I remember that R5 was one of my favorite bands in my childhood. And I still like to listen to their old and catchy songs.
When I was young, I knew that every girl was talking about this well-known band One Direction. I’ve listened to some of their songs, and I’ll be honest, they were really good. But their music wasn’t actually my style. So, I’ve tried to search for some other groups that could make me happy when I listen to them. And in the end, I found this band, R5, that really changed my life.
» Who is R5?
R5 was an American band formed in 2009, in Los Angeles, California. It consisted of 4 brothers, named Riker, Rydel, Rocky and Ross Lynch, and one best friend, Ellington Ratliff. Their first EP was called Ready Set Rock and it was released in 2010.
In 2013, they debuted with their first album Louder, and two years after, they released a second album, called Sometimes Last Night. They have also released numerous EPs and singles, until 2018, when they announced that they will no longer make songs together.
» Band Members
1. Riker Lynch
Riker Lynch is the eldest brother in the Lynch family and was the bassist in R5. At this moment, he has his own band, called Riker and the Beachcombers, and also became an actor and a film director. He participated in Dancing with the Stars, season 20, with Allison Holker and finished in second place.
He appeared in many popular movies and TV series, like Glee, Colossal Youth, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and many more. When it comes to music, he decided to debut with the single Sex on the Beach, along with his own band, but he still enjoys playing the bass guitar together with The Driver Era.
In 2019, he married Savannah Latimer, a former dancer and yoga instructor.
2. Rydel Lynch
Rydel Lynch is the second oldest and the only girl in the family and in the band. She was playing the keyboards in R5 and now she’s just playing this instrument at The Driver Era concerts. She was also an actress and a great dancer.
While she was a member in R5, besides playing the keyboards, she was featured as the lead vocalist in songs, like Never (EP Ready Set Rock), Love Me Like That (Louder), Lightning Strikes (Sometime Last Night), Never Be the Same (Sometime Last Night Special Edition).
Now, she creates content on YouTube and has her own fashion shop, called shoprydel.com. Rydel is married to a Youtuber, Capron Funk, and have a son, who was born in 2021.
3. Rocky Lynch
Rocky Lynch is the third brother in the Lynch family and was the lead guitarist in R5. He is a songwriter, now making music for his new project, The driver Era, along with his younger brother, Ross.
He appeared in a few movies and shows, but now he focuses more on writing and producing songs. He has some songs where he is the lead vocalist, the first one being Lay Your Head Down (New Addictions, their fourth EP). Forever Always, Low, flashdrive, Places are also some of his solo songs, but they were made under the name The Driver Era.
4. Ross Lynch
Ross Lynch is the fourth brother in the Lynch family, the youngest one in R5 and the lead vocalist of this band. He is well-known as an actor in different famous TV series and movies, and also a great songwriter. He is playing the guitar and sings in the duo The Driver Era, along with Rocky, his older brother.
During his acting career, he became famous thanks to his debut role as Austin Moon, from the Disney Channel series Austin&Ally. He also starred in various movies, like Teen Beach Movie, My Friend Dahmer, Status Update, and in the famous Netflix TV series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, as Harvey Kinkle.
Now he and Rocky Lynch are still composing and singing in The Driver Era.
5. Ellington Ratliff
Ellington Ratliff was the R5 drummer and their best friend. He was also an actor and now is currently making his own songs. For about a year, he was a drummer at The Driver Era concerts, but he was replaced with Chase Meyer.
His acting career consisted of his not-so-frequent appearances in various television shows, like Victorious, Criminal Minds, and many more. When it comes to music, he started to produce and write his own singles, his debut one being called EMT, released in 2020.
At this moment, he is married to Dani Leonard.
» Why did they disband?
In 2018, they announced through a letter posted on Instagram, that they will no longer sing together under the name R5, and that each member will go his own way (or her, in Rydel’s case).
Fans were really shocked at this sudden change, some of them believing that this happened because of the break-up between Rydel and Ellington (these two were in a relationship while the band was still active). Rydel assured fans in a video on her YouTube channel, that this was not the reason and that they remained only friends.
Nevertheless, their social media accounts changed, and they announced that only two of them will continue on this path of making music, under the name The Driver Era.
I hope that you became a little more curious about R5 and, even though they are a former band, maybe you can enjoy their old songs like me!
