PATTI SMITH

Patricia Lee Smith, born December 30, 1946, is an American singer, songwriter, poet, painter, author, and photographer. Her 1975 debut album Horses is considered influential within the New York City–based punk rock movement. Smith has combined rock music with poetry in her work. Her 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 in 1978. In 2005, she was named a Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. Smith received the National Book Award in 2010 for her memoir Just Kids, which she wrote to fulfill a promise to Robert Mapplethorpe, her longtime partner and friend. She is ranked 47th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and was awarded the Polar Music Prize in 2011.