The Rocket Summer

The Rocket Summer is the solo project of Bryce Avary, a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and record producer based in Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas.

He writes and produces every song on his records, and plays every instrument on them.

He has released eight studio albums and several EPs.

In 2000, Avary self-released his first EP at the age of 17.

The EP included songs he had written between the ages 14 to 16.

He distributed the EP under the name The Rocket Summer, at the suggestion of a friend, to local stores to be sold on consignment; the name was inspired by Ray Bradbury's short story collection The Martian Chronicles, which his friend was reading at the time.

Avary described the project as initially "just a really fun experiment."

After the EP's original 1000 copies sold out, it went out of print until it was later re-released as The Early Years EP under The Militia Group in November 2006.

His music appeared on The Adventure Club (with Josh Venable) segment of the KDGE radio station, and quickly became the most requested local band on the program that year.

Avary recorded, produced, and released his debut album, Calendar Days, in 2003.

The album was recorded in Eudora, Kansas.

In November 2004, Avary began working on his second album, Hello, Good Friend.

The album peaked at No. 26 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart.

To promote the album, The Rocket Summer toured the US and Japan.

In November 2006, The Militia Group re-released The Rocket Summer's self-released 1999 EP as The Early Years EP, and Avary signed with major record label Island Def Jam Records.

Do You Feel was released in July 2007; the album reached No. 44 on the Billboard 200 and No. 16 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums charts.

The album's lead single, "So Much Love", was warmly received by critics for its uniqueness and use of a horn section.

The "So Much Love" music video was directed by MTV Music Video Award-winning director Shane Drake.

The Rocket Summer released the second single, "Do You Feel", and its music video on September 5, 2008.

The video was co-directed and funded by Bryce Avary with director Nate Weaver.

The video featured stories of people with issues such as homelessness, addiction, disease and abuse.

The video also featured cameos from artists Andrew McMahon of Jack's Mannequin, Matt Thiessen of Relient K, Josh Farro and Jeremy Davis of Paramore, Mike Herrera of MXPX, Forrest Kline of Hellogoodbye and Alex Gaskarth of All Time Low.

Avary was featured on the cover of Alternative Press Magazine while co-headlining the AP Tour.

Avary recorded his fourth studio album, Of Men and Angels at Ocean Studios in Burbank, CA, from February to April 2009.

Mixed with Neal Avron and engineered / co-produced with CJ Eiriksson, Avary described the album as "the most substance-filled Rocket Summer album to date."

To hold fans over, The Rocket Summer released a digital 4-track EP entitled You Gotta Believe in October 2009.

The EP featured three tracks off the LP Of Men and Angels and one bonus track.

The EP debuted at No. 23 on the Billboard charts for Digital Albums.

The Rocket Summer's "You Gotta Believe" music video premiered on AOL in December 2009, and featured clips of fans singing and playing along to the track.

The video was directed by award-winning director Randy Scott Slavin.

His fourth release, Of Men and Angels, held the No. 1 Top Album spot on iTunes upon its release in 2010.

AP Magazine called him one of "100 bands you need to know."

Avary was born in Fort Worth, Texas.

He first became interested in music around the age of 12 when his father bought him his first guitar which was an imitation brand from a pawn shop for 50 dollars.

Avary subsequently began teaching himself other instruments including the drums and piano.

Avary joined his first band at the age of 14.

He later joined a high school "indie rock punk" band at Grapevine High School where he was also a photographer of the school's yearbook, inspired by Pavement, Archers of Loaf and Weezer, called Charlie 27.

After the band broke up, Avary began performing local acoustic shows as a teenager in Dallas, Fort Worth and Denton.

On February 23, 2010, The Rocket Summer released his fourth studio album, 'Of Men and Angels on Island Def Jam.

His fifth release, 2012’s Life Will Write the Words, reached No. 58 on The Billboard 200 and No. 12 on Billboard Top Modern Rock/Alternative Albums chart as well as No. 12 on Top Independent Albums chart.