Mike is a performer and writer of songs for children whose major influences have been Pete Seeger, Richard Dyer Bennett, Leadbelly, Woody Guthrie and his own father. He grew up at his family’s summer camp, Camp Walt Whitman in Piermont, New Hampshire where it was a strongly held conviction that each child should be respected and encouraged for whatever endeaver he or she might chose. They believed and acted on the famous words of the poet Walt Whitman in his poem "I Hear America Singing" (see bottom of page).

His father Chick Soloway was a well loved and accomplished performer of folk music and both his father and his mother Ann were avid folk dancers (Ann is still an active dance instructor).

Mike’s performances for children, which include his original songs as well as those culled from other sources, reflect Mike’s desire to encourage a feeling of community, an appreciation of sharing and a firm moral grounding. Mike presents these positive messages subtly and with a spirit of fun, humor, enthusiasm and love.

"As music counselor at Crestwood Camp in Plainview, I teach the kids songs – fun songs, manners and ethics songs, traditional songs. I love knowing that while the kids are having so much fun singing together, they’re also feeling the pure pleasure of participating in a community."

He has been featured at the Northport Public Library, Northport’s Sundays At Seven series, at Centerport’s Hard Luck Café, Carnegie Recital Hall, Folk City, Speakeasy, The Bitter End, Tribeca Café, Fast Folk Café, The Eclectic Café and many other venues. He has taught at The Third Street Music School, NYU, Jersey City State College, CUNY, Camp Walt Whitman and Crestwood Camp.

I HEAR AMERICA SINGING by Walt Whitman

I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear;
Those of mechanics—each one singing his, as it should be, blithe and strong;
The carpenter singing his, as he measures his plank or beam,
The mason singing his, as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work;
The boatman singing what belongs to him in his boat—the deckhand singing on the steamboat deck;
The shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench—the hatter singing as he stands;
The wood-cutter’s song—the ploughboy’s, on his way in the morning, or at the noon intermission, or at sundown;
The delicious singing of the mother—or of the young wife at work—or of the girl sewing or washing—Each singing what belongs to her, and to none else;
The day what belongs to the day—At night, the party of young fellows, robust, friendly,
Singing, with open mouths, their strong melodious songs.