Hits of Yesteryears (SONGS TO REMEMBER) Norma Ledesma & Sammi Smith

Hits of Yesteryears (SONGS TO REMEMBER)
1. Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down - Sammi Smith
2. Love Me - Norma Ledesma
3. Loving Arms - Sammi Smith

SAMMI SMITH Sammi Smith was born on August 5th 1943 in Orange County, California and started singing in clubs when she was eleven years old. She married early and had several children; one of her children is country singer and actor Waylon Payne. Her career didn't take off until she signed with the newly founded independent label "Mega" in 1970. She stayed with the Mega label until it shut down in 1976. Then she stayed with Elektra for a while and later signed with several smaller labels. Three years ago, on February 12th, the great country singer Sammi Smith died. Her songs are filled with melancholy and sophisticated grit. She had the unique talent to make you listen to the lyrics. Like with all great singers, you first don't notice how great a singer she is. Because she puts the song first, not herself. She makes sure that the listener takes the point of view of the song's protagonist. In her first and biggest hit, the Kris Kristofferson penned "Help Me Make It Through The Night" (1970), Sammi Smith literally draws you into the mind and skin of a woman who longs for tenderness: I don't care what's right or wrong, I won't try to understand Let the devil take tomorrow, cause tonight I need a friend "He's Everywhere" is a song about the emptiness and longing after the breakup; "For The Kids" tells the story of a divorce. Both songs manage to handle their topics without being sentimental. Sammi Smith gives you real feelings, there aren't any ersatz feelings. She delivers another great version of a Kris Kristofferson song with "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down". Someone stumbles into Sunday morning with a hangover and suddenly is overwhelmed with sadness and loneliness: Then I crossed the empty street And caught the Sunday smell of someone fryin' chicken And it took me back to somethin' That I'd lost somehow somewhere along the way

Category:

Music

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• SAMMI
• SMITH