Kevin Rudolf - Early Life

Early Life

Kevin Winston Rudolf was born on February 17, 1983, in New York City, New York, to Ellyn, a singer, and Stephen, a disc jockey. He grew up an only child on the Upper East Side, his parents divorcing while he was still very young. His middle name, Winston, is an homage to Beatle John Winston Lennon. "My dad... was a DJ at the time in Baltimore. He's British, and emceed some shows for The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. In fact, that's why my middle name is Winston, he named me after John Lennon's middle name. And, of course, mom being a singer, she'd let me come to her gigs and soundchecks. They both really influenced me a lot to be a musician." .

Rudolf has said that his first musical memory is of listening to the Van Halen song 'Jump,' while jumping around the apartment in which he grew up. His first guitar was a gift from his grandfather, who realized that his grandson already "had a passion for ." His skills on the instrument improved rapidly. "My mother actually said something really smart to me. She said, 'Whatever you put in, you’ll get out,' so I thought, that makes sense...I started practicing a lot."

Rudolf played with several local bands, including an alternative rock group known as 'Paint,' but soon found himself frustrated with the tensions and internal squabbles associated with a band situation. Taking matters into his own hands, Rudolf began creating his own beats and musical tracks, as well as writing the material."