Jewel “Sammi” Smith Dies

Jewel “Sammi” Smith, best known for her trademark ballad “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” died at her Oklahoma City home after a long illness.

Smith, 61, won a Grammy for best country vocal performance (female) in 1971 for the song, written by Kris Kristofferson.

She produced her first hit, “So Long Charlie Brown,” in 1967 and six years later moved to Dallas, where she joined up with the “Outlaw Movement” spearheaded by Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.