Michael Feinstein Net Worth: Michael Feinstein, who was born on September 7, 1956, in Columbus, Ohio, is a prominent American singer, pianist, and music revivalist. Celebrated as an archivist and interpreter of the Great American Songbook, Feinstein has committed his career to the preservation and performance of classic American standards. His significant contributions to music have garnered him five Grammy nominations and an Emmy nomination, reinforcing his position as a key figure in American music.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Michael Jay Feinstein |
| Date of Birth | September 7, 1956 |
| Place of Birth | Columbus, Ohio, USA |
| Profession | Singer, pianist, music archivist, educator, author |
| Musical Focus | Great American Songbook (music of Gershwin, Porter, Berlin, etc.) |
| Early Life | Played piano by ear at age 5; worked in piano bars after high school |
| Move to L.A. | Moved to Los Angeles at age 20 to pursue a music career |
| Career Breakthrough | Became Ira Gershwin’s assistant; helped catalog Gershwin’s musical archive |
| New York Debut | Performed at the Oak Room in 1986; gained fame with help from Liza Minnelli |
| Broadway Debut | First Broadway show: Isn’t It Romantic in 1988 |
| Michael Feinstein Net Worth | $50 million |
| Awards/Nominations | Five-time Grammy Award nominee; Drama Desk Special Award winner |
| Foundation Work | Founded the Great American Songbook Foundation in 2007 |
| Education Role | Hosts the Songbook Academy for youth; promotes classic American music in schools |
| Leadership Roles | Artistic Director at the Center for the Performing Arts in Indiana |
| Other Roles | Principal Pops Conductor for Pasadena Symphony; part of Library of Congress advisory board |
| Recent News (2025) | Performed at SF Symphony’s Pride event in May 2025 after another event was canceled |
| Style and Legacy | Combines performance with preservation of classic American music |
| Known As | “Ambassador of the Great American Songbook” |
What is Michael Feinstein’s Net Worth?
Michael Feinstein is a pianist, music archivist, and vocalist with a net worth of $50 million.
He began his career in local bars as a piano player and, in 1977, started working for Ira Gershwin, where he cataloged Gershwin’s collection of records.
In 1983, Michael contributed to the musical aspect of the Broadway show “My One and Only.” He subsequently gained recognition as a cabaret singer and, in 1986, released “Pure Gershwin,” his debut CD featuring a compilation of Gershwin’s songs.
Feinstein continued to produce numerous recordings thereafter, including titles such as “Isn’t it Romantic,” “Over There,” “Forever,” “Such Sweet Sorrow,” among others.
Additionally, he has composed the stage score for the musicals “The Night They Saved Macy’s Parade” and “The Gold Room.”
In 2000, he was appointed to the National Recording Preservation Board by the Library of Congress.
In 2008, he established the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative aimed at preserving this musical heritage and educating youth through its programs, exhibitions, and various competitions.
Winners of the final competitions are awarded scholarship funds and the opportunity to perform alongside Feinstein in his New York Cabaret.
In January 2018, the foundation received a generous donation of a $30 million, 107-acre estate, previously owned by real estate magnate Mel Simon.
This estate is set to be transformed into a museum and library for the Songbook Initiative.
In 2009, Feinstein teamed up with Cheyenne Jackson to create a duo and performed a nightclub act titled “The Power of Two,” which gained such popularity that they produced a studio album based on the material.
Early Life
Michael Feinstein was born on September 7, 1956, in Columbus, Ohio.
His mother, Florence Mazie, was an amateur tap dancer, while his father, Edward Feinstein, worked as a sales executive at the Sara Lee Corporation and was also an amateur singer.
He was raised in a Jewish household. At the age of five, he began his piano studies. His initial piano instructor became frustrated with him for not adhering to the sheet music, as he preferred to play by ear instead.
His mother did not see this as a problem and withdrew him from formal lessons, allowing him to play the piano in his preferred style. He continued to play the piano and developed considerable skill throughout his high school years.
Career
After completing high school, Feinstein commenced his career at local piano bars as a pianist, a role he maintained for two years. At the age of 20, he relocated to Los Angeles.
In 1977, he met Ira Gershwin, who engaged him to organize his vast collection of phonograph records. This task resulted in consistent employment for the subsequent six years, during which Feinstein dedicated himself to researching, cataloging, and preserving the unpublished sheet music and rare recordings housed in the Gershwin residence, belonging to both Ira and his brother, George Gershwin.
His close association with Gershwin also earned him the position of musical consultant for the 1983 Broadway production, “My One and Only,” which drew inspiration from Gershwin’s numerous compositions.
Simultaneously, Feinstein was establishing himself as an exceptional singer and pianist, primarily interpreting songs from the Great American Songbook, a loosely defined genre of music that gained popularity in America during the early 20th century, encompassing many jazz standards, show tunes, and other well-known songs.
In 1986, he released his debut CD, “Pure Gershwin,” a compilation of works by George and Ira Gershwin. Over the following years, he launched the albums “Live at the Algonquin,” “Remember: Michael Feinstein Sings Irving Berlin,” and “Isn’t It Romantic.” In 1989, he also produced “Over There,” an album featuring music from the United States and Europe during World War I. In 1992, he unveiled his sole album of children’s music, “Pure Imagination.”
During this period, Feinstein also began to make appearances on Broadway in a series of concert performances such as “Michael Feinstein In Concert,” “Michael Feinstein in Concert: Isn’t It Romantic,” and “Michael Feinstein in Concert: Piano and Voice.”
In the early 1990s, Feinstein initiated a project where he would perform an album featuring the music of a specific composer, occasionally with that composer present.
These collaborations encompassed projects with notable figures such as Burton Lane, Jule Styne, Jerry Herman, Jimmy Webb, and Jay Livingston, among others. During the late 1990s, he also produced two additional albums dedicated to Gershwin’s music.
In the 2000s, he released albums including “Romance on Film, Romance on Broadway,” “Hopeless Romantics,” and “The Sinatra Project.”
Furthermore, in 2000, the Library of Congress appointed Feinstein to its newly established National Recording Preservation Board, which aimed to protect America’s musical heritage. Feinstein furthered his commitment to music preservation by founding The Great American Songbook Foundation, an organization focused on preserving and showcasing artifacts related to the Great American Songbook canon.
The foundation is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana. In 2009, Feinstein also took on the role of artistic director at The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel.
In 2009, he partnered with Cheyenne Jackson to develop a nightclub act titled “The Power of Two,” which received acclaim from various publications, including “The New York Times” and “Variety.” Additionally, he composed the scores for two stage musicals, “The Night They Saved Macy’s Parade” and “The Gold Room,” and has hosted a weekly radio program, “Song Travels with Michael Feinstein,” distributed by NPR.
Since 1999, he has also managed his nightclub, Feinstein’s, located at Loews Regency in Manhattan, which has showcased numerous prominent performers such as Liza Minnelli, Glen Campbell, Alan Cumming, and Jason Mraz, among many others.
In 2012, Feinstein was appointed Principal Pops Conductor for the Pasadena POPS, making his conducting debut in June 2013 to favorable reviews. His contract was subsequently extended through 2019. In April 2013, he released a new CD titled “Change of Heart: The Songs of Andre Previn,” in collaboration with composer-pianist Andrew Previn.
The subsequent year, the program “Michael Feinstein at the Rainbow Room” debuted on PBS as a special presentation. This show showcases numerous guest stars delivering classic Broadway songs, theatrical performances, and various musical acts from across the nation.
Additionally, he launched a holiday album in 2014 titled “A Michael Feinstein Christmas.” Feinstein has made considerable contributions as a presenter on Turner Classic Movies starting in 2015. In 2021, he unveiled another album featuring Gershwin music named “Gershwin Country.”
Personal Life
In October 2008, Feinstein wed his longtime partner, Terrence Flannery. The wedding ceremony was officiated by the renowned television family court judge Judith Sheindlin, popularly known as Judge Judy. The couple owns residences in New York, Los Angeles, and Indiana.
Real Estate
In 1998, Michael acquired a historic 15,000-square-foot residence in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles, known as the “Glendower Estate,” for $2.1 million. This estate functioned as the West Coast Russian consulate from 1935 to 1950.
In April 2018, Michael put the property on the market with an asking price of $26 million. However, he was unable to secure a buyer at that price and eventually removed the listing, only to re-list it in August 2019 for $14.95 million, reflecting a 42.5% decrease from his initial asking price. The home was not sold until December 2020, with the final sale price being $7.33 million.
The residence features six bedrooms, including a master suite that essentially occupies the entire second floor of the house. Michael and his husband Terrence were married at this location in 2008, with performances by Barry Manilow and Liza Minelli at the reception, and Judge Judy officiating the ceremony. A video tour of the Glendower Estate can be found here:
In 2018, Michael and Terrence purchased a condo for $3 million that overlooks Central Park South in New York City.
In 2019, they sold an 18-room townhouse in New York City for $15.22 million. Around the same period, they also acquired a new residence in Pasadena, California, for $7 million.
They maintain ownership of a 50-acre estate located outside of Santa Barbara, and interestingly, the couple’s primary residence for a significant portion of the year is a townhouse in Carmel, Indiana, where Michael serves as the artistic director for the city’s Center for Performing Arts.
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