Peter Ostroushko

Peter Ostroushko
Peter Ostroushko playing mandolin in 2014
Background information
Born	(1953-08-12)August 12, 1953 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	February 24, 2021(2021-02-24) (aged 67)
Genres	Americana, folk
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instrument(s)	Mandolin, guitar, fiddle
Labels	Rounder, Red House
Website	peterostroushko.com

Peter Ostroushko (August 12, 1953 - February 24th, 2021) was an American violinist and mandolinist.

Background and career

Of Ukrainian ancestry, Ostroushko grew up in northeast Minneapolis. He released numerous recordings and was a regular performer on the A Prairie Home Companion radio program.

Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Mandolin

Ostroushko's first recording session was an uncredited mandolin player on Bob Dylan's Blood on the Tracks. He has toured with Robin and Linda Williams, Norman Blake and Chet Atkins. Ostroushko has also worked with Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, Johnny Gimble, Greg Brown, John Hartford and the New Orleans-based rock/blues band The Radiators [1], among many others.

Orchestral

Ostroushko performed with the Minnesota Orchestra and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Ostroushko's compositions have been performed by the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Sinfonia, the Rochester Symphony Orchestra, the Des Moines Symphony and the Kremlin Chamber Orchestra. In 2009, he played with the Minnesota Youth Symphonies at Orchestra Hall. Music from Heart of the Heartland was used by Ken Burns for the PBS documentary Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery and his arrangement of "Sweet Betsy from Pike" was used in Burns' Mark Twain.

Television and radio

Ostroushko has appeared on television on Austin City Limits, Late Night with David Letterman, and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, as well as performing regularly on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion.

Awards

Ostroushko received a regional Emmy award for his soundtrack to the 2005 PBS series Minnesota: A History of the Land.

Personal

Ostroushko was married to public radio producer Marge Ostroushko. They have one daughter, Anna.

Ostroushko suffered a stroke in January, 2018 and stopped performing. A GoFundMe page was set up to assist with medical bills. He passed away on February 24th, 2021.

Discography

• Sluz Duz Music (1985) Rounder
• Down the Streets of My Old Neighborhood (1986) Rounder
• Buddies of Swing (1987) Red House
• Blue Mesa (1989) Red House
• Duo (1991) Red House (with Dean Magraw)
• Heart of the Heartland (1995) Red House
• Pilgrims on the Heart Road (1997) Red House
• Sacred Heart (2000) Red House
• Meeting on Southern Soil (2002) Red House (with Norman Blake)
• Coming Down from Red Lodge (2003) Red House
• Minnesota: A History of the Land (2005) Red House
• The Heartland Holiday Concert (2005) Red House
• Postcards (2006) Red House
• The Mando Boys Live: Holstein Lust (2006) Borderland
• Peter Joins the Circus (2008)
• When the Last Morning Glory Blooms (2010) (Red House)

Media

• Peter Ostroushko, virtuoso musician who played with everyone from Bob Dylan to Minnesota Orchestra, dies at 67

External links

• Peter Ostroushko official site
• Peter Ostroushko at AllMusic
• Audio clip: Lafayette/ Turtle Dove - Peter Ostroushko, Shoe Band, GK and Andra Suchy, 2/20/2010.