AceShowbiz - Punk icon Patti Smith will be honored at the 27th annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards next month, on April 24, when she is presented with the coveted Founders Award. The "Because the Night" singer will also perform at the event, to be held at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles.

The invitation-only gala will also honor the top songwriters and publishers of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' most performed pop songs of 2009. Announcing Smith's honor, ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams says, "Patti fused raw rock energy with the heart of a poet and ignited the 1970s New York punk scene."

"She expanded the boundaries of artistic expression, musically and otherwise, inspiring generations of rockers worldwide. She continues to be a vibrant, prolific artist, working in a wide variety of media. We are very proud to honor Patti Smith with ASCAP's Founders Award."