Who was AJR's father Gary Metzger?

May 2024 ยท 3 minute read

AJR is an Indie pop band made up of three brothers.

The American indie pop trio sadly announced that their father Gary Metzger had died in July 2023. Here's all you need to know.

Who was Gary Metzger?

On July 2, 2023, the pop trio posted a series of pics of dad Gary Metzger on their Instagram page as they announced they were canceling their July tour dates to "spend as much time with him as possible".

Sadly, just two days later the lads announced their father had passed away.

Gary - who worked as an architect - was known to be suffering from a long-term illness.

But despite his declining health the specific illness that is believed to have caused his death has not been disclosed.

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The brothers announced the news of their father's tragic death on Twitter by sharing a video and writing: "Rest in Peace Dad. Couldn't have asked for a better Number 1 fan."

AJR released a single after their father's death, titled "God Is Really Real", and it reflected on Gary's severe illness.

They shared an Instagram post with a video showing the lyrics being written.

The video's caption stated that they were planning to wait for some time before releasing the album.

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However, they decided to put out the single after witnessing the "outpouring of love" for their father.

Who are AJR?

The New York based band is made up of three brothers: Adam, Jack, and Ryan.

The trio were born to dad Gary and mum Laurie Marvald, who started her career as an architect and later pursued her career as an entrepreneur.

Their band name "AJR" comes from the first initials of the close-knit brothers.

AJR grew up in Bayside, Queens, until moving to Chelsea, Manhattan, in 2001.

They formed the Indie pop band in 2005 and began performing around 2006, busking in Central Park and Washington Square Park.

Initially, Jack played the harmonica, Ryan played the piano, and Adam played the bass.

But the trio soon began playing various instruments as they continued their rise.

AJR is widely recognized for the do-it-yourself approach as they write, produce, and mix their music.

Their captivating style blends pop, electronic, and alternative elements.

The brothers canceled their tour dates in July 2023 because of Gary's poor health.

The trio were scheduled to headline Milwaukee's Summerfest on July 6, 2023, and also open for Imagine Dragons on July 8, 2023.

What are AJR's most popular songs?

Bang! is their highest-charting song reaching the top 10 in the United States.

It peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 on January 20, 2021.

Their other most successful songs include I'm Ready, Sober Up, Burn The House Down, Way Less Sad, 100 Bad Days, Weak, and World's Smallest Violin.

AJR released their debut studio album, Living Room, in March 2015, which had two singles.

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This was followed by The Click in June 2017, which was trending on the Billboard charts.

Their next two albums, Neotheater and OK Orchestra, which both reached the top ten in the Billboard 200, were released in 2019 and 2021 respectively.

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