They met while students in Colorado, and after graduating college they bought a sailboat and spent seven months sailing along the Eastern Seaboard. Post-adventure, they moved back to Colorado, and after getting settled began recording songs that had a modern lo-fi feel but a sweet '50s pop heart. The songs were inspired by their trip and the discussions they would have about music while on board their boat (the Swift Ranger). The duo's first single, "South Carolina," was released in summer of 2010 on Fire Talk Records, to be quickly followed by their second single, "Baltimore," for the Underwater Peoples label. The rest of the year was spent playing shows (including a Daytrotter session in September) and recording their first album. Cape Dory was released in January of 2011 by Fat Possum. The band toured tirelessly that year in support of Cape Dory, playing shows across the U.S. as well as jaunts through Europe and Russia. Following their seemingly endless tour schedule, Tennis quickly regrouped and began work on their second full-length. The album Young & Old was written and recorded in a relatively short three-month span. Produced by Black Keys member Patrick Carney and featuring drums by new bandmember James Barone, the album was released by Fat Possum in February of 2012. The band soon switched labels, signing with Mumford & Sons member Ben Lovett's Communion Music, before releasing the Small Sound EP on Communion in late 2013. The trio returned with their third album, Ritual in Repeat, in the autumn of 2014. More accessible and diverse than previous efforts, the record featured songs produced by Richard Swift, the Black Keys' Patrick Carney, and Spoon's Jim Eno. ~ Tim Sendra