On April 21 at 7:00 p.m., musical duo Jenny and Tyler will be at Gustavus for part of their spring tour. The group’s music sounds like a cross between jazz and folk, with just a hint of Regina Spektor pop thrown in for good measure. Every so often, a little country edge worms its way through their chords and Jenny’s light, flowing singing. This isn’t just coincidence: both artists come from unique musical backgrounds.

“Tyler grew up listening to his dad’s piano playing and his mom’s singing,” Jenny said. From a young age, Tyler would listen while his father would play jazz standards on the piano and his mother would sing. Jenny’s parents played music, too, but of a different variety—her childhood was filled with her parents’ bluegrass and gospel music. It was only a matter of time before they began writing songs of their own.

In 2004 Tyler was a worship leader at a campus ministry, and he just happened to be on the same bus as Jenny. Soon, they began writing songs together, “and before long we were dating,” Jenny said. It wasn’t until they went to Nashville in 2006 that the couple realized they wanted to record while they were there. “Because we’d been writing together, it just made sense to make an album together,” Jenny said.

For the couple, 2007 was a big year. Their first record, A Prelude, was released, and even while recording it, they managed to find time to get married. The next year they decided to move to Nashville to focus more on their music and began writing their next album, This Isn’t a Dream, which was released last year.

Faith plays a big role in their music, Jenny explained. “We don’t necessarily consider ourselves a Christian band, but our beliefs tend to shape the way we view the world.” Their honest lyrics reflect what they see and hear, and their musical style adds a unique flavor to their songs. You can listen to Jenny and Tyler’s newest album on their website.