Bob Dorough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bob Dorough
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Dorough in the 1980s
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Robert Lrod [sic] Dorough |
| Born | December 12, 1923 Cherry Hill, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | April 23, 2018 (aged 94) Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1940s–2018 |
| Labels | Bethlehem, Music Minus One, Capitol, 52e Rue Est, Red, Blue Note, Arbors, Candid |
| Associated acts | Sam Most, Bill Takas, Dave Frishberg, Blossom Dearie |
Robert Lrod Dorough (December 12, 1923 – April 23, 2018) was an amazing American musician. He was a singer, pianist, composer, and songwriter. Bob Dorough became super famous for creating and performing songs for the TV show Schoolhouse Rock!. He also worked with famous jazz musicians like Miles Davis and Blossom Dearie.
Contents
Bob Dorough's Life and Music
His Early Life
Robert Lrod Dorough was born in Cherry Hill, Arkansas. He grew up in Plainview, Texas. During World War II, he played piano, clarinet, and saxophone in Army bands. After the war, he studied music at North Texas State University. He learned about composing and playing the piano.
Starting His Music Career
From 1949 to 1952, Dorough went to Columbia University in New York City. While studying, he played piano in local jazz clubs. He even toured with boxer Sugar Ray Robinson, who was trying out a music career. In Paris, from 1954 to 1955, Dorough worked as a musician. He also directed music and recorded with jazz singer Blossom Dearie.
When Dorough came back to the United States, he moved to Los Angeles. He played in many clubs there. His first album, Devil May Care, came out in 1956. It included a song called "Yardbird Suite" with lyrics Dorough added. The famous jazz trumpeter Miles Davis really liked this album.
In 1962, Columbia Records asked Miles Davis to make a Christmas record. Davis asked Dorough to write lyrics and sing for it. The song "Blue Xmas" appeared on the album Jingle Bell Jazz. Dorough also recorded another song for Davis, "Nothing Like You." This song appeared on Davis's Sorcerer album. This made Dorough one of the few singers to be on a Miles Davis record.
The Magic of Schoolhouse Rock!
The biggest part of Dorough's career was Schoolhouse Rock!. This was an educational animated TV series. He worked on it from 1972 to 1996. He also helped with later video releases in 2002 and 2009.
The idea for Schoolhouse Rock! started in 1969. An advertiser named David McCall asked Dorough to set the multiplication tables to music. Dorough wrote "Three Is a Magic Number," and it was a hit! This song got him the job as the show's musical director.
Dorough wrote all the songs for Multiplication Rock. This was the first part of the series. Later, he also wrote songs for Grammar Rock, America Rock, Science Rock, Money Rock, and Earth Rock. He sang many of these songs too.
Other Cool Music Projects
Dorough also wrote the song "Comin' Home Baby" with his friend Ben Tucker. This song became a Top 40 hit for Mel Tormé. It even got two Grammy Award nominations!
He also worked with Stuart Scharf for many years. They produced albums for the band Spanky and Our Gang. Dorough added jazz sounds to their music. Spanky and Our Gang recorded Dorough's song "1-3-5-8," which was a clever round.
In the early 1970s, Dorough sang for The 44th Street Portable Flower Factory. They recorded popular songs for Scholastic Records.
Later Years and Legacy
From 1985 to 1993, Dorough toured Europe many times. He played with saxophone player Michael Hornstein, bassist Bill Takas, and drummer Fred Braceful.
He also worked with singer Nellie McKay on her albums Obligatory Villagers (2007) and Normal as Blueberry Pie – A Tribute to Doris Day (2009).
Dorough continued to create music for children. He wrote an illustrated book for his song Blue Xmas. He also wrote three songs for Maureen Sullivan's books about a French bulldog named Carlos. These songs were "Ankle Soup," "Custard and Mustard," and "Christmas Feet."
His Passing
Bob Dorough passed away on April 23, 2018. He was at his home in Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania. He was 94 years old.
Awards and Special Honors
Bob Dorough received many awards for his amazing contributions to music:
- In 1974, he was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children.
- In 1998, he was added to the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame.
- He was named Artist of the Year at the 2002 Pennsylvania Governor's Awards for the Arts.
- In December 2007, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania gave him an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree.
- In 2019, the Schoolhouse Rock! soundtrack was chosen by the Library of Congress. It was added to the National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
- Also in 2019, he was recognized as a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.
