See Chris Janson’s Longing Cover of ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night’

Chris Janson turns in a stirring, solo version of Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make it Through the Night” in a new live clip, released days before the 50th Annual CMA Awards.

Written by Kristofferson and popularized by Sammi Smith, whose cover became a crossover hit in 1971, “Help Me Make it Through the Night” is the latest country classic to receive a makeover on the CMAs’ “Forever Country” video series. Accompanied only by an acoustic guitar, the “Holdin’ Her” singer delivers the song in the same way Kristofferson wrote it, highlighting the mix of longing, loneliness and desire at the tune’s core.

“Help Me Make It Through the Night” took home the CMA Award for Single of the Year in 1971, besting nominees like Freddie Hart’s “Easy Loving” and Jerry Reed’s “Amos Moses.” This year, the category faces similarly steep competition, with Maren Morris’ “My Church,” Chris Stapleton’s “Nobody to Blame,” Eric Church’s “Record Year,” Thomas Rhett’s “Die a Happy Man” and Tim McGraw’s “Humble and Kind” all in the running.