John Manikoff

John Manikoff (September 19, 1951 – January 11, 2011) was an American singer-songwriter, musician, painter, and illustrator of children's books.

Personal life

Vitold John Manikoff, commonly known as John Manikoff, was born on September 19, 1951, in Pontiac, Michigan. He was the son of Vitold John Manikoff and Jane Holt. Manikoff graduated from Lahser High School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in 1969 and attended Oakland Community College for a brief period. He then received an associate degree from Glendale Community College in Glendale, California. In 1999, he received a degree in graphic design from the School of Graphic Design at Platt College near Los Angeles, California. As a musician, Manikoff traveled extensively throughout the United States, but his summers were frequently spent on Mackinac Island, Michigan, at a cabin built by his great-grandparents in 1902. Manikoff Manikoff died of cancer at the Woodland Hospice House in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, on January 21, 2011, and was cremated.

Music career

John Manikoff was both a songwriter and a musical performer. He began his music career at an early age, having learned to play the piano at the age of 5. He initially performed his songs locally in Michigan and then traveled around the United States and Canada performing his music, eventually ending up in Los Angeles, California. Manikoff played piano with the Bad Boys, a rock group that included drummer Michael Clarke of the Byrds and the Flying Burrito Brothers. He was also a founding member of and pianist for the band Catsey in Boulder, Colorado. He was a backing vocalist on an album by Buddy Greco, Ready for Your Love (1984). He played piano on two albums by punk rock musician Jeff Dahl: (Ultra Under and Wicked ). He also played piano on an album by Amy Lamotta, Playing Dead/Look at Me (1992), which was produced by Amy Lamotta and Jeff Dahl.

In partnership with Timothy Duckworth, John Manikoff composed and performed the song "Prince of the City," which was included on the soundtrack for the 1987 movie Morgan Stewart's Coming Home. The movie featured Jon Cryer as Morgan Stewart, Lynn Redgrave as his mother, Nancy Stewart, and Nicholas Pryor as his father, Tom Stewart. The song was played as Morgan drove through the streets of Washington, D.C. Manikoff also composed the music for the song "Tell the Night," which was included on an album by Peggy March, Always and Forever (2012). He was also a member of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) which was intended for children who were traumatized and/or grieving. The second book, published in 2003, was Shadow Moves, which was meant for children and their families who were involved in a difficult move.

Manikoff was a member of the Mid-Michigan Art Guild, Lansing Art Gallery, and Oil Painters of America.