became very close friends. Their friendship lasted until his death in 1989. Smith considers him one of the most important people in her life.
In 1979, Smith met Fred "Sonic" Smith, a guitar player for the rock band MC5. They married and had two children: a son, Jackson, and a daughter, Jesse Paris, who is also a musician. The family lived in Michigan for many years. Fred Smith passed away in 1994.
Awards and Recognition
Patti Smith has received many awards for her work in music and literature.
- Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2005): She was named a Commander by the French Minister of Culture.
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2007): She was inducted for her influence on music.
- National Book Award (2010): She won for her memoir Just Kids.
- Polar Music Prize (2011): A major international music award.
- Legion of Honor (2022): She was named an Officer of this high French order of merit.
Discography
Solo Albums
- Horses (1975)
- Dream of Life (1988)
- Gone Again (1996)
- Peace and Noise (1997)
- Gung Ho (2000)
- Trampin' (2004)
- Twelve (2007)
- Banga (2012)
With the Patti Smith Group
- Radio Ethiopia (1976)
- Easter (1978)
- Wave (1979)
Images for kids
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Smith performing in West Germany in 1978
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Smith (left) and her daughter Jesse Smith at the Time 100 gala in 2011
See also
In Spanish: Patti Smith para niños
