Sammi Smith (1943-2005) was one of the pioneering women of the 1970s "outlaw country" scene... After scoring a major Nashville hit with her version of Kris Kristofferson's "Help Me Make It Through The Night," she moved to Texas around the same time as Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, and became a mainstay in the Texas outlaw scene. Her husband, Jody Payne, became Nelson's guitarist in the early '70s; their son, Waylon Payne, has recorded several alt-country albums. At the end of the 1970s, Smith largely retired from the music business, although she recorded sporadically in the next couple of decades... Here's a quick look at her work.
Sammi Smith "The Best Of..." (Varese Sarabande, 2001)
This is the best overview of Smith's work, packed with solid, durable country oldies, and many of her biggest hits. It may also be the only legitimate CD release of her work so far... Definitely worth checking out!
Sammi Smith "Sammi With A Bullet" (Sterling Entertainment, 2001)
Sammi Smith "Help Me Make It Through The Night" (Mega, 1970) (LP)
Sammi Smith "Lonesome" (Mega, 1971) (LP)
Sammi Smith "Something Old, Something New, Something Blue" (Mega, 1972) (LP)
Sammi Smith "The Toast Of '45" (Mega, 1973) (LP)
Sammi Smith "The Rainbow In Daddy's Eyes" (Mega, 1974) (LP)
Sammi Smith "Sunshine" (Mega, 1975) (LP)
Sammi Smith "Today I Started Loving You Again" (Mega, 1975) (LP)
Sammi Smith "As Long As There's Sunday" (Elektra, 1976) (LP)
Sammi Smith "Mixed Emotions" (Elektra, 1977) (LP)
Sammi Smith "New Winds, All Quadrants" (Elektra, 1978) (LP)
Sammi Smith "Girl Hero" (Cyclone, 1979) (LP)
Sammi Smith "Better Than Ever" (Step One, 1986)
Sammi Smith "Here Comes That Rainbow Again" (Playback, 1991)
