Michael Quatro (born 12 June 1943, Detroit, Michigan, US) is a keyboard player and songwriter who has released eleven albums since 1972. He specializes in keyboard-driven progressive rock. He is also known for his work in the late 1960s and early 1970s as a booking agent and festival promoter, organizing and promoting the 1969 Detroit Black Arts Festival, the 1970 Cincinnati Pop Festival, and the 1970 Cincinnati Summer Pop Festival, the latter of which was broadcast on television as "Midsummer Rock".
Quatro began taking classical piano lessons at 6 or 7 years old. As an adolescent he performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and would perform regularly on The Lawrence Welk Show. Later he began to mix his classical influences with rock music in the Michael Quatro Jam Band, and was known as "The King of Rock and Bach". His classically-based, keyboard-driven progressive rock style has been compared to that of Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, however his albums also feature pop-oriented tunes influenced by the Detroit sound. Quatro's music gained popularity in Detroit, Michigan, where he was popular in clubs and received airplay on FM radio.
Quatro's 1972 album Paintings contains the single "Circus (What I Am)", which reached No. 8 on Billboard Magazine's Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart and No. 91 on the Cash Box Top 100 Singles chart. He has sold 20 million records worldwide. Ted Nugent played guitar on one track on his second album, while his third album featured Rick Derringer on guitar and Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan from The Turtles.
Quatro's track "Stripper", from his 1976 album Dancers, Romancers, Dreamers & Schemers, has been heavily sampled in hip-hop by artists including Amerie feat. Nas, and the Madd Rapper.
Quatro is an independent entertainment executive and the older brother of musician Suzi Quatro. When record producer Mickie Most was in Detroit, Quatro persuaded him to see Cradle featuring his sisters Suzi, Patti, Arlene and Nancy. Most waited for Cradle to break up before signing Suzi as a solo act. As a result, she became the first female bass player to become a major rock star.
Quatro is still making music and as of 2010 was still promoting Detroit musical acts.