1. Jewel Fay "Sammi" Smith was an American country music singer and songwriter.
24 Facts About Sammi Smith
1. 2.
Sammi Smith is best known for her 1971 crossover hit "Help Me Make It Through the Night", which was written by Kris Kristofferson.
3.
Sammi Smith became one of the few women in the outlaw country movement during the 1970s.
4.
Sammi Smith was born in Orange County, California, but spent her childhood in Oklahoma, Texas, Arizona and Colorado.
5.
Sammi Smith dropped out of school at the age of 11 and began to sing professionally in nightclubs.
6.
Sammi Smith was 15 when she married Floyd L "Bobby" White, one of the best-known steel guitar players of his day.
7.
Sammi Smith had been one of the rare women in the "outlaw country" movement sweeping country music in the 1970s.
8.
In 1970, Smith signed with a new label Mega Records and her first hit for her new label was called "He's Everywhere", which made the top 25 on the country charts.
9.
In 1972, Sammi Smith won a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance that year, and Kristofferson took songwriting awards.
10.
In 1973, Sammi Smith moved to Dallas, Texas, with Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson to become a country "outlaw".
11.
Sammi Smith continued to have an ongoing friendship with Jennings and Nelson for the rest of her life.
12.
Sammi Smith continued to have success with the Mega Records label until 1975.
13.
Sammi Smith continued to score Top 40 country hits like "The Rainbow in Daddy's Eyes" and "Long Black Veil".
14.
In 1979, Sammi Smith made a successful comeback album on Cyclone Records called Girl Hero.
15.
Sammi Smith had moved to Arizona and became involved in Native American causes, working for Apaches.
16.
Sammi Smith started her own band named Apache Spirit, which was made up of Native Americans.
17.
Sammi Smith did appearances on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
18.
Sammi Smith often brought her son Waylon Payne to guest star at the Opry.
19.
Sammi Smith had a line of pottery, bath salts, and hand-painted ceramic tiles for the bathroom.
20.
In 1995, the compilation album The Best of Sammi Smith was released, which consisted of her big hit and many other various countrypolitan songs.
21.
Sammi Smith had a total of 18 LPs during her career.
22.
On February 12,2005, at the age of 61, Sammi Smith died at her home in Oklahoma City of emphysema.
23.
Sammi Smith's remains were buried in Guymon, Oklahoma, which she claimed was her home town.
24.
Sammi Smith later had a third son with Willie Nelson's guitarist Jody Payne.