- Growing up in Toronto in the 60's and 70's Rutherford first laid hands on a guitar at age 10, and at 16 told his guitar teacher he wanted to play some of the popular rock songs of the day. Rutherford was told “if you want to play rock ’n’ roll you’ll have to learn the blues”.
- A few years later, early 80's, Rutherford moved west to Calgary where he began to test run his guitar chops on a local scene ripe with great players and a thriving music community. He also put his record collection to use starting a weekly blues music broadcast on the airwaves of the University of Calgary radio station CJSW.
- At that same time an old east-side hotel dubbed “The Eddy” was about to embark on a reign as a real deal blues venue on the international circuit presenting many of the greatest names in blues history between 1982 and 2004. Rutherford was there for it all becoming a regular in the early days often spending his evenings immersed in the artists performances, the culture and vibe that permiated the smokey bar room. He quickly began conducting radio interviews with many of the Eddy's featured performers.
- Rutherford would often be invited to join featured artists on evening shows where he'd find himself performing with and learning at the feet of blues greats like Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown, Buddy Guy, Billy Branch, Eddie Shaw, Philip Walker and Jr. Wells.