Blue on Black

"Blue on Black"
Single by Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band
from the album Trouble Is...
B-side
ReleasedApril 7, 1998 (1998-04-07)
Genre
Length5:30
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Jerry Harrison
Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band singles chronology
"Somehow, Somewhere, Someway"
(1998)
"Blue on Black"
(1998)
"Everything Is Broken"
(1998)

"Blue on Black" is a song by American blues rock group Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band. Written by Shepherd with Mark Selby and Tia Sillers, it was originally released on their second studio album, Trouble Is... (1997). In 1998, the song was released as a single and reached the top position on the US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

"Blue on Black" was regarded as the best rock song of 1998 by various media. It won the Billboard Music Award for "Rock Track of the Year" and the song's popularity helped make Trouble Is... the 1999 "Blues Album of the Year" in Billboard. The song continues to be a top download of the Kenny Wayne Shepherd catalog, ranking at number one on Rhapsody. It is also his most-listened to song on Spotify with over 60 million streams.

In 2019, Shepherd teamed up with American heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch, along with country singer Brantley Gilbert and Queen guitarist Brian May for a reworked version of "Blue on Black". It also performed well on the record charts and proceeds were donated to the Gary Sinise Foundation to benefit first responders.

  1. ^ Olivier, Bobby (May 1, 2019). "Kenny Wayne Shepherd's 'Blue On Black': How It Went from '90s Crossover Hit to 2019 Superteam Smash". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 13, 2024. Shepherd's 'Blue on Black,' and its widely appealing meld of brooding southern rock, searing blues guitar and alt-country touches exploded on rock radio.
  2. ^ Olivier, Bobby (May 1, 2019). "Kenny Wayne Shepherd's 'Blue On Black': How It Went from '90s Crossover Hit to 2019 Superteam Smash". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 13, 2024. Shepherd's 'Blue on Black,' and its widely appealing meld of brooding southern rock, searing blues guitar and alt-country touches exploded on rock radio.
  3. ^ Olivier, Bobby (May 1, 2019). "Kenny Wayne Shepherd's 'Blue On Black': How It Went from '90s Crossover Hit to 2019 Superteam Smash". Billboard.com. Retrieved February 13, 2024. Shepherd's 'Blue on Black,' and its widely appealing meld of brooding southern rock, searing blues guitar and alt-country touches exploded on rock radio.