Biography

Has a talent for finding "lost," older songs, and breathing new life into them, thereby preserving great music for future generations.

Was introduced to Ira Gershwin through Oscar Levant's widow, June. Michael revered Ira and George Gershwin, and he had an encyclopedic knowledge of the pair's work. Michael recounted many stories he knew about the two during his first meeting with Ira, and he was so impressed with the young man that he made him his assistant for 6 years.

Started playing piano by ear at age 5. Took piano lessons for a couple of months until his teacher became angered that he wasn't reading the music she gave him to play. Since Michael's mother saw no problem with her son's method, she took him out of lessons and allowed him to enjoy music his own way.

Owns his own nightclub in Manhattan, Feinstein's at the Regency, which is the premier showcase for cabaret performers. Feinstein himself plays a sold-out show there during the holidays every year.

Started playing in piano bars right out of high school to support himself

My life is music. It has always been music, and it will always be music.

(About how Michael annoyed his sister because he could duplicate whatever she practiced on the keyboard) "At one point she was practicing "Malaguena" over and over again. As soon as she finished, I could sit down and play the piece, because I had heard it enough times. It used to make her nuts."

"I was secretive about what I did, what I listened to. It was clear that my friends - what friends I had - would laugh at me. The fact is, I didn't have many friends." (about his early love of music)

"The MGM story is just one example of music that's vanishing all the time. We're talking about a unique piece of our cultural history, and for me it's like a death in the family every time we learn that something else has disappeared." (About MGM's 1970 clean-out of priceless film scores, musical manuscripts, and recordings to cut storage costs)

There's definitely a physical feeling performing with an orchestra because our bodies are made up of vibrations and all music that is acoustically-based resonates with the vibrations of the body. So to be onstage with all those instruments vibrating - the emotional effect is thrilling. It's like a high; a wonderful legal high.