Alannah Myles - Black Velvet May 2026

: Lee’s version was pushed to country radio, while Myles’ was sent to rock and pop. While both were hits, Myles’ version became the global phenomenon, eventually winning her a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance in 1991. A Bittersweet Legacy Black Velvet - Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

: Co-writer Christopher Ward (Myles' boyfriend at the time) was inspired after riding a tour bus full of Elvis fans to Memphis for the 10th-anniversary vigil of the King’s death in 1987. Seeing the fanatical devotion—which he described as a "new religion"—sparked the lyrics. Alannah Myles - Black Velvet

: The title refers to the black velvet Elvis paintings sold in souvenir shops and the "Black Velvet" hair dye Presley used to maintain his signature jet-black look. : Lee’s version was pushed to country radio,

Released in 1989, Alannah Myles’ "Black Velvet" is a sultry blues-rock anthem that sounds like a fever dream of the American South—which is ironic, considering it was written by two Canadians who were thousands of miles away from Memphis. Seeing the fanatical devotion—which he described as a

: To cover all bases, Atlantic Records had another artist, country singer Robin Lee , record a near-identical version simultaneously.

: Producer David Tyson and Ward "tailored" the song specifically for Myles' gritty, soulful voice. Musically, it’s famous for its "trance-like" blues opening in the key of E that shifts into a soaring rock chorus, a structure meant to evoke the humid atmosphere of the Mississippi hill country. The "Atlantic Records" Drama