Help Me Make It' singer dead

'Help Me Make It' singer dead
Sammi Smith was also part of 'Outlaw Movement'


OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (AP) -- Country singer Jewel "Sammi" Smith, known for her trademark ballad, "Help Me Make It Through The Night," and a knack for sharing everyday life in her music, died Saturday. She was 61.

Smith died at home after a long-term illness; the Guardian West Funeral Home did not release further details.

Smith won a Grammy for best country vocal performance-female in 1971 for "Help Me Make It Through The Night," which was written by Kris Kristofferson.

Smith produced her first hit, "So Long Charlie Brown," in 1967. Six years later, she moved to Dallas, where she joined the "Outlaw Movement" with Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.

Smith also found time to celebrate her Apache heritage. She was a frequent visitor to an Apache reservation in Arizona, where she made pottery and jewelry.