Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Stamets.
Hi Tyler, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Julian, California — a little mountain town east of San Diego known for its apple pies, winding trails, and a kind of cozy magic that draws people in. It was the perfect place to have a childhood: climbing trees, running through hills, and soaking up every ounce of small-town charm. My parents were deeply rooted in music and community — my mom taught music at the local elementary school, and my dad ran one of the shops on Main Street. Naturally, I found myself on stage early, thanks to Julian’s junior theater program and a family folk trio we put together.
After high school, I was ready for more — more opportunity, more art, more city. I studied drama at UC Irvine with a focus in acting and sound design, and co-founded Rogue Artists Ensemble, a boundary-pushing theater company still active in Los Angeles today. We created wild, multimedia stage pieces — one inspired by a Neil Gaiman graphic novel, another in collaboration with cartoonist Angus Oblong — and toured the country performing original work. Around the same time, I landed a job at Disneyland, starting as a ride operator (shoutout to the short-lived Rocket Rods) and eventually moving into stage production and audio engineering. I worked there nearly 20 years, learning the ins and outs of live event production — it felt like my grad school in entertainment.
In 2017, I returned home to help care for my mother and planted new roots in nearby Ramona. I got my real estate license, co-founded Tandado Real Estate with my business partner Angela, and leaned into a longtime interest in real estate investing. At the same time, something beautiful happened: I rediscovered music. The Ramona music scene — especially post-COVID — exploded with talent, collaboration, and community. That creative energy pulled me right back in.
These days, I perform with the Sun Valley String Band, where we play “bluegrass with a twist” — imagine Prince or Michael Jackson re-imagined with a bluegrass beat — and it’s a hoot! I also co-own two Julian businesses with my brother, serve as president of the Julian Chamber of Commerce, and produce a slate of community events like the Julian Town Square Music Festival, Bluegrass Nights, and the annual Grape Stomp. My background in theater, sound, and live production gives me a unique angle on event planning, and I genuinely love bringing people together through music and celebration.
At the heart of it all, I’m still that mountain-town kid who loves putting on a show — whether it’s onstage, through a podcast, or on a town square stage under the stars.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road. One of the most defining and difficult chapters of my life came around 2011–2012. My father had been battling multiple myeloma for years, and during that time, my mother suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling down a flight of stairs in our family home. Within a six-month period, both of my parents were in separate intensive care units — my dad facing the end of his cancer fight, and my mom needing round-the-clock care and rehabilitation.
I was still living and working in Orange County at the time, and I found myself making the long drive back and forth almost daily — juggling the emotional weight of two medical crises, advocating for their care, and starting to face some hard truths about what came next. That period was a complete blur, but it changed everything.
After my father passed, I made the decision to leave Disney and move back to San Diego County to care for my mom. She now lives with me and my wife in Ramona — along with my mother-in-law — so yes, I live with two moms! It’s a challenge, but it’s also a privilege. My mother continues to live with the effects of her brain injury, but she’s also a gifted watercolor artist, and one of my joys is helping her share her work with the world.
That time of loss and upheaval was incredibly hard, but it also brought me back to my roots — back to music, back to small-town life, and back to community. I don’t know that I would’ve rediscovered any of that if life hadn’t thrown me such a massive curveball. So, while it was a painful season, it also set the stage for everything I’m doing now.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
If I’m known for anything, it’s probably for doing an acoustic folk version of “Waterfalls” by TLC — and honestly, that one performance says a lot about who I am as an artist. I’ve always loved taking songs that shouldn’t work in a bluegrass or Americana format and making them work anyway. That’s the whole vibe behind my band, Sun Valley String Band — we call it bluegrass with a twist. Whether it’s Prince, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson, or TLC, we take those iconic tracks and flip them into something fresh, unexpected, and kind of joyfully weird. I think that mix of playfulness and reverence is a big part of what sets my work apart.
I also write original songs and have been pushing myself to do more of that lately. Being surrounded by so many incredible songwriters in the local scene — especially here in Ramona — has been a huge source of inspiration. There’s something really beautiful about contributing your own voice to a tradition that stretches back generations while still putting your own modern spin on it.
Beyond music, I’m deeply passionate about producing live events. It’s something I’ve been drawn to my whole life, from my theater days to my years at Disney. A great event should feel effortless — like you’ve stepped into something magical. I try to bring that Disney-level attention to detail into everything I produce, whether it’s Bluegrass Nights in Julian, the Town Square Music Festival, or one-off community shows.
I run a small production company, TAS Productions, and I believe deeply that artists deserve events that showcase their work with care, quality, and a little bit of wonder. I don’t cut corners. I invest in good gear, good planning, and a good vibe — because artists pour their heart into what they do, and the presentation should rise to meet that.
At the end of the day, I just want to create unforgettable experiences — whether it’s a reimagined pop song in a bluegrass style or a perfectly lit stage on a summer night in Julian. That’s what lights me up.
What matters most to you?
What matters most to me is quality — not perfection, but that feeling of care, intention, and excellence that lets something shine. Whether it’s a bluegrass performance, a local music festival, or a Christmas tree lighting in Julian, I want the experience to feel special — like you were part of something meaningful.
To me, quality is about creating the right environment: where artists feel respected and supported, where audiences feel welcomed and delighted, and where even the smallest details are handled with heart. It’s not about being flashy or flawless — it’s about making space for something real, something people will remember with joy.
I’ve seen what it feels like when that quality is missing, and it drives me to do better. These moments — a song, a show, a gathering under the stars — they become memories. Childhood touchstones. Turning points. And I take that seriously.
So whether I’m booking bands, wiring up sound, or just helping an artist feel at ease backstage, I’m always thinking: how can I make this the best it can be? Because when it’s done right, it feels like magic — and that’s what I’m always chasing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sunvalleystringband.com and www.tandado.com
- Instagram: @tylerstametsofficial
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tylerstamets/
Image Credits
John Hancock
