Velvetone

Formed during the 1990s in Bremen, the German roots-rock outfit Velvetone took shape as a five-piece ensemble that included Ray DeVaryo on vocals and percussion, Tammo Lüers on guitar, Andy Merck on bass, and Lars Köster on drums and percussion. Their approach merges the lively pulse of rockabilly with the unfiltered brightness of early rock and roll. After releasing assorted single samplers across several years, the band issued its self-titled 10-inch LP, Velvetone, in 1996 on Bear Family Records. Two years afterward, on One Million Dollar Records, they delivered the album Vari-O-Sonic, which broadened their profile outside Germany. In 2001, following a shift to CrossCut Records, the group released Dark Blossom, a record featuring guest vocals from rockabilly monarch Wanda Jackson.