BREAKING: Punk legend Patti Smith has disclosed a stunning personal revelation in her new memoir, Bread of Angels, published on November 4, 2023. On her 70th birthday, she discovered she is half Jewish, a finding that profoundly impacted her identity and creative process.
In a heartfelt account, Smith details how she and her sister took a DNA test after their mother’s passing, leading to the unexpected discovery of their Ashkenazi ancestry. “We wept upon seeing the results,” Smith shares, noting that the revelation “put a great strain on my thought process, and for some time I was unable to write.” This emotional journey has resonated with fans worldwide, as Smith is celebrated as the Godmother of Punk, a pivotal figure in New York City’s vibrant 1970s counterculture.
Smith’s biological father, Sidney, was a Jewish pilot whose family fled to Ukraine before settling in Philadelphia. She reflects, “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit broken-hearted,” upon realizing that the man who raised her, Grant Smith, was not her biological father. “Grant will always be my father,” she affirms. “But now I have two fathers.”
The singer emphasizes that her newfound heritage sheds light on aspects of herself that her family had not recognized. “I don’t know a whole lot about my Jewish father, but everything I’ve found out about him, I recognize,” she notes. Smith describes a powerful emotional connection to her newfound ancestry, stating, “I can just feel it.”
This revelation is not just a personal journey; it touches on broader themes of identity and family secrets. Smith recalls an important moment in 2002 when she spoke to her mother about her voice changing with age. Her mother hinted at a family story concerning genetics, which remained unspoken until her mother’s health declined after a fall. Tragically, the conversation about her ancestry never happened.
Smith also recounts how her maternal great-grandmother had long harbored suspicions about her paternity, suggesting that her biological father might have been her mother’s uncle. However, this notion was dismissed by her parents and remained a family secret.
As a towering influence in music, Smith was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 and is ranked 47th on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time. Her 1975 debut album, Horses, is lauded as a pioneering work that fused rock and poetry, marking the birth of punk rock.
This revelation in Bread of Angels not only reinvents Smith’s narrative but also invites fans to explore the complexities of heritage and identity. As she continues to share her story, the music world and her devoted followers await more insights from the iconic artist.
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