Michael Drange is a singer/songwriter
based in the San Gabriel Valley, just
east of Los Angeles. He has a Masters
Degree in Commercial Composing and
Arranging and has been a music teacher
at Garvey Intermediate School since
1994.
Michael was born in
Pocatello, Idaho to Theodore and Annette
Drange. Theodore was a philosophy
professor at Idaho State University.
Before turning one, Michael moved to
Morgantown, West Virginia where his
father became a professor at West
Virginia University. Michael’s mother
and sister Susan were taking piano
lessons so Michael, not wanting to be
left out, began his musical training by
studying piano while in Kindergarten.
When Michael got to the fifth grade, he
joined the school band playing tenor
saxophone.
It was a few years later that
Michael began his foray into pop music.
At age twelve, Michael was a local
paperboy. When he saved up some money,
he ventured to the local music store and
decided to buy a book of sheet music. He
took the book to the counter where the
cashier asked him if he really wanted
this book, because the music was pretty
difficult. He responded yes, and
proceeded to buy the book. He learned
every song in that Billy Joel songbook
and started on his lifelong musical
journey. Drange credits Billy Joel as
his biggest influence as a writer and it
began with the purchase of a Billy Joel
songbook at age 12.
Drange didn’t play publicly much
during his high school years, but did
enter some talent shows and played in
the band “Plato and the Republicans” for
his high school’s “Jam ’84 Battle of the
Bands.”
After graduating from high
school, Drange left Morgantown to attend
the University of California, Berkeley.
He began his college career as a
computer science major. He played
briefly in the band “Look Cool Damn It.”
(It was the 80s after all) but during
his third year at Berkeley, Drange
decided computer science was not really
for him and he left school and moved to
Los Angeles to pursue a music career.
Drange enrolled at Cal State
Los Angeles as a music major, where he
met his mentor Dini Clarke. Clarke was a
highly sought after vocal coach, having
notably coached Roberta Flack, Al
Jarreau, Ernestine Anderson, Peabo
Bryson, Lonette McKee, Dianne Reeves and
Debbie Shapiro-Gravitte.
Clarke took Drange under his
wing and released Drange’s first album
“On the Other Side” on his Dibo Records
Label. Clarke was a distinguished
performer in his own right and passed
his love for the Great American Songbook
to Drange. Throughout the years at Cal
State LA, Drange performed around the
Los Angeles area with his band “Michael
Drange and Those Guys,” and he received
a B.A. in Classical Saxophone
Performance in 1991.
Drange continued performing
throughout Southern California as a solo
artist as well as with cover bands
“Reminisce” and “Free Jam.”
Drange went back to Cal State
Los Angeles to work on a teaching
credential which he received in 1998 as
well as a Master of Music Degree in
Commercial Music Composing and Arranging
which he received in 2000.
Drange has been a music
teacher at Garvey Intermediate School in
Rosemead CA since 1994, originally
directing the choirs and general music
program and then adding the band program
beginning in 2000. Drange was the Garvey
School District Teacher of the Year in
2005-2006 and was the President of the
Garvey Education Association (GEA) for 6
years from 2010 – 2016. He is currently
the Vice President of GEA.
As a songwriter Drange writes
in many genres. Some of the early
influences in pop/rock have fused with
his love for jazz standards and soul
music, to create a unique library of
works.
As
a performer, Michael has most recently
been focusing on working with his
quartet “Vested
Interest” which performs 50-70
dates a year. The group, formed in 2010,
is best known for their interpretation
of the Great American Songbook, but
often delve into varying styles
including Bossa Nova and Pop.
Drange currently
performs as a solo artist, with his
groupd "Vested Interest" as well as
member of the "Gem City Jazz Cats.
In
January 2021, Drange started the web
based "Southern
California Singer-Songwriter Radio"
station to showcase singer-songwriters
from Southern California and around the
globe.
Drange has
released 5 albums which are available on
all major streaming services.