John Manikoff created and performed music since an early age. He started playing the piano at the age of five and the guitar at age twelve. He found his voice singing solo in the choir. The Beatles and the Beach Boys inspired an interest in singing and songwriting in his teens..It was music around the clock: John slept with a transistor radio under the pillow each night!
In his 40 plus year career, John performed as a solo artist and as a member of many bands. He opened shows for The MC5, Alice Cooper, Soft Machine, Spooky Tooth, Savoy Brown, Ten Years After, Bob Seger, Joe Cocker, Firefall, Richie Havens, Brewer and Shipley, Mary Travers, Warren Zevon, Corky Segal, The Frost, Etta James, Willis Alan Ramsey, Levon Helm and Albert King.
John performed live in the metro Detroit area, Toronto, Canada, Mackinac Island, NYC, Boulder, Colorado and Los Angeles. Some of the venues where he has played are:
- The Grande Ballroom- Detroit
- Melody Ballroom - Detroit
- The Buzz - L.A.
- Genghis Cohen - L.A.
- Birmingham Palladium – Birmingham, Michigan
- Amazing Grace - Chicago
- Cellar Door - Washington, DC
- U of Colorado UMC - Boulder
- Ebbets Field - Denver
- Blue Note - Boulder
- Pilot House - Mackinac Island
- Tulagi - Boulder
- Hungry Farmer - Boulder
Some of John’s band members have been:
- Michael Clarke, original drummer for The Byrds
- Tris Imboden - Drummer for Kenny Loggins
- James Rolleston - Bass Player for John Hyatt
John also worked with:
- Steven Strassman - Engineer - Graceland
- John Stronach – Engineer - Dan Fogelberg - Joe Walsh
While living for 21 years in Los Angeles, John recorded for WB records at the Amigo Recording Studio. He performed as a singer in commercial/ record albums produced by various artists and composed and produced music for the Jon Cryer and Lynn Redgrave film, Morgan Stewart's "Coming Home." During this time he co-wrote songs with published writers and performers and established his own publishing company, Rockmanikoff Music®.
John took a hiatus in 2003 to focus on his professional art career working in the fine arts as well as a freelance graphic design and art director. See John Manikoff Fine Art.
View John Manikoff's obituary from the Mackinac Island Town Crier.
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