Michael Cartellone was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1962. He attended the Cleveland Institute of Art at age four, with his focus already set on the Visual Arts. Indeed, Michael intended a career in Visual Art for the next five years, until he began drumming at age nine. He completely threw himself into drumming (playing his first professional gig, at a bar, age 11), although he never stopped painting. Michael    then continued a side by side study of drumming and painting, throughout his grade school and high school years.
By the time Michael graduated high school, he was performing four nights a week, earning his living as a musician- yet at the same time, had already begun selling paintings. As Michael explains, Music and Art have always been "two halves of a whole."
At age twenty two, Michael moved to New York City to further his career. He worked in the garment industry, in the Art department of a children's clothing company by day- and played drums by night. During this time, Michael's had his first Gallery Show (Washington D.C. area - King Street Gallery).
The move to New York City, was a true springboard for Michael's Music career. Before long, he found himself in a new band called "Damn Yankees," which went on to Multi-Platinum sales status. Michael's other recording and/or touring credits include: John Fogerty, Cher, Peter Frampton, and Freddie Mercury. In 1998, Michael joined the legendary Southern Rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, where he currently can be seen on tour throughout the world.
Michael's Art has received strong media attention over the years (including ARTnews Magazine, January 2006 and a CNN Interview segment, March 2009). He has had Gallery Shows in Los Angeles, CA, Phoenix, AZ, Long Island, NY, Ft. Collins, CO, Las Vegas, NV (as well as exhibiting/selling work at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio) and of course Pop International in Soho, New York City. Upon beginning his relationship with Pop International, Michael commented "this is the Gallery I've always wanted to be associated with."
Michael is happily married to his actress/singer wife, Nancy Meyer, and resides in New York City.