Good Morning Heartache (song)

"Good Morning Heartache" (Decca Records) is a song written by Irene Higginbotham, Ervin Drake, and Dan Fisher. Originally recorded by jazz singer Billie Holiday on January 22, 1946.

About the songwriters

 * Irene Higginbotham (1918-1988) was a songwriter and pianist, and joined the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1944.


 * Ervin Drake (born April 3, 1919) songwriter and inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983. Joining the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1958.


 * Dan Fisher (1920-2001) was a songwriter, author, producer and publisher. Joining American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) in 1953.

Recording session
Bill Stegmeyer and his Orchestra (Decca Session #54) New York, January 22, 1946: with Gordon ‘Chris’ Griffin (trumpet), Joe Guy (trumpet) Bill Stegmeyer (alto saxophone), Hank Ross (tenor saxophone), Bernie Kaufman (tenor saxophone), Armand Camgros (tenor saxophone), Joe Springer (piano), Tiny Grimes (guitar), John Simmons (bass), Sidney Catlett (drums), Billie Holiday (vocal) + 4 strings

Diana Ross version
The song was revived by R&B/soul singer Diana Ross, when she portrayed Holliday in the biopic, Lady Sings the Blues, in 1972, starring with Billy Dee Williams. Released as a single later on that year to promote the movie, Ross brought jazz back to the pop and R&B audiences, sending it to numbers 20 and 34 on the R&B and Pop charts respectively.

Notable cover versions
A partial list includes:


 * Joe Williams (1955)
 * Dinah Washington (1959)
 * Sam Cooke (1959)
 * Ella Fitzgerald (1961)
 * Etta James (1962)
 * Billy Eckstine (1969)
 * Diana Ross (1972)
 * Johnny Mathis (1973)
 * Hank Crawford (1973)
 * Natalie Cole (1976)
 * Rosemary Clooney (1978)
 * Carmen McRae (1980)
 * George Shearing (1982)
 * Freddie Jackson (1985)
 * Ruth Brown (1989)
 * McCoy Tyner (1991)
 * Miki Howard (1992)
 * Johnny Adams (1993)
 * Diana Ross (1993)
 * Gladys Knight (1995)
 * Tony Bennett (1996)
 * Sheryl Crow (1998)
 * Diane Schuur (1999)
 * Ol' Dirty Bastard (1999)
 * Mel Torme (2002)
 * Alicia Keys (2003)
 * Chris Botti (2005)
 * Gretchen Wilson (2005)
 * Gladys Knight (2006)
 * Sy Smith (2006)
 * Jill Scott (2007)
 * Dee Dee Bridgewater (2010)
 * Gloria Estefan (2013)
 * and others