Editing Patti Smith (section)

==Personal life==

[[File:Patti Smith.jpg|thumb|Smith performing at [[Cornell University]] in 1978]]
[[File:Patti Smith in Rosengrten 1978.jpg|thumb|Smith performing in [[West Germany]] in 1978]]
In 1967, 20-year-old Smith left Glassboro State College (now [[Rowan University]]) and moved to [[Manhattan]], where she began working at Scribner’s bookstore with friend and poet [[Janet Hamill]]. On April 26, 1967, at age 20, Smith gave birth to her first child, a daughter, and placed her for adoption.<ref name= "autogenerated20" />

While working at the bookstore she met photographer [[Robert Mapplethorpe]], with whom she began an intense romantic relationship, which was tumultuous as the pair struggled with poverty and Mapplethorpe's sexuality. Smith used Mapplethorpe's photographs of her as covers for her albums, and she wrote essays for several of his books, including his posthumous ''Flowers,'' at his request.<ref>{{cite AV media |title=[[Just Kids]] |last=Smith |first=Patti |publisher= |year=}}</ref> The two remained friends until Mapplethorpe's death in 1989.<ref>{{cite interview |last=Smith |first=Patti |title=A conversation with singer Patti Smith |type=Interview: Video |url=http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/5297 |access-date=January 12, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121123432/http://www.charlierose.com/view/interview/5297 |archive-date=January 21, 2011 |url-status=dead |work=[[Charlie Rose (talk show)|Charlie Rose]] |publisher=[[WNET]] |location=New York |date=October 17, 1997}}</ref>

Smith considers Mapplethorpe to be among the most influential and important people in her life. She calls him "the artist of my life" in her book ''[[Just Kids]],'' which tells the story of their relationship. Her book and album ''[[The Coral Sea (book)|The Coral Sea]]'' is an homage to Mapplethorpe.

[[File:Patti Smith daughter Jesse Smith 2011 Shankbone.JPG|thumb|Smith (left) and her daughter Jesse Smith at the [[Time 100|''Time'' 100]] gala in 2011]]

In 1979, at approximately age 32, Smith separated from her long-time partner [[Allen Lanier]] and met [[Fred "Sonic" Smith]], the former guitar player for [[Michigan]]-based rock band [[MC5]] and [[Sonic's Rendezvous Band]]. Like Patti, Fred adored poetry.  "Dancing Barefoot", which was inspired by [[Jeanne Hébuterne]] and her tragic love for [[Amedeo Modigliani]], and "Frederick" were both dedicated to him.<ref>{{cite web|url={{AllMusic|class=song|id=t830026|pure_url=yes}}|title=Dancing Barefoot|access-date=February 7, 2008 |author=Deming, Mark|website=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> A running joke at the time was that she married Fred only because she would not have to change her name.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://babellist.xnet2.com/9903/msg00195.html|title=Babel-list|access-date=February 7, 2008|year=1999|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409041747/http://babellist.xnet2.com/9903/msg00195.html|archive-date=April 9, 2009}}</ref> They had a son, Jackson (b. 1982), who went on to marry [[Meg White]], drummer for [[The White Stripes]], from 2009 to 2013,<ref>{{cite news|title=Meg White and Jackson Smith wed in Nashville|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment/2009264040_apusmusicmegwhite.html|newspaper=[[The Seattle Times]]|date=May 26, 2009|access-date=October 19, 2012|archive-date=October 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141020010717/http://seattletimes.com/html/entertainment/2009264040_apusmusicmegwhite.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and a daughter, [[Jesse Paris Smith|Jesse Paris]] (b. 1987), who is a musician and composer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jesse-paris-smith-mn0002835668/biography|title=Jesse Paris Smith &#124; Biography & History|website=[[AllMusic]]|access-date=September 5, 2020|archive-date=August 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806033226/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jesse-paris-smith-mn0002835668/biography|url-status=live}}</ref>

Fred Smith died of a heart attack on November 4, 1994. Shortly afterward, Patti faced the unexpected death of her brother Todd.<ref name="Arista bio"/>