Tyler Rudolph

Fun-loving and friendly-natured, Tyler Rudolph is a songwriter, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist with an indelible role in Jam Camp's origin story. Originally from Winnipeg and a full-time Montrealer since 2007, Tyler cut his teeth on classic rock, metal, punk and hardcore before turning his attention to folk music traditions upon migrating west in the mid '90s. 

Tyler's solo performance of 'Oh Susanna' on the world's smallest harmonica at his primary school's talent show inaugurated his journey as a musical creative. Studying fingerstyle guitar at an early age and dabbling with clarinet, he played drums (tenor, bass and snare) and bugle for three years with the JRK Millen Navy League Cadet Corps and percussion at school. In the early 90's, Tyler played electric bass with seminal Winnipeg hardcore band Silence Equals, likewise showcasing his songwriting and vocal chops as the frontman of melodic punk trio Novice Repair. One fateful day while at university he heard a homemade banjo being played in a park on Vancouver's Commercial drive. This inspired him to swiftly acquire his first 5-string of many (!) and pursue a newfound fascination with acoustic roots music, joining forces with other Jam Camp luminaries to form and perform with jam grass supergroup Kentucky Fried Pickin'. Tyler was creative programmer and co-host of both "Bluegrass for Breakfast" and "High on Grass" during this period on UBC's CiTR 101.9 FM coop radio. 

Tyler is a founding member of Vancouver-based acoustic stringband Viper Central, with whom he has toured western Canada, the United Kingdom and Europe on multiple occasions, recording and performing on several well-regarded albums of original Canadiana. He is an integral part of Montreal's small but vibrant bluegrass and old-time music scene and a founding member of the Bogghoppers, performing concerts and square dances in the Montreal area and beyond since 2008. He has contributed original banjo and vocal parts to numerous studio recordings and hopes to one day complete his own full-length studio project of self-penned folk & country material entitled Wounded Saloon. Tyler needs to set realistic expectations for himself, however, since he is also a full-time forest scientist, hockey coach and father of two! He somehow still found time to learn the Irish flute in recent years, which he fully intends to put to good use at this year's inaugural Jam Camp de l'Outaouais!

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