Michael Feinstein, known for his singing and piano-playing, is bringing his Great American Songbook to the masses with a four-DVD collectors set of the PBS hit just in time for the holidays. Windy City Times discussed this collection with the artist himself and the producer, Amber Edwards.
Windy City Times: Hello! How did your DVD set come together, Michael?
Michael Feinstein: Well, I had very little to do with it contrary, to popular belief. What I mean by that is Amber had carte blanche on how she assembled all the material. I told her the only way that it would work for me is for her to make all the decisions and choices. That was a wise decision on my part because I am delighted on how it has been received and put together.
WCT: How do you feel about the release of the DVD?
Michael Feinstein: It makes me particularly happy because of the experience of the bonus materials on the set. We wanted to make available material that was not generally accessible. This reflects both of our tastes in this particular music.
Amber Edwards: I will say that it breaks your heart to discard things that were so beautiful. I went on the road with Michael for the two years when we filmed it. There were wonderful performances and not room enough for it to all fit on a one-hour program. We have 13 extra Feinstein performances. It's always good not letting something go into the dustbin as they say.
Michael Feinstein: Those are dirty words, Amber!
WCT: What is on the extra disc, Amber?
AE: There is a Rosemary Clooney performance from 1956. There is a wonderful version of Night & Day by Frank Sinatra also that was filmed when he was in Italy. There are many things that people may not have seen ever before.
WCT: Do you have a favorite part from working on this project?
Michael Feinstein: For me it was being able to interview Margaret Whiting. It was a real sense of history being able to preserve memories with a person who lived the history of American music. Since that time she has not been able to do interviews. I felt like we were able to capture her with dignity.
AE: I would echo that and say that being able to look at this material through Michael's eyes and see him tie together the music and the history.
WCT: How do you feel gay artists have evolved over the years?
Michael Feinstein: There was a big divide back then between performers and songwriters that were gay. Most of the songwriters were in the closet. People knew that Cole Porter was gay but he never spoke of it and was married. There were many songwriters who were gay such as Herman Hupfeld who wrote "As Time Goes By." Many people did not want it to impact their careers. But then there were people at MGM like Conrad Salinger, who was film composer that was so outrageously flamboyant but he didn't care what people thought because his job was secure and he was extraordinarily talented. For performers it was very much hidden.
AE: We have footage where men in the army played female parts in the shows but they never thought of it like drag. It was a different era and people looked at things depending on how they were comfortable.
WCT: Michael, at the beginning of your career could you have been out and made it as big as you did?
Michael Feinstein: I was out. I guess I didn't talk about it but I didn't try to cover it up. But yes, I would have been concerned at the beginning of my career on how it would have been effect. It is always a personal journey because you never know how people will respond.
WCT: Did you research if George Gershwin was gay?
Michael Feinstein: Yes, and many people have claimed that he was gay. There was no definitive proof that George Gershwin was gay. From my view, he might have been very sexually confused that he was not able to form any sort of lasting relationship. No one has ever came forward and said they had a relationship with him. Don't you think they would?
WCT: Well, maybe. He could have been bisexual.
Michael Feinstein: Yes, he could have been bisexual or asexual. There is not a lot documentation about his relationships.
WCT: What was it like living next door to Rosemary Clooney?
Michael Feinstein: Rosemary Clooney was my favorite person in the world. When I first started working with Ira Gershwin it drove me nuts that she was next door and I didn't get to meet her. I would hear her pull in the driveway sometimes singing along to the music on the radio.
Once I was able to meet her, she invited me in the house and I never left. I became like her sixth kid. She was an earth mother and I adore her as I adore very few people. She was always my favorite singer and remains so. She always wanted to know the gossip and later performing so many shows with her was a great gift.
WCT: How amazing. When are you coming back to Chicago?
Michael Feinstein: I don't know.
AE: Not on this year's tour, that I know of.
Michael Feinstein: I was asked to do Ravinia last year and thought I should take a break. I had been doing it every year and don't like to be overexposed, well at least not onstage. [ Chuckles ] I will look into doing Ravinia again at some point.
WCT: So who should get this DVD for the holiday season?
Michael Feinstein: I can't think of anyone that it wouldn't be appropriate!
Stuff someone's stocking with this collection by purchasing on his website at www.michaelfeinstein.com, or at www.pbs.org .
