The Cactus Blossoms

The Cactus Blossoms sound uncannily like a sibling harmony act that just stepped off the stage of the Grand Ol' Opry or the Louisiana Hayride in the '40s or '50s, and there's a good reason for that, Guitarists and singers Page Burkum and Jack Torrey are brothers (Jack adopted a stage name when he first stepped out as a singer/songwriter at the age of 19), and their voices fit together in a way that suggests a modern day approximation of what the Everly Brothers and the Louvin Brothers could deliver. Born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Burkum and Torrey grew up on a musical diet of pop radio and classic Beatles albums, but the brothers also shared a taste for vintage country and folk tunes, and in 2010 they began playing out as a duo, adopting the handle the Cactus Blossoms.

Playing a mix of old-school country and folk classics and originals crafted in the same spirit, the Cactus Blossoms released a self-titled and self-released debut album in 2011, and soon landed a residency at St. Paul's Turf Club. The standing gig helped expand the Cactus Blossoms' audience in the Twin Cities, and highlights from their run of shows were collected on a live album, 2013's Live at the Turf Club.

As the live album gained positive press, the Cactus Blossoms expanded their touring schedule, playing clubs as headliners, sharing the bill with other acts in bigger halls (including touring with Kacey Musgraves), and appearing on the public radio show A Prairie Home Companion, whose host Garrison Keillor called them "the brother duet that America is waiting for." In 2015, the Cactus Brothers struck a deal with Red House Records, the well-respected St. Paul-based roots music label, and the brothers teamed up with musician and producer JD McPherson to begin work on their first album for the label. The Cactus Blossoms' Red House debut, You're Dreaming, was released in January 2016, and Burkum and Torrey set out on tour in support.