Originally from Sudbury with life lived in Alberta and currently residing in Mississauga, Rod has performed across the country, sitting in at open jams and as a guest, while keeping food on the table.  Rod McTaggart has performed at the Northern Lights Festival Boréal in Sudbury first as an actor in 1974 and a second appearance took place in the early 80's with the Alumni band of Daisy DeBolt, playing harp and leading the harmonica workshop.  Rod formed the musical duo RnR in 2012, and began performing with slide guitar player Robert Laszcz.  This led to a stint in the blues band of Big Johnny Blue and the release of "Big Johnny Blue MORE THAN JUST THE BLUES" as the featured harp and co-writer of Devan's Lament in 2020.  Then COVID hit. 

Leaving that organization in the fall of 2022, Rod set out to assemble a band that would record his original music. The Jerry Rig Blues Band is the result.  The logo suggests a "built" thing from available parts, and reflects a life of work and experience that literally spans the globe.  Combined musical experience of this band is in excess of 100 years, and features veterans bassist Al Richardson (Mel Brown, Snooky Pryor, Kim Wilson, Magic Dick, A.C. Reed) and guitarist Dave Grunsky (Edward Bear, The Ian Thomas Band, Pat Rush), with percussionist Dan Kolthof (Big Johnny Blue) .

The new album has tunes from Rod's songbook that he has written over his life.  From a stope at 5600 Ft level of Creighton 9shaft to a cake factory in Lima Peru Rods enlightened blue collar perspective engages the heart and the mind. 

Al Richardson has been playing professionally since the early 1980's, when he was a featured soloist on tenor sax and member of the saxophone section in the University of Ottawa Jazz Ensemble, which included renowned musicians such as bassist John Geggie, trumpeter Joe Sullivan, saxophonists Dave Ward and Rene Lavoie, and pianist Time Sullivan. While in Ottawa Al studied with Duke McGuirl, Dave Hildinger and Roddy Ellias.

After moving to south-central Ontario near Toronto, Canada, Al changed focus and began playing blues, mostly on Bass Guitar. He joined blues powerhouse Shawn Kellerman to backup ‘Chicago Pete’ Harrell and, soon after, joined the Homewreckers, the backup band for Mel Brown (B.B. King, Albert Collins, Etta James, John Lee Hooker, T-Bone Walker, James Cotton, Jimmy McGriff, Bobby ‘Blue’ Bland, Lightnin’ Hopkins, et al). Al Recorded several albums with Mel Brown, as well as Snooky Pryor and Shawn Kellerman.

Along the way Al has performed at the Festival International de Jazz de Montreal, the Cognac Jazz and Blues Festival, The Fredericton Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, Festival International du Blues de Tremblant and the Kitchener Blues Festival.

Over the years Al has been called upon to support artists including Kim Wilson (The Fabulous Thunderbirds), Matt ‘Guitar’ Murphy (The Blues Brothers), Magic Dick (J. Giels Band), A. C. Reed, Smokin’ Joe Kubeck and B’nois King and more.

Dave Grunsky hails from Toronto, Ontario and currently works out of the Hamilton/Dundas area.

He received his musical training at an early age on piano, through the Royal Conservatory, but as the guitar became more popular in the late 60’s and 70’s, switched over to the guitar. Dave received his musical introduction to performance by doing sound and audio production. He worked with several well- known Canadian bands, Edward Bear and The Ian Thomas band and several large acts out of Dallas, Texas.

Dave has a long history with music and especially the Blues and also old school R and B. In the 80’s Dave hosted a Monday night jam which featured many Blues alumni such as Fraser Finlayson (original Cueball member) Donnie Walsh of Downchild fame, Hock Walsh also of Downchild fame and a host of others.

Dave also has had the pleasure of sitting in and working with Pat Rush of Johnny Winter fame and Mike McDonald (a Toronto legend on guitar) Dave also formed in band in the 80’s called Rocket 88, which originally started out as 50’s/60’s act and after a few years of touring Northern Ontario and Northern Quebec, brought it all back home and morphed it into a R and B act which featured a lot of Motown and the old Atlantic sound. The band was very successful and continued until 2010 when it had to disband due to health concerns of several band members. Dave continues to this day playing with several local Blues bands and several original Blues acts. He is also working on an all original project of his own music.

Dan Kolthof was inspired by the Ed Sullivan show with the viewing of the Beatles. Dan has played drums ever since he was a teen.  He has played in multiple projects and played hundreds of shows across the country, maybe even thousands . Over 50 years of passion. Recorded multiple projects including Peace on Earth Ray Materick, Cadillac Bill & the Creeping Bent, as well as Big Johnny Blue.