Schoolhouse Rock musician and jazz vocalist Bob Dorough dies at 94
'Bob was the schoolteacher to more people than anyone else has ever been,' says bandmate Steve Berger
The musician who taught countless children about math, grammar and the U.S. political system has died.
Bob Dorough, who wrote and performed some of the best known songs from ABC's Schoolhouse Rock series, died of natural causes at his home in Mount Bethel, Penn., on Monday. He was 94.
"Bob was the schoolteacher to more people than anyone else has ever been," Steve Berger, Dorough's close friend and longtime bandmate, told As It Happens host Carol Off.
"The way he was able to translate lessons into a three-minute song was unparallelled."
Among his most memorable hits were Conjunction Junction (What's Your Function?), I'm Just a Bill and Three is a Magic Number.
But despite being best known for his educational jams, Dorough also had a lifelong career as a respected jazz musician.
Friendship with Miles Davis
He co-wrote the song Devil May Care — one of Berger's favourite of his friend's compositions — which jazz great Miles Davis recorded as an instrumental version.
He also recorded several songs with Davis's ensemble and played alongside Davis on stage.
Berger said the two legendary musicians met through a mutual friend who played Dorough's albums for Davis and later introduced the pair at one of Davis's shows.
"[Davis] grabbed Bob by the wrist and he pulled him to the bandstand and said, 'I want you to sing Baltimore Oriole,'" Berger said.
"So Bob wasn't going to say no to Miles. They became friends that way."
Last gig together
Berger knew Dorough since he went to see him concert in 1979.
"I fell instantly in love with Bob," he said.
He bought a record at that show and later the two became friends and bandmates.
They performed their last gig together just last week, Berger said.
"He struggled, but Bob had this incredible way of being able to dig down no matter how he felt and he just would find something in him and bring it up and be able to express," Berger said.
"Usually people lose some of their ability to sing. Bob was always perfectly in tone. I never heard Bob sing a note that was even slightly out of tune."
'I'm leaving'
After the show, Dorough invited his old friend back to his place.
"He said something he'd never said before to me. He said, 'Sit down,' and he said, 'I'm leaving,'" Berger recalled.
"Just like that. As if, 'I got a ticket, I'm getting on a bus to Cincinnati.'"
Beger said he'll always remember his friend for his sincerity, both in life and on stage.
"Absolutely sincere. Always looking to enjoy it, to give enjoyment, to share," he said.
"It's quite a loss. It's kind of like a hole that will never be filled."
Written by Sheena Goodyear. Interview produced by John McGill.