Schoolhouse Rock composer Dave Frishburg has died, and the world is a darker place without him. Dave Frishburg was a jazz musician, a pianist, and a composer, “His wife April Magnusson told Deadline he had been battling an illness for several years. He was 88.” Frishburg taught a generation of children their times tables, civics, and grammar through the magic of Schoolhouse Rock on Saturday mornings on ABC between 1973 and 1985. Those children grew up and taught their own children the songs to help them remember facts about history, science, English, and math. His co-creator, Bob Dorough predeceased him in 2018.
David Lee Frishburg was born March 23, 1933 in St, Paul, Minnesota. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1955 with a degree in journalism, then joined the United States Air Force. He died November 17, 2021, in Portland, Oregon.
The best way to mourn a musician is to sing his songs. Therefore, this obituary includes YouTube videos of some of his more famous ones.
“Conjunction, Junction” may have been his most famous children’s song.
He also wrote “I’m Just a Bill,” which taught millions of children how government works.
One of his most popular songs for adults was “My attorney, Bernie,”
A llifelong baseball fan, and several of his songs reflect this. He was a member of the Society for American Baseball Research from 1984 to 2021. Van Lingle Mungo” consisted solely of the names of baseball players.
Frishburg was nominated for four Grammy awards as Best Jazz Vocals. As a pianist, he accompanied such greats as Billie Holiday, Rosemary Clooney, and Mel Torme. recorded 22 albums between 1970 and 2012.
He never won an Emmy, although he should have won dozens. His song “Baby Talk”from the movie Paternity (1981) “won” the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Original Song.
David L. Frishburg may have moved on from this plane of existence, but his music will live for generations.
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
