Born Tyson Jay Ritter on April 24 1984, Tyson Ritter lived in Stillwater, Oklahoma for most of his life. Being an AC/DC fan, Tyson loved rock music. He was in middle school when music began to take a huge toll on his life. He began to write his own songs until high school, when he met Nick Wheeler, the guitarist and keyboardist for The All-American Rejects. Nick Wheeler, being a huge 80s glam-rock and major Def Leppard, Poison and Bon Jovi fan, picked up the skills of guitar playing, very quickly. When they both put their music skills together, it created the start of The All-American Rejects. By 2000, Mike Kennerty, the other guitarist, and Chris Gaylor, the drummer, were added to the band. After they joined, the band was officially able to sell albums and create rock music.