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Michael Cartellone (born June 7, 1962 in Cleveland, Ohio) is an American rock drummer.

Michael's music career began at the age of 9 when he first began drumming. When he was 11, he played his first bar. He attended Solon High School in Solon, Ohio (a suburb of Cleveland), where he was in the marching band, jazz band, and concert band. After many years on the club circuit, he moved to New York City when he was 22. After playing with former Roxy Music/UK keyboardist Eddie Jobson, and then former Styx guitarist Tommy Shaw, Michael found himself a member of the multi-platinum selling band Damn Yankees. Compared to his bandmates, Michael was younger and had far less experience in the music industry. However, he quickly proved to be up to the challenge of drumming for such a talented quartet. It was both his explosive drumming and his devilish charm that endeared Michael to thousands of Damn Yankees fans. This was the springboard for a career that has included recording and touring with John Fogerty, Peter Frampton, John Wetton, Freddie Mercury, Cher, Adrian Belew, Accept and now the legendary rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, whom he joined in 1999.

Cartellone is also an avid painter, a hobby he has pursued since the age of 4. His art career has included a Soho gallery show, two shows in suburban Washington, D.C. as well as shows in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Long Island galleries. He has also sold dozens of paintings to individual collectors. One of his finest paintings is a portrait of John Lennon, with wife Yoko Ono reflected in his glasses. Reportedly, Cartellone had the opportunity to meet Ono and gave her a photo of the painting. "She was visibly moved," he said, "and it was a very satisfying moment."

• Solon High School
• Solon Band

Michael Cartellone.com, official website; includes bio, tour dates, and pictures of all of his paintings