A native of Reno, Nevada, Grady McGrannahan is the Assistant Professor of Low Brass and Assistant Director of Bands at Drake University. Grady has previously taught trombone at Northwestern University and Florida State University. While at FSU, he conducted the FSU Trombone Choir, which gained notoriety as a finalist in the International Trombone Association's Emory Remington Trombone Choir Competition.

Grady earned the Bachelor of Music Education degree from Indiana University and the Master of Music degree in trombone performance from Northwestern University. He is a doctoral candidate at The Florida State University where he has completed all coursework for the Doctor of Music degree in trombone performance. Past teachers include Mack McGrannahan, M. Dee Stewart, Charles Vernon, Michael Mulcahy and John Drew.

Grady has performed with many professional ensembles throughout the country. Most recently, he served as bass trombonist with the Tallahassee Symphony. Grady has been a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra, the Columbus Indiana Orchestra, the Nevada Ballet Orchestra, the Reno Jazz Orchestra, the Salem Brass Quintet, the Tallahassee Chorale Orchestra and the Tallahassee Ballet Orchestra. He has performed with artists such as Johnny Mathis, The Temptations, Davis Gaines, Toni Tennile, and Michael Davis.

Grady taught publicly, most recently as Director of Bands at Sprague High School in Salem, Oregon. While at the Grammy Award winning high school, Grady's students consistently earned superior ratings at state and district festivals. He has also taught at Valparaiso High School and Reno High School. During the summers, he enjoys teaching back home at the Lake Tahoe Music Camp. Grady has served as the trombone instructor at the University of Oregon and the Florida State University Summer Music Camps.

Grady holds memberships in Phi Mu Alpha, Pi Kappa Lambda, International Trombone Association, College Music Society, Music Educators National Conference, and the American Federation of Musicians.