“Robert Mapplethorpe asked me to write our story the day before he died. I had never written a book of nonfiction, and so it took me almost two decades to write that book.”

American singer, songwriter, poet, and author

Patti Smith is an American singer, songwriter, poet, and author. Her career took shape in New York City in the 1970s, and her 1975 debut album, Horses, made her a notable figure in punk rock. She has also been called the Queen of Punk and the Godmother of Punk. Smith is known for bringing rock and poetry together in her work. Her best-known song is "Because the Night", which she co-wrote with Bruce Springsteen. It reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number five on the UK Singles Chart in 1978.