Skip Granger
Our daughter, Amanda, loves music! It is no wonder that she chose a music man to be her husband. We are also quite fortunate because he’s one of the nicest people that I have ever known. When they first began dating, I took Mike and Amanda to the Capital Club on the top of the Wells Fargo building in Los Angeles for dinner. When we arrived and checked in at reception, we were informed that we needed to wear a tie. So they loaned us one. I had brought our Starry Night wines for Mike to taste. The manager joined us to taste and stay for a long time. Therefore, it was late when we left. Reception was closed; so now we each had a new tie!
Somewhat later, Mike came up to our home in Kentfield to ask for Amanda’s hand in marriage, and we had dinner. I told him that he had us with ”Hello.” However, I took a picture and posted it on the internet. The next day, I had to scramble to remove it, lest Amanda see it and know of his intentions.
Later, when we wanted to find the perfect place to have their wedding, we went up to the wine country and looked unsuccessfully at a few wineries. I suggested Paradise Ridge Winery for its beauty and its art. They felt that it was too far away. But when we saw it, we all fell in love with it. I asked if we could book it for June of the following year, 2008. The wedding coordinator said that every day that month had been sold. She asked how I knew about their winery, and I responded that I served on the FWC California Wine Board of Directors and that our President, Paul Kronenberg, had suggested it. She said that they were members so she would check again. When she returned from her office, she said that it was sold out, but one person would not give her the required deposit; so we could have that date if we wished. The date was June 14th. The ladies began to weep since that was our wedding date as well as my parents – and Flag Day. Amanda said that she could have shot me went I said, ”Now, let’s talk about serving our Starry Night wine!” However, it was a wonderful wedding at Paradise Ridge.
As I said in the beginning, Mike loves music! He was instrumental in the beginning of the a cappella group ”Straight No Chaser” while attending the University of Indiana. If that sounds familiar, they often sing during the holiday season on television shows like the Today show. Here is an example of one of their songs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Fe11OlMiz8
After graduation, he began singing on ships. One day, the cruise director learned that he was with SNC and asked him to form an a cappella group on the ship. Mike said that he could not take a country and western singer, a jazz singer, etc. and put them together successfully. When asked if he wanted to remain on the ship, he changed his mind. The rest is history. Mike went on to successfully form a company to provide singers and musicians on board cruise ships. He now has entertainers on most cruise lines and enjoys the fantastic benefits and bounty of so doing. His company is Landau Music. His company website:
https://www.landaumusic.com/#:~:text=EVER.,Landau%20Music%20was%20a%20BLAST!
The name Straight No Chaser has a dual meaning. It is inspired by a Thelonious Monk tune and the common bar request for a drink “straight, no chaser,” meaning pure, undiluted, and without a follow-up mixer, which reflects the group’s a cappella style of pure, un-overproduced vocal harmonies. It signifies getting the raw, true sound—just voices, no band.
Straight No Chaser is still actively performing and touring, especially with their popular annual “Holiday Road Tour,” with multiple concert dates scheduled for late December 2025 in places like Indianapolis, Akron, and Florida. They continue to release new music, have a strong online presence, and sell out shows, proving they are very much still active.
Mike and Amanda
I had the pleasure of singing with Tyler Trepp when he was back home in West Des Moines, Iowa. We performed at Lutheran Church of Hope and our group was called Higher Ground. His Father Marty Trepp sang in the group and his Mother played the piano.Truly a pleasure. Our group is now called the Jordan Creek Boys.