The All-American Rejects

Tyson Ritter: Bass, Vocals
Nick Wheeler: Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mike Kennerty: Guitar, Backing Vocals
Chris Gaylor: Drums

The All-American Rejects, were formed when Tyson Ritter, 24, and 25-year-old guitarist, co-songwriter Nick Wheeler, were teenagers in 1999. The pair left their Stillwater, Okla. homes and trekked to the Big Apple, to record what would be their debut two-time platinum-selling record. They drove across the heartland to New York with less than $1,000 between them, but armed with a notebook full of songs and big rock and roll dreams. "I felt like I was in a movie," Ritter says, "Me and Nick drove to New York with all of our Christmas money. It was more than an adventure for kids from Stillwater."

Ritter and Wheeler, who were subsequently joined by guitarist Mike Kennerty, 26, and drummer Chris Gaylor, 28, toured the world behind the chart-topping success of their debut single "Swing Swing," initially released on Ohio independent label Doghouse Records in October 2002, followed by a release on major DreamWorks Records in February 2003. The Stillwater, Okla. quartet provided a much needed balm to the drag-ass, "poor, poor pitiful me" mood that refuses to let go of mainstream rock. "I think people confuse being happy with being shallow and having no substance," says Wheeler. "But we can feel good and make other people feel good when we play our music."

The All-American Rejects, who won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Group Video for "Move Along," are currently in the studio with Eric Valentine recording the follow up to their two-time Platinum-award winning sophomore CD, Move Along.