Here is a trivia question. What was the first American band to tour the former Soviet Union?

That distinction belongs to, of all things, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band — a folk/rock ensemble best remembered for the sentimental tune “Mr. Bojangles.” In 1977, the U.S. State Department arranged for a Soviet tour — probably the first time the Kremlin authorized any musician to play any variety of rock music. John McEuen and his fellow band members were greeted with enormous enthusiasm during 28 sold-out shows. But the most poignant moment may have occurred off-stage when the band reached Riga. There, McEuen managed to evade his Soviet handlers and travel into the countryside to meet with a man who had devoted his life to vintage rock and roll, despite repeated, arrests, interrogations, and beatings. That man — Pete Anderson (aka Pitts Andersons) — reportedly gave up doing underground shows only after the KGB threatened to kill his daughter.

Beginning in the late 1980’s, Pete Anderson — not to be confused with the American guitar player of the same name — was able to resume his career. Here he is with his band, the Swamp Shakers, giving a rendition of the classic 1954 song, “Baby, Let’s Play House.”

While not widely known in America, Anderson was so acclaimed that (more…)