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.