Bob Dorough - The Director

Bob Dorough was the principal music director for Schoolhouse Rock. A well established figure in the jazz field, he wrote a large number of the Schoolhouse songs as well as perfoming many. To assist in the performances, he brought on board many of the friends he had made and performed with from the jazz world.

To this day, you can find Mr. Dorough touring hotel bars and jazz clubs near his home in upstate Pennsylvania. And according to his site, he's actually going to be at Joe's Pub in NYC on December 23rd. Sounds like a YesBut holiday interview to me. First question...who the hell is Lolly, and why's he hoarding all the God-damned adverbs?

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Lynn Ahrens - The Internal Hire

Believe it or not, Lynn Ahrens was actually a secretary at the ad agency that created Schoolhouse Rock. Ahrens went on to write and perform the second largest volume of the Schoolhouse episodes behind Dorough. Check this out...Lynn got hired by playing a song she wrote called "You're Just a Phase" (I'm just a Bill?) about a woman who lets her ex-boyfriend know he's just a phase. From hearing that, the agency producers knew that she had the ability to write songs that tell stories. How freaking funny is that?

Today...well, for the past 20 years she's been one half of the team of Ahrens and Flaherty, one of the most prolific composing teams on Broadway. Ragtime, Seussical and My Favorite Year are justa few of their accomplishments. But for my money, putting The Preamble to music will always make her a legend.

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Blossom Dearie- The Siren

Blossom Dearie had been a New York City jazz singer since the 50's, singing with the Woody Herman Orchestra. In the 70's, her good Friend Bob Dorough asked her to lend her voice to a certain Saturday Morning gig, and Mother Necessity, Figure Eight, and Unpack Your Adjectives were born.

Today, Blossom's voice can be heard on soundtracks such as Kissing Jessica Stein and The Squid and the Whale. And she also performs regularly at Danny's Skylight Room in New York City (another interview?) Don't know if she's still singing Figure Eight, but she may take requests if you ask.

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Ezra Mohawk - The Rocker

Ezra Mohawk stands out as the rebel rocker in the group, having performed with everyone from Frank Zappa to Jerry Garcia. She also represents all the singers who might have worked on just one or two of the Schoolhouse songs. There was Verb, That's What's Happening, by Zach Sanders, Elbow Room by Sue Manchester, and a few others, But Liz is the only person I could find anything on, so she's the spokesperson by default, and a damn good one, as Interjections is a classic.

Today? Well she lives in Philly, and just released a new album called Love is Still the Answer. Still tours too, and if you check out the bio page on her site, you'll notice she likes to show off her cleavage...WOW!

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Jack Sheldon - The Star

I'll bet if there's only one voice you remember when you think of Schoolhouse Rock, it's that of Jack Sheldon. Conjunction Junction...I'm Just a Bill...he was responsible for some of the classics. But aside from Schoolhouse, he was also pretty well known for his day gig, being one of the best jazz trumpeters in history, playing with everyone from Frank Sinatra to Tony Bennett. Also did a little acting (mostly TV) and was recently on an episode of family Guy singing Vagina Junction (Vagina junction, what's your function. Taking in sperm and spitting out babies) so he's got a good sense of humor, too.

Today, well he's still singing, acting and playng trumpet. isn't that enough? Oh, and his 75th Birthday Beebop Bash is being hosted by the king of Hollywood, Merv Griffin. I'll pick out a nice tie and send it from the YesBut gang.

And with that, we say goodbye for now to the Schoolhouse Staff. But first, we'll leave you with a funny little train engineer who paints words on the side of all the cars.