My favourite photograph by singer Rita Coolidge

WHEN I look at this photo of rehearsals for The Music For UNICEF Concert in 1979, I remember the event’s wonderful spirit.

It brought people together for the children, without egos.

I sang Fallen Angels with Kris Kristofferson, my then husband.

John Denver was there, one of the great voices, and Olivia Newton-John, as big as it gets after Grease.

ABBA and Earth, Wind & Fire were on the bill, too.

And Saturday Night Live comedian Gilda Radner.

It was a fabulous line-up.

It was a thrill to be on stage with The Bee Gees.

When I was starting out, I’d sing their songs in clubs.

Saturday Night Fever broke them wide open, but I’d always been a fan.

He’s not in the photo, but I remember Rod Stewart was there wearing purple spandex pants.

My parents were with me walking backstage and he was in front of us.

My father, a Baptist minister, called out, ‘Hey Rod, I like your pants.’

He turned around with a big smile and said, ‘Thank you very much. So do I.’

In the 1970s, things happened for me faster and on a grander scale than I ever anticipated.

I’d met singer-songwriters Delaney & Bonnie in Memphis in the late 1960s and Bonnie and I were immediate best friends.

We hung out in the studio and sang and they invited me to California.

I did backing vocals for them and for others.

My voice is on the records Love The One You’re With by Stephen Stills, After Midnight by Eric Clapton and Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door by Bob Dylan.

I’m honoured and flattered Leon Russell wrote A Song For You and Delta Lady about me, too.

A Song For You is one of the most beautiful songs ever.

Leon wrote it to win me back after I left him.

It didn’t work, but I was in tears when I heard it and thought, ‘Wow, if you felt that way, why weren’t you nicer to me?’ He had a tender heart.

When I met Kris in 1971 it was love at first flight – we met at LA airport!

It was tremendously hard to be a couple in the spotlight.

Kris had such notoriety for his films and, after we married and had our daughter Casey, it’d be brutal to be in an airport and see a throng of women running toward us.

I’d have to get the baby out of the way before Kris was mobbed.

Unfortunately, Kris was a womaniser.

Every time he went away to do a movie, he had a new leading lady – it became too much.

He’s a good man, a good father, but just wasn’t the right partner for me.

I had the idea for Superstar when on tour and Eric Clapton was in the band.

I’d see young girls look at Eric every night, dreaming of the guitar player, and the song started forming in my mind.

Bonnie and I worked on the music and lyrics and later Delaney co-wrote it.

When the record came out – with Karen Carpenter – I wasn’t given a credit.

This has since been corrected.

I had the hit album Anytime… Anywhere in 1977 [featuring We’re All Alone] and Kris and I won two Grammys [for Best Country Performance by a Duo].

And it was thrilling to record the Bond theme All Time High in 1983.

I got to meet Prince Charles and Princess Diana at the premiere.

It was one of the highlights of my life.

My new album, Safe In The Arms Of Time, is the best I’ve ever made.

It’s country, folk, bluesy and very personal.

And life has moved on for me.

Two years ago, I reunited with my college sweetheart, Joe Hutto, a wildlife biologist/author.

We’ve just moved to North Florida to a wonderful house on a lake. He’s the love of my life.” Rita’s album Safe In The Arms

Of Time is out now.