Trivia

He and wife Patti Smith lived in St. Clair Shores, Michigan, an eastern suburb of Detroit, during their married years (1979-1994).

His memorial service was held at Detroit Mariner's Church - made famous in the Gordon Lightfoot song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" - the same church in which he and Patti Smith had married 15 years earlier.

Sonic Youth has acknowledged that he was the inspiration for their name.

Collaborated with wife Patti Smith on a soundtrack song from the Wim Wenders' 1991 film, Until the End of the World (1991) (aka "Until the End of the World").

Formed the band "Sonic's Rendezvous Band" after MC5 disbanded in 1972.

Guitarist for MC5, best known for their album "Kick Out The Jams".

MC5 was signed to Elektra Records after they performed at the 1968 Democratic National Convention.

Son Jackson Smith (b. 1982) and daughter Jesse Smith (b. 1987). Jackson, a Detroit-based freelance writer, has written that he knew nothing of his parents' musical legacies until he was an adult.

Fred broke a decade-long hiatus from music to co-produce wife Patti Smith's comeback album "Dream of Life".