On this day March 1 1980 Patti Smith married guitarist Fred Sonic Smith in Detroit. Their marriage marked a new chapter in Patti Smith’s life as she stepped away from the music industry for several years to focus on her family.
Fred Sonic Smith was best known as the guitarist for the influential garage rock band MC5 which was a major force in the late 1960s Detroit rock scene. Patti Smith had gained worldwide acclaim as a punk rock and new wave pioneer with albums like Horses and Easter. The two shared a deep artistic and personal connection with music playing a central role in their relationship.
During their time together Patti Smith largely withdrew from the public eye choosing to raise their children in Michigan. They remained married until Fred Sonic Smith’s passing in 1994. Their love and creative bond inspired Patti Smith’s later work including the song Frederick which was a tribute to her husband.
Fun fact: Fred Sonic Smith co-wrote the song People Have the Power with Patti Smith which became one of her most powerful anthems.
Trivia question: Before his time with MC5 Fred Sonic Smith was a key figure in the Detroit music scene. Can you name another influential rock band from Detroit in the late 1960s and 1970s
Fred Sonic Smith was best known as the guitarist for the influential garage rock band MC5 which was a major force in the late 1960s Detroit rock scene. Patti Smith had gained worldwide acclaim as a punk rock and new wave pioneer with albums like Horses and Easter. The two shared a deep artistic and personal connection with music playing a central role in their relationship.
During their time together Patti Smith largely withdrew from the public eye choosing to raise their children in Michigan. They remained married until Fred Sonic Smith’s passing in 1994. Their love and creative bond inspired Patti Smith’s later work including the song Frederick which was a tribute to her husband.
Fun fact: Fred Sonic Smith co-wrote the song People Have the Power with Patti Smith which became one of her most powerful anthems.
Trivia question: Before his time with MC5 Fred Sonic Smith was a key figure in the Detroit music scene. Can you name another influential rock band from Detroit in the late 1960s and 1970s
