Patti Smith and her band

Born in Chicago and raised in South Jersey, poet/singer/songwriter Patti Smith moved to New York City and gained recognition as one of the first visionary artists of the 1970s—known for the merging of poetry and rock. In 2005 she was awarded the prestigious title of Commandeur of Arts & Letters by the French Ministry of Culture, and in 2007 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.