Help Me Make It Through The Night

I wanted to approach this song with as much simplicity, focus, and a sort of 'lullaby' effect in the production as possible.  It's an amazing song, so there are many ways that I could have directed it, however…I felt that simple was best, allowing its iconic author and lyrics to shine.  Dad had produced Sammy Smith in her career and Kris spent a little time at our house, so I always hoped to include him in a future project and this one couldn't be more perfect…hence the choice of this song.  Dad's guitar solo is 'SO him'.  It's his special style and I love it.

At my house, I've had a framed picture of Kris Kristofferson in the foyer, Willie Nelson in the Kitchen, Levon in the office, and Dad, along with various other family photos, as well as a needle point of Jesus with a thorny crown gazing up at Heaven in the living room, for a couple of years now.  On some premeditated, subconscious level, I guess, it has been my way of 'keeping the faith' and 'following my dream' and following in the footsteps of those who've done the same.

Kris' performance was bone chilling that day in the studio.  He was my first 'guest' to appear and I absolutely sat there at the console weeping, as I heard his vocals through the speakers.  It was the first moment that I could have pinched myself to realize…"This is actually happening?  How lucky am I?!", followed by a toast with a fine Pinot Noir.