Patti Smith is an American singer, songwriter, poet, and author, born on December 30, 1946.
Her debut album, "Horses," released in 1975, made her an influential member of the punk rock movement.
Smith's song "Because the Night," co-written with Bruce Springsteen, became her most widely known hit, reaching number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Biography
Early Life
Patricia Lee Smith, known as Patti Smith, was born on December 30, 1946, in Chicago, Illinois. She was raised in a family with a rich musical background; her mother, Beverly, was a jazz singer turned waitress, and her father, Grant, worked as a machinist. Smith's family moved several times during her childhood, eventually settling in New Jersey. From an early age, she was exposed to a variety of music, which would later influence her artistic career. After graduating from high school in 1964, she briefly attended college before moving to Manhattan in 1967, where she began to immerse herself in the vibrant art and music scene.
Career
Patti Smith's career took off in the late 1960s and early 1970s when she became a prominent figure in the New York City punk rock movement. Her debut album, "Horses," released in 1975, is considered a landmark in rock music, blending poetry and rock in a way that had not been done before. Smith's songwriting prowess was highlighted by her hit song "Because the Night," co-written with Bruce Springsteen, which reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100. Throughout her career, she released several influential albums, including "Dream of Life," "Gone Again," and "Banga," showcasing her evolution as an artist.
Personal Life
Smith's personal life has been marked by significant relationships, particularly with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, whom she met in the late 1960s. Their intense bond and artistic collaboration were central to her life, and she later honored him in her memoir, "Just Kids." In 1979, she married Fred "Sonic" Smith, a guitarist from the band MC5, and they had a son together. Smith's life has been a tapestry of artistic exploration, personal loss, and profound connections, all of which have shaped her legacy as a pioneering artist in music and literature.
Collected from open sources (4) · facts link to sources · AI-processed
Discography
Correspondences, Volume Two2025
- 1.Children of Cherbobyl15:00
- 2.The Acolyte, the Artist and Nature13:12
Correspondences, Vol. 12024
- 1.Pasolini12:56
- 2.Medea14:07
Curated by Record Store Day2022
- 1.People Have the Power5:06
- 2.Birdland9:14
- 3.Ask the Angels3:10
- 4.Dancing Barefoot4:16
- 5.Poppies7:07
- 6.Because the Night3:25
- 7.Pumping (My Heart)3:22
- 8.Frederick3:04
- 9.About a Boy8:18
- 10.Free Money3:54
- 11.Piss Factory5:03
- 12.Gloria5:52
- 13.Till Victory2:47
- 14.Paths That Cross4:21
- 15.Land9:24
Peradam2020
- 1.Nanda Devi3:49
- 2.Peradam7:47
- 3.Knowledge of the Self5:47
- 4.Dawn in Rishikesh4:56
- 5.Spiritual Death7:47
- 6.The Four Cardinal Times4:44
- 7.Hymn to the Liquid4:26
- 8.Vera7:29
- 9.The Rat7:51
The Peyote Dance2019
- 1.Una nota sobre el peyote4:27
- 2.Indian Culture9:39
- 3.Tutuguri: The Rite of the Black Sun5:00
- 4.Tutuguri: The Rite of Black Night9:57
- 5.The New Revelations of Being3:37
- 6.Alienation and Black Magic10:43
- 7.Ivry6:47
- 8.Basalówala Aminá Ralámuli Paísila4:39
Mummer Love2019
- 1.Aw Abadir1:16
- 2.La Maison de Rimbaud10:02
- 3.Eternity6:48
- 4.Song of the Highest Tower4:38
- 5.Mummer Love8:36
- 6.Farewell8:19
- 7.Bad Blood7:53
- 8.Sensation3:58
Killer Road2016
- 1.Killer Road4:29
- 2.My Heart Is Empty6:52
- 3.Evening of Light5:02
- 4.Saeta4:46
- 5.Secret Side4:00
- 6.Fearfully in Danger (live)6:43
- 7.I Will Be Seven (live)6:19
- 8.The Sphinx (live)7:08
- 9.My Only Child4:48
Twelve / Banga2013
- 1.Are You Experienced?4:46
- 2.Everybody Wants to Rule the World4:07
- 3.Helpless4:03
- 4.Gimme Shelter5:01
- 5.Within You Without You4:51
- 6.White Rabbit3:55
- 7.Changing of the Guards5:48
- 8.The Boy in the Bubble4:31
- 9.Soul Kitchen3:46
- 10.Smells Like Teen Spirit6:32
- 11.Midnight Rider4:03
- 12.Pastime Paradise5:27
- 13.Amerigo4:36
- 14.April Fool3:47
- 15.Fuji‐san4:13
- 16.This Is the Girl3:49
- 17.Banga2:51
- 18.Maria5:05
- 19.Mosaic4:13
- 20.Tarkovsky (The Second Stop Is Jupiter)4:50
- 21.Nine5:03
- 22.Seneca5:40
- 23.Constantine’s Dream10:20
- 24.After the Gold Rush4:13
Banga2012
- 1.Amerigo4:36
- 2.April Fool3:47
- 3.Fuji-san4:13
- 4.This Is the Girl3:49
- 5.Banga2:51
- 6.Maria5:05
- 7.Mosaic4:13
- 8.Tarkovsky (The Second Stop Is Jupiter)4:50
- 9.Nine5:03
- 10.Seneca5:40
- 11.Constantine's Dream10:20
- 12.After the Gold Rush4:13
Outside Society2011
- 1.Gloria5:53
- 2.Free Money3:50
- 3.Ain’t It Strange6:35
- 4.Pissing in a River4:51
- 5.Because the Night3:23
- 6.Rock ’n’ Roll Nigger4:52
- 7.Dancing Barefoot4:17
- 8.Frederick3:02
- 9.So You Want to Be a Rock ’n’ Roll Star4:19
- 10.People Have the Power5:07
- 11.Up There Down There4:49
- 12.Beneath the Southern Cross4:35
- 13.Summer Cannibals4:09
- 14.19593:58
- 15.Glitter in Their Eyes3:03
- 16.Lo and Beholden (radio edit)4:19
- 17.Smells Like Teen Spirit (radio edit)5:49
- 18.Trampin’ (album version)2:52
Original Album Classics2010
- 1.Gone Again3:17
- 2.Beneath the Southern Cross4:36
- 3.About a Boy8:16
- 4.My Madrigal5:09
- 5.Summer Cannibals4:11
- 6.Dead to the World4:17
- 7.Wing4:54
- 8.Ravens3:58
- 9.Wicked Messenger3:48
- 10.Fireflies9:36
- 11.Farewell Reel3:55
- 12.Waiting Underground5:20
- 13.Whirl Away5:02
- 14.19593:59
- 15.Spell3:18
- 16.Don’t Say Nothing5:53
- 17.Dead City4:14
- 18.Blue Poles5:20
- 19.Death Singing3:45
- 20.Memento Mori10:34
- 21.Last Call5:09
- 22.One Voice4:05
- 23.Lo and Beholden4:43
- 24.Boy Cried Wolf4:52
- 25.Persuasion4:33
- 26.Gone Pie4:04
- 27.China Bird4:07
- 28.Glitter in Their Eyes3:03
- 29.Strange Messengers8:03
- 30.Grateful4:30
- 31.Upright Come2:58
- 32.New Party4:30
- 33.Libbie’s Song3:26
- 34.Gung Ho11:41
Original Album Classics2008
Tracklist not collected yet.
Original Album Classics2008
Tracklist not collected yet.
Patti Smith x2: Horses / Easter2008
- 1.Gloria5:57
- 2.Redondo Beach3:27
- 3.Birdland9:16
- 4.Free Money3:52
- 5.Kimberly4:27
- 6.Break It Up4:04
- 7.Land: Horses / Land of a Thousand Dances / La Mer (de)9:26
- 8.Elegie2:56
- 9.My Generation3:17
- 10.Till Victory2:51
- 11.Space Monkey4:06
- 12.Because the Night3:25
- 13.Ghost Dance4:44
- 14.Babelogue1:30
- 15.Rock n Roll Nigger3:25
- 16.Privilege (Set Me Free)3:29
- 17.We Three4:18
- 18.25th Floor4:03
- 19.High on Rebellion6:15
- 20.Easter
- 21.Godspeed6:10
Twelve2007
Tracklist not collected yet.
February 10, 19712006
Tracklist not collected yet.
I miti musica: Patti Smith2004
Tracklist not collected yet.
Trampin’2003
Tracklist not collected yet.
Land (1975–2002)2002
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gung Ho2000
Tracklist not collected yet.
Peace and Noise1997
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gone Again1996
Tracklist not collected yet.
Dream of Life1988
Tracklist not collected yet.
Horses1975
Tracklist not collected yet.
Superstars Best Collection
Tracklist not collected yet.
Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Arista Records
- Record label
- Columbia Records
Achievements
- Award
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
- Award
- National Book Award
- Award
- Polar Music Prize
- Award
- National Book Award for Nonfiction
- Award
- Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts
- Award
- honorary doctorate from the University of Parma
- Award
- honorary doctor of the University of Padua
- Award
- Officer of the Legion of Honour
- Award
- Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- Award
- Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize
- Award
- Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts
Groups
- Patti Smith Groupeponymous, originalcurrent
Similar artists
Archive
Passport
Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Patricia Lee Smith
Patricia Lee Smith is an American singer, songwriter, poet, and author. Her 1975 debut album Horses made her an influential member of the New York City–based punk rock movement. Smith has fused rock and poetry in her work. In 1978, her most widely known song, "Because the Night," co-written with Bruce Springsteen, reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number five on the UK Singles Chart.
Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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