Pete Droge (born March 11, 1969) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer, and producer associated with the alternative and folk-rock scenes of the Pacific Northwest. Born in Eugene, Oregon, and raised on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, Droge developed a style that combines roots rock, country influence, poetic songwriting, and the rough-edged directness of garage rock. His music has often been compared with the work of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Petty, and Gram Parsons.
Droge began performing in Seattle-area bands during the late 1980s and early 1990s. One of his most notable early groups was Ramadillo, a rock band that released the independent cassette album *West of Here* before breaking up in 1992. After the band's dissolution, Droge concentrated on songwriting and began building a career as a solo performer. He also started working closely with singer and guitarist Elaine Summers, who became a frequent musical collaborator.
His breakthrough came with *Necktie Second*, released in 1994 on Rick Rubin's American Recordings label. The album introduced Droge's rugged vocal style and conversational writing to a wider audience. Its best-known song, "If You Don't Love Me (I'll Kill Myself)," appeared on the soundtrack of the comedy film *Dumb and Dumber* and became a radio hit. Other songs from the album, including "Sunspot Stopwatch" and "So I Am Over You," helped establish Droge as a distinctive voice within the mid-1990s singer-songwriter movement.
Droge followed the debut with *Find a Door* in 1996, credited to Pete Droge and the Sinners. The album featured a full backing band and reflected his interest in combining roots-oriented songwriting with a broader rock arrangement. Although it received favorable critical attention, it did not achieve the same commercial visibility as his debut. That year, Droge also contributed the title song to the soundtrack of *Beautiful Girls*. His next major-label release, *Spacey and Shakin'*, arrived in 1998.
Beyond his solo work, Droge has maintained a varied career in collaborative music and screen-related projects. In 2003, he joined Matthew Sweet and Shawn Mullins to form the Americana-oriented group the Thorns. The trio released a self-titled album and toured together. Droge also appeared in Cameron Crowe's *Almost Famous*, performing "Small Time Blues" with Summers. His work has additionally included production and songwriting contributions for other artists, including projects connected with Pearl Jam's Stone Gossard.
After leaving the major-label system, Droge issued *Skywatching* in 2003 and *Under the Waves* in 2006 through his own Puzzle Tree label. He and Summers later released a series of collaborative records as the Droge and Summers Blend: *Volume One* in 2009, *Volume Two* in 2014, and *Volume Three* in 2023. Droge also composed music for film, television, documentaries, and advertising, including the score for *A Lot Like You*.
In 2025, Droge returned to solo recording with *Fade Away Blue*. The album marked his first proper solo set in nearly two decades and brought a more reflective, personal dimension to his established folk-rock sound. It confirmed his reputation as a songwriter whose work balances understatement, emotional weight, and a durable connection to American roots music.