Behind the Song: Merrilee Rush, “Angel of the Morning”

On February 7th, 1968, Bell Records released the swelling, sweeping ballad, “Angel of the Morning,” recorded by the stunning vocalist, Merrilee Rush. The track, which was written by Chip Taylor, hit #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and, over 50 years later, has amassed more than three million YouTube views. Since its release, a number of artists have covered “Angel of the Morning,” but it’s Rush’s version that hit the airwaves first and has since survived the test of time. We caught up with the powerful-voiced performer to talk about the song’s release, how she came to sing the empowering lyric, what it’s like to be partially responsible for a timeless hit, how it affected her career and much more.