Patricia Lee (Patti) Smith, born December 30, 1946 is an American singer-songwriter and poet. She is considered one of the founders of the punk genre in New York. Hence her nickname "The Godmother of Punk". Her work is a fusion of rock and poetry.
Smith's best-known song is "Because the Night," which she co-wrote with Bruce Springsteen. The song reached 13th place on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1978.
In 2005, Smith was named a Commandeur in the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture, and in 2007 her name was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Ohio. On November 17, 2010, she won the National Book Award for her memoir Just Kids. In 2011, Smith won a Polar Music Prize.