Cactus Choir (band)
{{Short description|American country music group}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Cactus Choir
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| alias =
| origin = San Francisco, California, United States
| genre = Country
| years_active = 1997–1998
| associated_acts =
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members = Marty Atkinson
Gary Hooker
Dave Ristrim
Tim Hensley
Shane Hicks
Cal Ball
Eric Nelson
}}
Cactus Choir was an American country music group from San Francisco, California, composed of Marty Atkinson (vocals), Gary Hooker (guitar), Dave Ristrim (steel guitar), Tim Hensley (banjo), Shane Hicks (keyboards), Cal Ball (bass) and Eric Nelson (drums).{{cite book|last=Whitburn|first=Joel|title=Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008|publisher=Record Research, Inc|page=74|year=2008|isbn=978-0-89820-177-2}} The group's self-titled debut album was released by Curb/Universal on March 24, 1998.{{cite news|last=Price|first=Deborah Evans|title=Cactus Choir Thrives In The Studio|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1998/BB-1998-02-07.pdf|accessdate=April 11, 2015|newspaper=Billboard|date=February 7, 1998}} Jesse Mullins of American Cowboy gave the album a favorable review, writing that the musicians "come from varied musical backgrounds but have blended their talents well." Mullins compared their "wistful harmonies" to Restless Heart and Blackhawk.{{cite news|last1=Mullins|first1=Jesse|title=Reviews|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yuoCAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Cactus%20choir%22&pg=PA84|accessdate=April 11, 2015|work=American Cowboy|date=July–August 1998}}
The group's first single, "Step Right Up", was released on December 9, 1997.{{cite web|title=Step Right Up – Cactus Choir|url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=mw0001008106|pure_url=yes}}|work=AllMusic|accessdate=April 11, 2015}} It peaked at number 62 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart. A music video for the song aired on CMT.
In 2011, Atkinson formed the duo Blue Cactus Choir with Katy Boyd.{{cite news|last1=Puccl|first1=Mark|title=Marty Atkinson & Katy Boyd Join to Form Blue Cactus Choir|url=http://www.gratefulweb.com/articles/marty-atkinson-katy-boyd-join-form-blue-cactus-choir|accessdate=April 11, 2015|work=Grateful Web|date=June 12, 2012}}
Discography
=Albums=
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
! rowspan="2"| Year ! rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Single ! Peak positions ! rowspan="2"| Album |
| style="font-size:smaller;"
! width="65"| US Country |
| 1997
! scope="row"| "Step Right Up" | 62 | align="left" rowspan="2"| Cactus Choir |
| 1998
! scope="row"| "It's Your Move" | — |
| colspan="4" style="font-size:8pt"| "—" denotes releases that did not chart |
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! Year ! style="width:10em;"| Video ! Director |
| 1997
! scope="row"| "Step Right Up" | Jim Hershleder |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Country music groups from California
Category:Musical groups established in 1997
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 1998
Category:Musical groups from San Francisco
{{US-country-band-stub}}