Patti Smith on Aging: Why 79 Made Her More Determined to Create

At 79 years old, punk icon Patti Smith has reached a new clarity about her life and work. In a recent conversation, she shared how aging has transformed her perspective on time and creativity.

Far from slowing down, Smith says growing older has ignited a fierce determination to keep creating for as long as she can. Her reflections offer a powerful look at resilience, loss, and the unyielding drive to live fully.

During an appearance on the podcast "Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso," Patti Smith spoke candidly about how turning 79 has changed her relationship with chronology. "I'm going to be 79 years old. You know, my mother only lived to be 82 and suddenly, chronology has a different meaning," she told host Sam Fragoso.

Smith, who celebrated her 79th birthday on December 30, admitted she "never thought a whole lot" about how much time she had left. That has shifted in recent years.

"But you start thinking about it, you know, not intentionally, but you know, when I think about it, in just a little over a year, I'll be 80 years old. That's a number."

This sharpened awareness has not led to fear, but to a renewed sense of purpose. She finds herself more focused on the work she still wants to accomplish.

For Smith, aging has become a catalyst for creativity. She expressed a powerful urgency to pursue her artistic goals while she still can.

"And I have so much to do and so many things I want to do, so many things I want to write," she said. This sentiment underscores a lifetime of artistic output that shows no signs of slowing.

Despite experiencing periods of feeling "a little dark" or "disenfranchised," Smith emphasized her resilience. She sees herself as a worker first and foremost, committed to her craft every single day.

• Writing poetry and prose
• Performing on stage
• Speaking and engaging in conversation
• Completing domestic tasks

"I work every day. I work hard. It might not always be something that the people will see or anyone will benefit by, but I do my work," she stated, defining her creative process in the broadest terms.

Smith's journey has been marked by significant personal loss. During the conversation, she reflected on the deaths of several loved ones, which shaped her perspective on life and survival.

Her husband, Fred Smith, died of heart failure in 1994. Just a few weeks later, her brother passed away after a stroke. Earlier, she had lost her longtime pianist, Richard Sohl, in 1990, and her close friend and collaborator, Robert Mapplethorpe, in 1989.

Amidst this grief, caring for her two young children provided a critical anchor. "And I love life, you know. I've always loved life," she said, adding that she has "always fought to live."

"In fact, people have often said, 'I can't believe of all that happened to you,' and I would say, 'It didn't happen to me, it happened to them.'"

Smith explained that she tries not to take the loss of her loved ones personally, viewing their passing as something that happened to them, not to her. This distinction has been vital to her ability to keep moving forward.

When asked what drives her to keep going, Smith identified one core force: desire. She recounted that even at her lowest points, she never wanted to end her life.

"At the worst of times, I didn't ever have a moment where I didn't want to live. I could say I didn't want to have to live without Fred, but in the end, I didn't want to end my life, you know?" she shared.

Her trials have not diminished her spirit; they have intensified it. Instead of retreating, Smith says she wants to live more fiercely. Her goal is not just to survive, but to thrive with purpose and passion.

She finds joy in the simple opportunity to experience the world each day. "I am happy every day that I have an opportunity to do new work or find new work or you know, experience something, even nature," Smith said.

Her ultimate aspiration is a long one: "I'm just one of those people that just wants to live. I mean, I'd love to live till 102."

Patti Smith's perspective at 79 is a testament to the enduring power of creativity and the human spirit. Her reflections reveal that for her, aging is not about decline, but about a focused, intentional use of time.

Her story offers a compelling model for how to approach later life—not with resignation, but with a clear-eyed determination to work, create, and love fiercely. As she looks toward 80 and beyond, her message is one of resilience and unwavering desire to engage with the world.