Monday, October 31, 2011

Alannah Myles - Black Velvet







The video for Black Velvet was directed by Doug Freel in July 1989 on Alannah's family ranch at her family's 200 year old, square cut log pioneer cabin in Buckhorn, Ontario. Alannah won a Grammy award in 1991 for her International classic hit released on Atlantic Records.


2 major Juno Awards: Song of the Year (“Black Velvet”) and Album of the Year (Self-Titled), 1990
– Grammy Award (U.S.) for Best Female Rock Performance (“Black Velvet”), 1990
– First female Canadian artist to score a Diamond album in Canada
– 9 Top 40 Singles, including 4 Top 10s, 1 of which was #1



Black Velvet has little to do with the cheesy black velvet Elvis paintings from the 60's, short of being a metaphor comprised of several entendres. Nor does it have anything to do with alcohol, contrary to popular myth. What the metaphor alludes to is the voice of African Americans whom Elvis championed in his music and on his stage. Elvis' black hair, his regal presence and his voice sounded like black velvet, where soulful, black stylings from the American south were like velvet on the ear drums, as American as mom's apple pie, etc... 

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