You
might know him from The Warped Tour or maybe you saw him perform on
“Austin City Limits”. You may have even heard his latest single on
NBC’s “The Biggest Looser”. Bryce Avery, better known as The
Rocket Summer, has performed with many of the biggest names in music
like The Goo Goo Dolls, OneRepublic and Sum 41, He
has had tremendous commercial success with past albums as well as his
current release, “Of Men and Angels”, yet there is much more to this
amazing man than successful albums and glamorous tours.
Bryce Avery grew up in
Fort Worth, Texas. His obsession with music started at age 12 and by age
16, he had released his first album, ”The Rocket Summer”, whose name
he took from a chapter of a
novel by Ray Bradbury. The album catapulted him onto the
international music scene and allowed him the opportunity to play some
amazing international venues, such as U.K.’s
Glastonbury Festival and Japan’s Summer Sonic Festival.
Fast forward several
years and numerous successful studio albums and EPs later and The
Rocket Summer has become a rising star in the Rock world. His latest
release, “Of Men and Angels” earned the distinction of being the #1
most downloaded album on iTunes shortly after it debuted and has hit the
top Ten on BillBoard’s Rock and Christian charts. Bryce is living the
dream, but this isn’t the point for him.
For someone that has
made a name for himself in Rock music, Bryce Avery is much more humble
that one might expect. He is quick to admit that being able to play
music is success in and of itself. “I’m just thankful to play music
anywhere and everywhere,” Bryce explained.
Bryce is out there
plugging away everyday living his faith while he lives out his calling
as a musician. For Bryce,
each day is an opportunity to serve God and make a difference.
“I follow in Christ
and just making Him proud and knowing Him and doing what I’m called to
do is success. Sure, I still care about succeeding and I want to play
music for a living and that requires people buying records and that
requires some business, but at the end of the day it is about what
we’re doing and how we are serving and how we are making a difference
and I want to make a difference for the Kingdom [of God].”
Despite his deep faith,
Bryce is not a household name in the Christian music industry. A secular
musician, Bryce doesn’t want to be pigeonholed as a Christian Artist.
Instead, he prefers to be out among the church and unchurched sharing
his amazing gift and touching lives long the way.
“My faith is a huge
part of my life, so naturally it is a huge part of my music, but we have
never really been considered a ‘Christian Market’ kind of a band and
we prefer it that way. I’d rather be out there in it.”
In true Rock and Roll
fashion, Bryce has started his own clothing line, but true to his faith,
this is much more than just a way to make tons of cash. Instead, this is
another way for Bryce to make a difference.
“I’ve
always kinda loathed the “rockstar makes clothing line” thing. I
just wanted to create things that
made a difference and are relevant to what is going on in the world. We
partnered with several different charities. When you go to the website
you can check out these charities and choose which one you want 25% to
go to, so it is definitely
not a money making thing whatsoever. It’s one extra thing
we can do to make a splash in the world.”
So what advice does The
Rocket Summer have for young adults that want to make their own
splash in the world? Work hard and have a great relationship with
Christ.
“Seek God and His
guidance. Keep seeking Him even when it is quiet. It’s all about
integrity and doing something you love. Work hard and try to enjoy life
through the ups and downs.”
Life is full of valleys
and mountain top experiences. Life can be hard. The one constant amidst
the everyday challenges is God. Whether you are on top or have hit rock
bottom, God walks with you every step of the way. Like Bryce says, seek
God and his guidance. Have a rich relationship with the King of Kings
and you will have already found success.
The
Rocket Summer Official Website
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