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American country music increasing in popularity in Russia

Carlsbad, Ca., April 22, 1993 - Even though Levi's 501 jeans and McDonald's cheeseburgers remain some of Russia's favorite imports from the U.S., country music is finding its way into the former Soviet Union's (achy-breaky) hearts.

NAMM's President Larry Linkin was recently paid a visit at NAMM's Carlsbad headquarters by Andrey Gorbatov during his visit to the United States. Gorbatov, an international author of many articles on country and bluegrass music, is touring to promote his new book: Wanted: Country Music in Russia and the Former USSR, scheduled to be released in September of 1993. During his visit, Gorbatov said that American country music is growing in popularity in his homeland.

Gorbatov's book contains numerous photographs, reviews of country music festivals in Russia and Eastern Europe and humorous anecdotes about country stars such as Kris Kristofferson, Ricky Skaggs and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Also included are listings of addresses for Russian country band contacts, informational exchanges and country music management companies.

The author has also produced a 30-minute video documentary on U.S. country music in the former Soviet Union. He is well-known to country and bluegrass amateur musicians due to his numerous prior publications in magazines in Europe, Russia and the United States.

(Taken from the NAMM Press Release of June 1993)

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