"Last Recording", originally titled "Billie Holiday before Time Began", is the final studio album by the iconic jazz singer Billie Holiday released posthumously in 1959. It was produced by Irving Townsend and engineered by Fred Plaut. The album was recorded in March 1959, just a few months before Holiday's death in July 1959. It consists of her last studio recordings and was initially released on Broadway-Charlie Parker Records.
Interestingly, while the album was Holiday's last, it was her first stereo recording. The album includes twelve songs that showcase Holiday's signature emotive style, featuring songs like "All the Way", "Deed I Do", and "They Can't Take That Away From Me".
Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan, was a distinctive and influential jazz vocalist, known for her expressive, deeply emotional singing style. Considered one of the best jazz vocalists of all time, Holiday's music continues to be celebrated even today. Her last album serves as poignant testimony to her enduring talent in spite of her struggle with substance abuse and difficult personal life.
