Post Classifieds
Schoolhouse Rock writer performs at Burchfield Penney
By Jennifer Waters
On March 25, 2012
Black suit, silver hair slicked back into a ponytail and enthusiasm for his audience help
identify him as one of the greatest jazz and bebop musicians and composers in American
history. Not to mention he's 89 years old with an attitude that screams "cool."
Bob Dorough, the man most famously known by younger generations for writing the
Schoolhouse Rock songs, was featured as the third and final concert in the High Standards
series at the Burchfield Penney Thursday night.
He was accompanied by Steve Berger, a guitarist who has been performing with Dorough
for over 20 years, and William Staebell, a local bassist.
"He amazes me more every day," Berger said. "The more I get to know him the better he
gets. He's been a musician for 70 years and he's remained contemporary for every one of
them."
As the audience waited excitedly in the auditorium for the musicians to appear, they
chattered about the legend they were about to witness and reminisced about their
experiences with his work.
The first song Dorough performed was "Moon River," known for having been used as the
main song in the classic Hollywood movie "Breakfast At Tiffany's." Dorough took the tune
and arranged it into a snappy jazz piece.
Among his other songs performed that night were "Alone Together," "It Could Happen To
You" and "For Now," which he wrote in 1962 for a woman he was in a "fast romance with."
He performed "Devil May Care," the first song he had ever written. It was completed in
1953 and later recorded in 1956 for the Bethlehem label.
"We were so excited, we signed the contract without even reading it," Dorough said. He told
the audience that although the song has become one of his greatest hits, he never received
any money for it.
Dorough also performed "Nothing Like You," which had been written and composed with
Fran Landesman and was later recorded in 1967 by Miles Davis.
"I will say one thing for Landesman, nowhere does she say 'I love you.' She has all these
other words," he said.
Dorough said he drew inspiration from many of Landesman's lyrics, and later her poems
which she is most famous for. He said he released an album with their song just before her
death last February.
"There are very few men who you can say became a legend in their own time," said Ari
Silverstein, cabaret expert and speaker at the afternoon lecture given at the Burchfield
Penney.
Dorough first appeared at Buffalo State in the old Burchfield Penney space 17 years ago,
not as a musician giving a concert, but to perform with Buffalo State's Schoolhouse Rock
show.
He said no one had expected Schoolhouse Rock to become a 30-year success. His boss first
approached him with the idea when his son was struggling with his multiplication tables,
but knew every rock song on the radio. Dorough said his boss asked him to put the two
together in the hope the son would understand.
"I said I'd try. I went home and I thought and thought," Dorough said. "I thought 'I better
not blow this.'"
He didn't blow his chances. At the concert he performed "Three Is a Magic Number," the
song that landed him the job at ABC and lasted for 13 years. He also sang "Electricity,
Electricity," "My Hero Zero" and "Conjunction Junction," all with the audience offering
energetic support for the chorus.
"(My success) was a pleasant surprise," Dorough said. "It was very gratifying, hearing
people say it got them through school."
Jennifer Waters can be reached by email at waters.record@live.com.
Get Top Stories Delivered Weekly
Recent The Record News Articles
Schoolhouse Rock writer performs at Burchfield Penney
Black suit, silver hair slicked back into a ponytail and enthusiasm for his audience help identify him as one of the greatest jazz ...
Drum ensemble performs all-percussion concert
Students from the Buffalo State Percussion Ensemble and the West African Drumming Ensemble will give an all-percussion concert today,...
"Assembly" brings up-and-coming bands to Buffalo State
Bands like the Talking Heads, REM and the Red Hot Chili Peppers once held free shows for Buffalo State students, back before they...
Discuss This Article
GET TOP STORIES DELIVERED WEEKLY
FOLLOW OUR NEWSPAPER
LATEST THE RECORD NEWS
- We've Moved to www.buffstaterecord.com!
- Obama divulges new higher education initiative during visit to UB
- Ailing Podolefsky steps down as president
- SUNY appoints Cohen interim president
- President Podolefsky announces leave to fight cancer
- Rappers put Pepsi in a bind
- Congrats to grads: take next step with gratitude
RECENT THE RECORD CLASSIFIEDS
OUTSIDE THE LINES
- A Story To Sing About
- The Gap in Gum Care: Why Caring For Your Teeth’s F...
- Top Tips for Signature Scents and Better-Smelling Laundry
- A Dog Trainer’s Top Tips to Support Pets Through Life S...
- Clear the Air of Indoor Pollutants This Spring
- Stroke & Dementia in Black Men: Tips for Staying Healthy...
- Hispanics and African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye...
- African Americans at Higher Risk for Eye Disease
- Infinity Kings: Final Book In A Favorite Fantasy Series
- What You Need To Know About Keratoconus and the iLink...
FROM AROUND THE WEB
- Don’t Let Diabetes Shortchange Your Golden Years
- No Child is Forgotten By Marine Toys for Tots
- Sweeten Your Springtime Salads With Healthy Chilean Grapes
- Young Author Translates 4,000-Year-Old Text to Reveal...
- Keeping Cool and Energy-efficient Amid America’s “...
- Addressing Sarcopenia with a Healthy Diet
- Subway’s New Wraps Elevate Eating on the Go
- Family Teacher Conference Topics Beyond Academics
- Youth Take Down Tobacco
- BookTrib’s Bites: Four Reads to Kickoff Spring
COLLEGE PRESS RELEASES
- Shoff Promotions Comic Book & Sports Card Show
- Semiconductor Research Corp unveils 2024 Research Call, $13.8M Funding
- Charles River Associates Opens Second Scholarship Cycle, Expands to the UK
- BLUMHOUSE AND AMC THEATRES LAUNCH FIRST-EVER HALFWAY TO HALLOWEEN FILM FESTIVAL
- THE GEN Z IMPERATIVE: LISTEN TO FEELINGS AND GIVE GEN Z A VOICE
