Melissa Etheridge had a prank played on her Saturday afternoon during her so-called “celebrity interview” at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel during Canadian Music Week.

After a lengthy chat with interviewer Ralph Simon in a packed ballroom, the floor was opened to questions from the audience and the last one come from an unlikely source.

“My name’s Serena. I was just wondering what the inspiration for Black Velvet was?” joked Ontario singer-songwriter Serena Ryder, who just wrapped up a three week Canada tour with Etheridge - including a Friday night show at Massey Hallin Toronto.

“Sister, I didn¹t know you were here!” responded Etheridge.

And, of course, it was another raspy voiced singer, Canadian Alannah Myles, who sang Black Velvet and not Etheridge (and it was written by others.) On a more serious note, QMI Agency asked Etheridge if Ryder had introduced her to any other Canadian artists while they had been on the road together.

“She’s my soul sister – we’ve been exchanging our musical loves and stuff,” said Etheridge, who also performed bits of the new songs, Company, and Nervous, from her new album, Fearless Love.

“She’s been playing these incredible artists and of course the names fly right out, but yes she has. And I got to tell you, the way that Canada supports it’s artists, I’m so envious. It’s beautiful, it’s wonderful, and it’s obvious that these artists get support because they’re able to work on their craft. And, so often when I hear a great singer-songwriter on the radio I say to myself, I bet they’re Canadian.”

Simon asked if Canada had done a better job of celebrating their songwriters than the U.S.

“You hold them as they’re national treasures. It’s a commodity. It’s a source of pride. It’s a treasure definitely. In American it’s a competition.

There’s a different feel about it.”