Legendary singer-songwriter Patti Smith was awarded with the key to New York City yesterday (December 27). The key was presented to her by outgoing mayor Bill de Blasio.
“I wish I could give New York City the key to me, because that’s how I feel about our city,” Smith said. “With all its challenges and difficulties, it remains—and I’m quite a traveler—the most diverse city in the world.” She added, “To receive this at 75, it makes me look even more forward to the next 25 years.”
“This is an extraordinary pleasure and honor for me, because for any of us who came of age in the 1970s and 1980s, there were many, many voices out there, many artists out there, many musicians out there, but there was only one Patti Smith,” Mayor de Blasio said. “To me, Patti Smith had an authenticity and has an authenticity that you just didn't find, in my view, that many other places—an ability to cut through all the swirl around us and speak some more profound truths.”
After Smith gave a speech about her love for the city and chatted with de Blasio for a bit, she gave a performance of "Ghost Dance" with fellow musician Lenny Kaye.
In his last weeks as mayor, de Blasio has been awarding keys to the city to a number of figures, including filmmaker Spike Lee and legendary music producer Clive Davis.
In other Patti Smith news, the artist created a newsletter for fans back in April. The subscription-based newsletter is available to view on Substack.
See Patti Smith receive the key to New York City below.
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Article Image: Patti Smith sings while performing at a music festival. (benhoudijik via DepositPhotos.)
