Celebrated Minnesota musician Peter Ostroushko dies at age 67
Ostroushko, who learned his craft in the Ukrainian community of Northeast Minneapolis, had a versatile career including performances with popular artists and orchestras
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Peter Ostroushko
Peter Ostroushko, whose mandolin and fiddle are woven into some of Minnesota’s most iconic recordings, has died. He was 67.
He died of heart failure Wednesday, his daughter, Anna Ostroushko, said on Facebook.
“We have never known a better guy,” Anna Ostroushko said in her post. “Please listen to or play some music tonight in his honor.”
Raised in Northeast Minneapolis, where many Ukrainian families settled in the 1940s and ‘50s, Ostroushko was introduced to string instruments such as the mandolin, balalaika and bandura at a young age. He was also influenced by the Minneapolis West Bank folk scene, taking notes from musicians Spider” John Koerner, Dave “Snaker” Ray and Tony “Little Sun” Glover.