"Who the heck is Patti Smith, and what did she ever change????"
From the looks of it, her sex.
:>)
I have no idea who this lady is...and I graduated high school in 70.
If she was the source of this great change in music of that era.....then who is she why am I not familiar with her? I don't think I'm senile, yet. I remmber Beatles, 10 Years After, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, etc. I remember Carly Simon, James Taylor, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, etc. I even remember Joanie Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot.
But for the life of me, I don't remember this lady at all.