2016 30A Songwriters Festival: The Cactus Blossoms

The Cactus Blossoms are made of conundrums. The duo is from Minneapolis – states away from the nearest cactus. Page Burkum and Jack Torrey are brothers – only with different last names. And, even though their songs are young and fresh, their tight harmonies and rockabilly guitar would sound just as at home 60 years ago.

Page Burkum and Jack Torrey started The Cactus Blossoms in a simple way, matching harmonies around a campfire. The brothers’ fondness for pre-1960 country songs landed them a residency at the Turf Club in St. Paul, Minnesota, where they started playing and writing – building a huge repertoire of songs that were old or just sounded that way. Singer/songwriter J.D. McPherson offered to produce an album, Jack and Page took him up on it, recording ‘You’re Dreaming’ with an in-studio rhythm section, to keep the music pure and real. They say, “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.”

The pair took time out at the 2016 30A Songwriters Festival to talk to Folk Alley about their music and perform songs from the new album.