The Velvets (Virgil Johnson, Mark Prince, Robert Thursby, Clarence Rigsby and William Solomon) were brought to the attention of Monument Records by fellow Texan Roy Orbison. Released in February of 1961 "Lana" (Orbison - Melson) topped the charts in Japan but did nothing anywhere else. The tune was the B side to another Orbison - Melson tune called "Laugh" which got into Billboard's top ninety.

Roy Orbison charted in the top five in Australia and top twenty in the U.K. with his "cover". It's on his album "Crying" issued in 1962 and contained in "More of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits".