Patti Smith is known to many as a musician, poet, writer, and rock icon. But one of her most important roles is often overlooked: Patti Smith is a historian of her own generation. She lived through one of the most influential artistic eras in New York City, and she has dedicated much of her life to remembering the people who shaped it.
From her early days in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Patti was surrounded by artists who would later become legends. Through her books, interviews, and performances, she tells their stories with honesty and love. She often says that she feels responsible for keeping their memories alive.
In her memoir Just Kids, she wrote about her circle of friends during her early years in New York. Many of them struggled, and some never got the chance to fully show the world what they could do. Patti reflects on their lives with sadness but also with deep admiration. She believes she was lucky to succeed, and because of that, she feels it is her duty to celebrate the people who inspired her. Names like Robert Mapplethorpe, Fred Smith, Allen Ginsberg, Lou Reed, Sam Shepard, and Tom Verlaine appear again and again in her stories. To her, these people are not just artists — they are part of her personal history, and she carries them with her everywhere she goes.
Among these influential figures, Jimi Hendrix holds a special place in Patti Smith’s heart. She mentions him often, always with a sense of wonder and respect.
One of her most memorable stories takes place on the steps of the newly built Electric Lady Studios. Patti was young, nervous, and too scared to walk inside. That’s when Jimi Hendrix appeared. Instead of acting like a superstar, he admitted to her that he was shy and uncomfortable with parties. They talked about music, dreams, and the future. Hendrix even shared his hope of creating a second Woodstock — a global gathering of musicians who would play together until they found a “language of peace.”
But Patti’s connection to Hendrix started long before that meeting. To her, he was not just a talented guitarist. He was a symbol — someone who seemed almost larger than life. She once described him as “beautiful, intelligent, hungry,” the perfect example of what a rock star could be. His death deeply affected her, not only because the world lost a great musician, but because she believed he still had so much more to give.
She often speaks about the path he might have taken. She imagined him traveling the world, working with different musicians, and creating new forms of music. She believed he was trying to express something powerful and mysterious — something that many people never fully understood.
Patti Smith mourns Hendrix not just as a fan, but as someone who truly believed in his purpose. She once said he felt like a “prophet” whose life and death were strangely destined. His loss, to her, was not only tragic but also symbolic of how the world sometimes consumes its brightest talents.
Through her words, Patti Smith keeps Hendrix alive. She keeps all of them alive. And that is why she is more than a musician or writer — she is the storyteller of her generation, making sure their voices continue to be heard.