Revealed: Michael Feinstein's Total Wealth in Net Worth 2026: Career Earnings & Assets

As one of the most talked-about figures, Michael Feinstein has built a significant fortune. In this article, we dive deep into the assets and career highlights.

What is Michael Feinstein's Net Worth?

Feinstein was born on September 7, 1956, in Columbus, Ohio. His mother, Florence Mazie, was an amateur tap dancer, while his father, Edward Feinstein, was a sales executive at the Sara Lee Corporation as well as an amateur singer. He was raised in a Jewish family. When he was five years old, he began studying piano. His first piano teacher became upset with him for not playing by the sheet music as he instead was more comfortable playing by ear. His mother saw no issue with this and took him out of formal lessons so he could continue playing the piano the way he wanted. He continued playing the piano and became quite skilled throughout high school.

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Michael Feinstein is a pianist, music archivist, and singer who has a net worth of $50 million. Michael Feinstein began working in local bars as a piano player and then, in 1977, started working for Ira Gershwin, cataloging Gershwin's collection of records. In 1983, Michael consulted in the musical portion of the show "My One and Only" on Broadway. He then became a well-known cabaret singer and, in 1986, recorded "Pure Gershwin," his first CD, which was a collection of Gershwin tunes. Feinstein continued with many recordings after that, such as "Isn't it Romantic," "Over There," "Forever," "Such Sweet Sorrow," and many more. He has also written 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 created the Michael Feinstein Great American Songbook Initiative to preserve this musical legacy and educate young people through its programs, exhibitions, and many competitions. Winners of the final competitions receive scholarship money and a chance to perform with Feinstein in his New York Cabaret. In January 2018, the foundation was gifted a lavish $30 million, 107-acre estate that was the former home of real estate mogul Mel Simon. The estate will be turned into a museum and library for the Songbook Initiative. In 2009, Feinstein andCheyenne Jacksonformed a duo and performed a nightclub act called "The Power of Two," which became so popular that they made a studio album from the material.

Meanwhile, Feinstein was also making a name for himself as a stellar singer and pianist who primarily performed songs from the Great American Songbook, a loosely defined category of music popular in America in the early 20thcentury which included many jazz standards and show tunes, as well as other popular songs. In 1986, he recorded his first CD, "Pure Gershwin," which was a collection of music by George and Ira Gershwin. He then released the albums "Live at the Algonquin," "Remember: Michael Feinstein Sings Irving Berlin," and "Isn't It Romantic" over the next few years. In 1989, he also released "Over There," an album featuring music from the United States and Europe during World War I. In 1992, he released his only album of children's music, "Pure Imagination."

After graduating high school, Feinstein began working at local piano bars as a pianist, which he did for two years. He then moved to Los Angeles when he was 20 years old. In 1977, he was introduced to Ira Gershwin, who hired him to catalog his extensive collection of phonograph records. This assignment led to steady employment over the next six years, as Feinstein worked to research, catalog, and preserve the unpublished sheet music and rare recordings that were kept in the Gershwin home, both of Ira's and of his brother's, George Gershwin. His close relationship with Gershwin also won him the role of musical consultant for the 1983 Broadway show, "My One and Only," inspired by Gershwin's many tunes.

In the early 1990s, Feinstein began a project in which he would perform an album of music of a featured composer, sometimes accompanied by that composer. These collaborations included projects with Burton Lane, Jule Styne, Jerry Herman,Jimmy Webb, and Jay Livingston, among others. In the late 1990s, he also recorded two more albums of Gershwin music. In the 2000s, he recorded albums like "Romance on Film, Romance on Broadway," "Hopeless Romantics," and "The Sinatra Project."

During this time, Feinstein had also begun starring on Broadway in a series of in-concert shows like "Michael Feinstein In Concert," "Michael Feinstein in Concert: Isn't It Romantic," and "Michael Feinstein in Concert: Piano and Voice."

Also, in 2000, the Library of Congress appointed Feinstein to its newly formed National Recording Preservation Board, which was dedicated to safeguarding America's musical heritage. Feinstein continued his passion for music preservation by founding The Great American Songbook Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving and exhibiting artifacts related to the canon of the Great American Songbook. The organization has its headquarters in Carmel, Indiana. Feinstein also became the artistic director of The Center for the Performing Arts located in Carmel in 2009.

Ultimately, Michael Feinstein's financial journey is a testament to their success.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.