Patti Smith Group

The Patti Smith Group is the backing band led by poet and singer Patti Smith, formed in New York City in the mid-1970s out of the downtown punk and art scene centered around venues like CBGB. Smith herself is often called the «Godmother of Punk» and a «punk poet laureate», fusing beat-poetry recitation with raw rock energy. The group's core lineup featured guitarist Lenny Kaye, a key architect of the band's sound, alongside other members including keyboardist Richard Sohl, bassist Ivan Kral and drummer Jay Dee Daugherty.

Musically, the group bridged proto-punk aggression with literary, improvisational songwriting, drawing on garage rock, free jazz and spoken word. Their biggest commercial success came with «Because the Night», co-written with Bruce Springsteen, which became a crossover hit and remains their best-known song, alongside tracks like «Dancing Barefoot», «Pissing in a River» and «Frederick». Albums such as Horses and Easter are considered foundational documents of the New York punk movement.

The band's original run lasted from the mid-1970s until 1979, after which Smith stepped back from music for several years before reuniting with various lineups from the late 1980s onward. Its influence on punk, alternative rock and spoken-word performance has been long-lasting, with Smith recognized as one of the genre's most literary and uncompromising voices.