Ryland Blackinton
| Ryland D'arcy Blackinton | |
|---|---|
Blackinton performing on October 11, 2008
|
|
| Born |
March 31, 1982 South Kingstown, Rhode Island |
| Residence | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Bachelor's Fine Arts in Acting |
| Alma mater | Florida State University, Olympic Heights Community High School |
| Occupation | Musician, actor |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Associated acts | Cobra Starship, This Is Ivy League |
| Website | cobrastarship |
Ryland Blackinton is an American musician and actor, best known for his work as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of Cobra Starship. He was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island on March 31, 1982, but was raised in Wilmington, Massachusetts and Boca Raton, Florida. He has also worked as the lead singer and lead guitarist of folk pop duo This Is Ivy League and as half of the electrofunk duo GRVRBBRS.
Blackinton was born to Mary Jo Blackinton on March 31, 1982, in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. Born Ryland Sharp, his last name was changed to Blackinton at age 6 when his mother remarried Dennis Blackinton and he adopted Ryland, along with his younger brothers Alex and Connor.
The Blackintons moved to Massachusetts and lived there for several years. Growing up in and around the local grunge scene, Blackinton developed an interest in music, particularly guitar. He received his first guitar at age 12. Blackinton cites Nirvana, Weezer, and Massachusetts locals Dinosaur Jr. as some of his musical influences from this time period.
When Blackinton was 15, his family relocated to Boca Raton, Florida. Here, he attended Olympic Heights Community High School, where he also met future bandmate Alex Suarez. As Suarez was also interested in music, and a member of local band Kite Flying Society, the two quickly became friends. They wrote a few songs together that, while never recorded or played then, would go on to become the first songs for This Is Ivy League.
While in high school, Blackinton played with a few different bands, but he rarely stayed in any of them for very long. It was also in high school that Blackinton began his involvement with theatre. This involvement spurred Blackinton to attend Florida State University's School of Theatre once he graduated high school in 1999.
During his time in college, Blackinton participated in several theatrical productions. He inspired and originated the character of Declan Hennessey in Jason Chimonides' The Optimist, which premiered as a workshop production during FSU's New Horizon Play Festival on June 12, 2004. (Blackinton has gone on to play Hennessey at least two more times—at a table read in New York in 2005, and again for one week of GroundUP Productions' performance of The Optimist in April 2008.)
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