Pink Anderson

Blues singer and guitarist. Born: 12 February 1900 in Laurens, South Carolina Died: 12 October 1974 in Spartanburg, South Carolina (heart attack) In 1914 Anderson joined Dr. Kerr of the Indian Remedy Company to entertain the crowds whilst Kerr sold his "medicines", and in 1916 he met Simmie Dooley, with whom he played to small gatherings in Greenville, Spartanburg and neighbouring communities. Together they recorded four titles for Columbia in Atlanta in April 1928. After Dr. Kerr retired in 1945, Anderson still "went out" now and then with "Chief Thundercloud" (Leo Kadot) and his medicine show, often accompanied by harmonica player Peg Leg Sam. Heart problems eventually forced Anderson to retire from the road in 1957. He recorded half an LP for Riverside in 1950, and material enough for three LPs for Prestige/Bluesville in 1961, establishing him as a minor but worthy exponent of the Piedmont school. A stroke in the late 1960s curtailed his musical activity altogether; attempts by Pete Lowry in 1970 to get Pink on tape were not successful. A final tour took place in the early 70s with the aid of Roy Book Binder, one of his "students", taking him to Boston and New York Anderson's son Little Pink Anderson is also a bluesman.