Patti Smith
True icon of living rock, the “priestess” of rock, in her career of over forty years she has crossed punk becoming its icon, analyzed the world in all its forms of art, through music, photography, poetry , novels, painting and sculpture, leaving an indelible mark in every expression. Loved, discussed, powerful and idealistic, Patti Smith is a true legend of rock for all generations and, without a doubt, among the most influential artists of all time, songwriter and poet.
Singer, songwriter and poet, Patricia Lee Smith, stage name Patti Smith, was born on December 30, 1946 in Chicago, Illinois. In 1950 he moved with his family to Philadelphia and then to New Jersey. The eldest of four children, Patti Smith has always been a tall, lanky, sickly child with a lazy left eye. Shy behaviors that never would have made Patti think that she could transform herself into the innovative rock star she would later become. However, Patti says she always knew she was destined for greatness.
“When I was a little girl, I always knew that I had something special inside of me. I mean, I wasn’t attractive, I wasn’t very communicative, I wasn’t very smart, at least in school. I was none of that, and I never proved to the world that I was anything special, but I had this huge hope all along and that’s the spirit that kept me strong…I was a happy little girl because I had a feeling that I would be gone beyond my physical body..” declares Patti Smith.
It was the 60’s when the very young Patti Smith, in her early twenties, moved to vibrant New York to find her way. The rest is history: from the chat relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe to the very first performances at the historic CBGB’s, not to mention the contract with Arista and the publication of “Horses“, one of the best albums in rock history.
Patti Smith has rightfully earned a place in the Olympus of rock legends.
Undoubtedly among the most influential artists of all time, an enormously talented songwriter and poet, Patti is often cited by illustrious colleagues as a great source of inspiration, from Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) to Morrissey and Johnny Marr (The Smiths), from Madonna to U2 to many others, to the point of attending the Nobel prize for literature instead of Bob Dylan, at his express wish.
Songs like “People Have The Power”, “Gloria” (cover of Van Morrison’s song by Them), “Dancing Barefoot” and “Because The Night” (co-written with Bruce Springsteen) are real milestones of music and collective imagination.