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Image from the Blue note recording "Right on my way home"

To the best that I can tell there are two types of Bob Dorough fans. The first being the jazz fans who know him as one of the most unique piano/vocal stylist in music. And the others who are a much larger number who know his voice very well but have no idea who he is. Those millions are the ones who grew up with his songs (and voice) every Saturday morning as he was the musical brains behind the Schoolhouse rocks series and performed a great number of the episodes.

Dorough was born in 1923 in Arkansas. Spent the early years of his life in Arkansas then Texas. His voice still holds the distinctive regional twang to this day. Around 1950 he moved to New York and began working as a jazz musician. By the mid 1950's was working as a song writer and performer appearing in clubs both in the U.S. and Europe.

Image from Jazz Times? - Photo of Dorough and Bob Hardaway Circa 1950's

During the fifties and sixties Dorough recorded albums on several small labels as well as writing songs for other performers. One of the highlights of this period include his vocal performance on Miles Davis Sorcerer LP. (one of the rare vocal appearences on a Miles Davis record)

Links to a page on the Schoolhouse Rock Musicians

Image from ABC television series "Schoolhouse Rocks"

In 1970 Dorough became involved in the schoolhouse rocks project. When you actually think about it the Schoolhouse really was not rocking. It was Heppin, jazzing and hard bopping. With performers like Blossom Dearie, Jack Sheldon and Dorough it was a heck of a Jazz club to hang with. Many of these jazz veterans we simply friends of Dorough he brought in to perform the songs. There are tons of sites where you can find out all of the numerous schoolhouse tracks written by Dorough but two wonderful examples are "Three is a magic number" written and performed by Dorough and "Figure eight" written by Dorough and hauntingly performed by Blossom Dearie.

Listen to Bob Dorough "Schoolhouse Rock" Audio tracks at Amazon
A wonderful site dedicated to Blossom Dearie. With tons of information and audio links
The Blossom Dearie Web Site


Image and credits from Rhino Records "Shcoolhouse Rocks Live show" Pictured backstage at the Schoolhouse Rock show are (L-R):
Blind Melon's Rogers Stevens; GeorgeNewall, coproducer of the
Schoolhouse Rock series for ABC-TV; Robin Tapp, Atlantic Records Label
Production Coordinator; Bob Dorough, Schoolhouse Rock Music Director;
Dibrilynne Rice, ABC Children's Entertainment Program Coordinator;
and Hank Saroyan, Producer, 50th Anniversary Of The Academy Of Children's Television.

Dorough was living (and still touring) in upstate Pennsylvania as of the last interview I have seen. His latest CD release is on Blue note records and is titled "To much Coffee Man". It shows that in nearly fifty years as a performer he has remained a powerfully unique musician. If you have never had the chance to hear Dorough outside of schoolhouse rocks. Currently there are Three easily available Dorough Cd's. "Just about Everything" (1966) really reflects the witty song writing that shows why he was the perfect choice to create the schoolhouse music. "Right on my way home" (1996) shows a master jazz artist still in his prime and going strong after nearly a fifty! year career. His newest disk "To much Coffee Man" is just pure fun.

In May 1998 Dorough was inducted into the Arkansas Jazz hall of fame with John Stubblefield and Art Porter, Jr.

Bob Dorough Discography

Listen to Bob Dorough "Just about everything" Audio tracks at Amazon

"Devil may care"
"Dorough Live"
NEW 2000 release Too much coffee man
Rare Dorough Import Disk "To communicate"
Looking for some of the really obscure Dorough disks?
The best place to go is www.stuie.net
Stuie has worked with and recorded with Dorough for years. They co-owned Laissez-Faire Records and you can find some really rare cds at GREAT prices available from his site.
Dorough w/friends CD for kids
Hey and if you find a source for any other recordings in good shape. Drop me a line I'm always looking to add to my collection. Also if you have information to add or correct please feel free.
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Shcoolhouse Rocks Books, Videos and other neat stuff ---------------------------------------------------------------

Many people have written asking about other Schoolhouse material and whrere they can be purchased. I will add the links here to materials as they become available.

Schoolhouse Video. This is the one with conjunction Junction freaturing the amazing Jack SheldonGrammer Rock

Schoolhouse Video. This is the group that started it all and features many tracks with Dorough singing and playingMuliplication Rock

Schoolhouse VideoScience Rock

Schoolhouse VideoAmerica Rock Has "I'm just a bill"

Schoolhouse Video. This is the newer videos and much less known Money Rock



Science rock audio Cd This is the one with "interplanet Janet" and "E-Lec-tritcity"

Multiplication rock audio Cd This is the one with "figure eight" and "my hero zero"

America rock audio Cd This is the one "I'm just a bill" and "elbow room" (which was written by Lynn Ahres (not sure about that spelling) who is now writes broadway musicals)

Grammer rock audio Cd conjunction Junction and many more
Best of Schoohouse rock audio Cd
The Audio Cd box set (has all of the music)
Childrens reader book (two stories ) Childrens reader book (two stories )

Read about the Making of Schoolhouse rocks "Schoolhouse Rock official Guide" at Amazon
Learn to play schoohouse rock tunes "Schoolhouse Rock Sheet Music" at Amazon

Email: Danno_W@hotmail.com

Last updated 02/02/01