Charles was truly a transcendent singer who led a remarkable life, overcoming unimaginable adversity to achieve great success and international acclaim very late in his life. What was really special about him and made him different from everybody else in the world was how he understood his pain as a cry for universal love and humanity. He felt that if he loved enough--if we all loved each other enough-we could take away the world's pain and sadness. That is why he jumped off the stage and literally tried to hug everybody he could. It's why he took such great care of a mother that had abandoned him. It's why he sang and danced like a lunatic. It's why he screamed like an eagle. And that's why we love him.

On September 23rd, 2017, Charles Edward Bradley passed away from cancer, surrounded by his family, friends and band mates. Black Velvet is a celebration of his life, and is destined to join Charles first three albums alongside the cannon of essential soul records for the ages. The release of Black Velvet follows a string of critically lauded albums including his 2011 debut album No Time for Dreaming featuring his most successful single and a song that continues to resonate, "The World (Is Going Up In Flames)"; his 2013 album Victim of Love that included more of his signature deeply autobiographical songs; and 2016's Changes, whose title track and lead single was the deeply moving Black Sabbath cover.

Daptone has also announced that, in addition to all regular formats, Black Velvet will be available as a special limited edition box set featuring the album on 180g Vinyl, a bonus 12" with stripped down mixes and a message from Charles, full color photo book with extended liner notes from Tommy Brenneck, inner sleeves featuring a rare painting of Charles riding a horse through the sky, the true story which inspired the painting, transcribed in Charles' own words, and more. The album will be available in all formats, including the box set.

Black Velvet is no anthology, greatest hits or other shallow rehashing of the songs that already made him famous. Rather, this album is a profound exploration through the less-travelled corners of the soulful universe that Charles and his long time producer, co-writer and friend Tommy "TNT" Brenneck created in the studio together over their decade-long partnership.

It features new songs recorded during the sessions from each of his three albums, heard here for the very first time in all their scorching glory: "Can't Fight the Feeling," "Fly Little Girl" and the heart-wrenching single "I Feel a Change" ; hard core rarities like his funk-bomb duet with LaRose Jackson, "Luv Jones," the psychedelic groover, "(I Hope You Find) The Good Life" and the ever-illusive alternate full band electric version of "Victim of Love"; sought-after covers of Nirvana's "Stay Away," Neal Young's "Heart of Gold" and Rodriguez's "Slip Away"; and the title track "Black Velvet," a stirring Menahan Street Band instrumental to which Charles was never able to cut a vocal.