Patti Smith sings to Johnny Depp for his birthday during Earth Day concert

Patti Smith serenaded Johnny Depp yesterday as the pair took part in a digital music festival to mark the 50th anniversary of Earth Day.

The legendary singer-songwriter serenaded Depp with ‘Nine’, a song she wrote for his birthday, as Depp himself watched on. Her setlist also included ‘Grateful’, ‘My Blakean Year’, ‘Because the Night’ and ‘People Have the Power’.

Depp himself covered John Lennon’s ‘Working Class Hero’ and was joined by the likes of Cat Power, who played her own version of The Rolling Stones’ ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ and Bob Dylan’s ‘Kingsport Town’.

Other highlights came from Flea offering a brief jam on his bass, and Michael Stipe providing a brief performance of his new solo single ‘No Time For Love Like Me Now’.

The stream was set up by nonprofit organisation Pathway To Paris, which Stipe and Smith have supported heavily in the past – all proceeds from Stipe’s recent solo single ‘Drive To The Ocean’ are going to the organisation.

In an Instagram post announcing the event, Pathway to Paris wrote: “As humanity faces an unknown future, we must recognise the fact that we simply cannot go back to our behaviour from before. Both as individuals and as a globe, we are in a time of reflection, and now, more than ever, we have the opportunity to make great change.”








The new livestream is the latest in a long line of virtual events to pop up while the world self-isolates due to the coronavirus crisis.

Earlier this month, Lady Gaga hosted fundraiser One World: Together At Home which featured performances from the likes of Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift, and has raised over £100 million so far for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

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