Patti Smith’s journey from New Jersey to the forefront of the punk rock scene with her debut album release of “Horses” in the 1970s includes Pitman.
She is a 1964 graduate of Deptford High School who lived at a time in an apartment building in Pitman Grove and Woodbury Gardens as a youngster.
“This is the era where everybody creates,” she sang proudly in her cover of the Byrds’ song “So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star.”
Smith, who is in her late 70s, continues to create through music, poetry and writing books. She reached the top of the charts in 1978 with her version of “Because the Night,” written by Bruce Springsteen on her album “Easter” and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 12, 2007.
In her induction by Zach De La Rocha of Rage Against The Machine, she was described as the “high priestess of punk poetry.”
“She sings, screams, howls, chants … so attuned to the moment that anticipating the next [line] is an impossibility,” said De La Rocha of her song “Gloria.”
“The breath between her words is as powerful as the words themselves – and. And by the end of the song a couple of things were made apparent – punk. Punk seeds had been planted … the culture would be changed forever … .”
Her journey has been displayed at Gloucester County Historical Society’s Museum’s “Movers, Shakers, and History Makers” exhibit, which went up in March in celebration of Women’s History Month.
“Patti has cemented herself in history as a woman whose mission in life is to create art that is not only beauty but shares a deep meaning and support to causes she deeply defends,” explained Jordan Orensky, coordinator at the Gloucester County Historical Society’s (GCHS) Museum in Woodbury.
“Ms. Smith was chosen for our exhibit because of her contributions to the music industry, but her drive to make the world a better place.”
Orensky highlighted Smith’s ties to New Jersey, noting her formative years in Pitman and Deptford.
Smith was born in Chicago, Illinois on Dec. 30, 1946.
“She and her family would move to the East Coast when she was 4 years old,” Orensky noted. “She and her family first moved to Germantown in Philadelphia, then made their way to Pitman and finally settled down in Deptford Township.”
Smith honed her passion for music, art, and performance at Deptford High School where she became involved in participating in her school’s plays and musicals.
On an art scholarship, Smith attended the Glassboro State Teachers College which is now known as the Rowan University. She opted out of college after a brief attendance and moved to New York to pursue her music career within the growing punk rock movement.
The positive response from the museum’s guests who attended the exhibit solidified that Smith’s inclusion served as a source of pride for the community.
“Many of our guests who have come to view our ‘Movers, Shakers, and History Makers’ exhibit have been very surprised to learn that Patti is a native of Gloucester County,” Orensky shared. “A few even recounted her early performances while she was in school.
“One guest even reminisced about meeting Ms. Smith when she was invited by Rowan University and awarded an honorary degree in 2008.”
The selection process for the exhibit involved intensive research on over a dozen women who contributed to shaping Gloucester County’s history and legacy.
“These women have stepped up to the plate, with a vision to make the world around them better than when they first found it,” Orensky said. “They are testaments to all women that they can achieve their goals and aspirations but also exceed them as well.
“Here at GCHS, we are proud and honored to share their stories and invite all to learn more about these extraordinary women.”
