Acclaimed roots music duo The Cactus Blossoms, led by Minneapolis brothers Jack Torrey and Page Burkum, started as a vehicle for the siblings to hone their harmonic abilities on classic American songs with minimal instrumentation. They quickly amassed a fervent fanbase in Minnesota’s Twin Cities and found themselves on public radio’s A Prairie Home Companion.
“Over the course of our year and a half at the Turf Club our repertoire had snowballed into an amalgam of original songs and a bunch of gut wrenching, tongue-in-cheek heartbreakers, that were 30 years older than us. Not everyone could tell what was new and what was old, and it didn’t really matter. People just seemed to enjoy it. That’s when the wheel got going and gave the illusion of spinning backwards. We weren’t born in the wrong era. We just got into some music from a different era and found a way to make it our own.”
When you listen to the Cactus Blossoms, you will definitely be reminded of the Everly Brothers. But Jack and Page are much more than a tribute act. Music critic Meredith Ochs says the duo’s gorgeous harmonies and ageless sound spell out just the beginning for these brothers. “There are no harmonies like those linked by genetics. The Cactus Blossoms follow in the footsteps of many bands of brothers.” Many have noticed they’re just as much a connection to a simpler country style like an echo of Hank Williams. One thing’s for sure – they’re a breath of fresh air. Enjoy the harmony while you enjoy this early fall weekend.
