The Arkansan Who Rocked the Schoolhouse with His Music

Three generations of Americans mourned the passing of the man who composed “Schoolhouse Rock”, the popular series of animated educational messages set to music and embraced by students and teachers alike. Bob Dorough died earlier this week. And although most knew the Arkansas native for his “Schoolhouse Rock” compositions, he was an international jazz icon who worked as a composer, arranger, and pianist, performing with jazz artists like Miles Davis.

“He’s in every jazz reference in the world,” said Alita Mantels. Mantels became friends with Dorough through her work as a board member of the Arkansas Jazz Heritage Foundation. “Anybody who knew Bob as a friend knows you’re a better person for knowing him.”

Dorough, an Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame inductee, visited Arkansas once year. “He outlived many members of his family, some in Arkansas and some in Texas,” Mantels said. She added that Dorough would often perform a benefit concert when he came home to Arkansas.

Mantels recalled, “When he came back for his visit in 2017, instead of doing a benefit…a small benefit like that…he did a larger concert at the Central Arkansas Library System’s Ron Robinson Auditorium.”

Dorough lived in Pennsylvania and passed away April 23rd. He was 94 years old. Mantels said Dorough and another Arkansas native, Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Rosanna Vitro, collaborated on an album set for a September release.