Bob Dorough, beloved artist known for writing songs for Schoolhouse Rock!, performed at Kutztown Area High School on Sept. 29.
Kutztown students in kindergarten through grade 12 were in attendance for the concert at the Kutztown High School auditorium. Dorough performed a couple of his early songs, but the bulk of his performance was SchoolHouse Rock! songs. Dorough invited the Kutztown Area Middle School jazz ensemble to sing the Schoolhouse Rock! songs with him. Carl Zeplin, Kutztown Area Middle School music teacher and band director, was also invited on stage to play guitar with Dorough and his band. Dorough was very impressed with the music department at Kutztown.
“This music department is very good. I think a lot of it can be credited to Carl Zeplin and Shannon Sunday. Now there is going to be a new high school band directed. They introduced him at the concert, Dustin Shirk. It’s very exciting,” Dorough said.
A film crew who is filming a documentary of Dorough’s career was in attendance. Dorough is 91 and still touring and performing his music. He doesn’t plan to retire anytime soon.
“Sometimes my wife asked me if I’m going to retire, but you know I don’t think musicians really retire until you get too old or sick to get on the band stand. As long as we can get up on the band stand we don’t retire,” said Dorough.
At 91, Dorough has dedicated his life to music, and has had an impact on so many people with his work on Schoolhouse Rock!
“I fell in love with music in a high school band. I just loved it, I loved the playing together of different instruments and different melodic material, and the way it fits. I thought, ‘wow, this is keen,’ and I told my parents I was going to be a musician. I had no idea what it meant or how long it takes, it takes forever. I would say affecting so many young people with Schoolhouse Rock! is my biggest accomplishment. I never dreamed it would be that big or reach so many people. Because of television it did reach so many people,” Dorough said.
After the concert, Dorough went to the Kutztown Middle School band room to help Kutztown High School junior Jamal Kemp with his audition for the Grammy Band. The Grammy Band is an elite group of high school students who earn the opportunity to go to Los Angeles for the week of the Grammys and perform with various artists, as well as under the Grammy tent. Kemp was delighted with the opportunity to practice with Dorough.
“I was excited when I found out I would be able to record with Mr. Dorough because he is a really well known musician and he has a wealth of experience. I look forward to learning some things from Mr. Dorough and his band,” Kemp said.
Contrary to what Kemp said, Dorough has a different perspective on how the audition and recording will go.
“Actually, I don’t know if I’ll teach him anything. I think he already knows a lot. He’s a trumpet player but we have a professional rhythm team. We’re gonna play with Jamal [Kemp] and maybe if we teach him something it’ll be very subtle that he learns from experience. We’re not really going to give him a professorial approach here, we are just going to help him with his audition” said Dorough.
Kemp says this is an experience he certainly will never forget. He will find out if he made the Grammy Band in early December.
Patrick Moyer is a senior at Kutztown High School. He is a student intern for Berks-Mont Newspapers.
