Milton Drake

{{Short description|American lyricist and performing rights administrator (1912–2006)}}

Milton Drake (August 3, 1912 - November 13, 2006) was an American lyricist and performing rights administrator.

As a child, he performed in vaudevilles, in films and on radio. Later he wrote special material for theater and nightclub revues, including "Cotton Club Parade", "Riviera Follies", "Paradise Parade", and "Latin Quarter Revue". Drake's musical collaborators included Oscar Levant, Al Hoffman, Jerry Livingston, Louis Alter, Ben Oakland and Con Conrad, among others.

Drake was a member of the American Guild of Authors and Composers for 28 years, and for 5 years was the chairman of the AGAC council.{{cite book|author=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KBcEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA18|accessdate=20 January 2013|date=11 August 1962|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=18–|issn=0006-2510}} In August 1962 he resigned from AGAC in protest, criticizing the lack of progressive leadership at the organisation, and their relationship with music publishers.

In 1949 Drake married the singer Adele Clark, Decca recording artist and star of The Adele Clark Show.{{cite book|title=Billboard|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jw4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT19|accessdate=20 January 2013|date=30 July 1949|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|pages=19–|issn=0006-2510}} His brother was songwriter Ervin Drake (1919-2015).