Rookie of the Year first took shape as Ryan Dunson’s lone acoustic undertaking, modeled after Dashboard Confessional’s intimate approach, before maturing into a complete band by the second album. The Fayetteville, NC, native launched the project in 2004 by writing and tracking the solo record Having to Let Go. Once its independent pressing circulated, One Eleven Records signed Dunson and reissued Having to Let Go with updated cover imagery. At the same time he recruited a road-ready lineup, enlisting Mike Kamerman for electric guitar, Pat Murphy for bass, and T.J. Holt for drums while retaining his own vocals and acoustic work. The expanded Rookie of the Year surfaced in spring 2006 with The Goodnight Moon, which added guitarist Brandon Schade to the roster. Following the release the five-piece joined the summer 2006 Vans Warped Tour and shared bills with Secondhand Serenade, Copeland, and Reliant K. Their next full-length, 2008’s Sweet Attention, tilted more overtly toward 1980s synth-pop textures. Tireless road work supported the album, including an extensive support slot for LFO and countless other engagements. A sequence of EPs followed across subsequent years: Since I Left Your World in 2009, The Most Beautiful in 2010, and Along for the Ride in 2012. Dunson pursued assorted side projects and commitments before issuing the self-released The Goodnight Moon, Part II in 2013. That fall the band toured in support of the new album, mixing selections from both it and the 2006 predecessor.
