On this day (August 5) in 1943, Sammi Smith was born in Orange County, California. She is best remembered for her connection to the outlaw country movement of the 1970s. Her breakout hit was a rendition of Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” It topped the country chart and reached the top 10 on the Hot 100.
Smith started her long journey to stardom early. She dropped out of school when she was just 11 years old and began singing in clubs. She was performing at the Someplace Else Night Club in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, when Johnny Cash’s bass player, Marshall Grant, heard her for the first time.
…