Photo: Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Fred "Sonic" Smith holds a special place for me as the MC5 guitarist who helped define Detroit's ferocious proto-punk roar. There was real artistry beneath that noise, and his partnership with Patti Smith, raising two children and even making music together, reveals a tenderness that the wild stage persona never advertised. Losing him at only forty-six in 1994 feels like a genuine cultural loss. I admire musicians who scratch their mark into a moment rather than chase longevity, and Smith did exactly that. He earns my full respect as a quietly soulful man hiding behind a wall of beautiful distortion.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Fred Smith
- Name (Japanese)
- フレッド・“ソニック”・スミス
- Reading
- ふれっど・“そにっく”・すみす
- Born
- September 14, 1949 – November 4, 1994
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Virgo / Ox
- Origin
- West Virginia, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- songwriter / guitarist / singer / musician
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
- Official sitehttp://sonicsrendezvousband.net/
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred%20%22Sonic%22%20Smith
Frequently asked questions
When was Fred Smith born?
September 14, 1949 – November 4, 1994.
Where is Fred Smith from?
Fred Smith is from West Virginia, United States.
What does Fred Smith do?
Fred Smith works as songwriter, guitarist, singer, musician.
Songwriter — see all → · Guitarist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.