His father's job with the Canadian government moved the family to Denver, Colorado in the US in the 1960s, at a time when the folk and rock music genres were influencing opinion everywhere.
Tufts has worked as a session musician and sideman for a variety of artists including Tom Paxton, Kathryn Briggs, David Francey, Colleen Peterson, Laura Smith, Laura Bird, Ian Tamblyn, Bill Garrett & Sue Lothrop, Charlie Sohmer, The Arrogant Worms, Wayne Rostad, Susan Aglukark, Tracey Brown, and George Fox.
In 2016, under suggestion by luthier Linda Manzer, the trio formed The Algonquin Ensemble (with Lisa Moody – viola, Laura Nerenberg – violin, and Margaret Tobolowska – cello) to musically interpret the canvases and life story of Canadian Group of Seven motivator Tom Thomson.
[2] Their piece, Sonic Palette: Tom Thomson's Voice Through Music 100 Years Later, premiered at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection 9 July 2017 to a sold out audience.
The original lyric Tufts wrote to his music is below: Arctic Rose He came from the Keewatin where half the year was night But he never knew what darkness was ‘til he’d seen those city lights He never really felt the cold ‘til he walked in white man’s shoes A stranger in the strangest land, abandoned and abused They sent him south away from home and buried him in school A flower pulled out by the roots, a hunter without tools.