Pete Droge

Droge was part of the Seattle music scene in the early '90s, a time when grunge bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden were all the rage. His music, though, was more rootsy, and in 1993 he moved to Portland, Oregon, which was a better fit for his sound. He did make an important connection in Seattle: Pearl Jam producer Brendan O'Brien, who helped him get a record deal and produced his first album, Necktie Second.

Droge had a minor hit with his first single, "If You Don't Love Me (I'll Kill Myself)," and although he was able to make music for a living the rest of his life, he never had another hit, and he's OK with that. "It's easy to get wrapped up in external success: sales, awards, etc," he said on the Songfacts Podcast. "I'm well under the radar of blockbuster sales, but I'm happy just to stay connected to the beauty of making and sharing music that can make people feel something."

Droge started dating fellow musician Elaine Summers in 1993, and they got married in 2008. She sang background vocals on his first two albums and played the cowbell on "If You Don't Love Me (I'll Kill Myself)." In 1997, Droge produced her debut album, Transplanting. In 2009 they started a side project together called The Droge & Summers Blend.