- 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.
- 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.
- Sonic Youth has acknowledged that he was the inspiration for their name.
- Fred broke a decade-long hiatus from music to co-produce wife Patti Smith's comeback album "Dream of Life".
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