George Newall

George Robert Newall Jr. was born on June 17, 1934, in Lakewood, New Jersey. He earned a Bachelor of Music in Composition from Florida State University in 1960 and initially built a career in advertising—a background that would prove pivotal to his creative direction in educational media.

In the early 1970s, while working as a creative director at the agency McCaffrey & McCall, Newall helped develop a brilliant idea proposed by agency president David McCall: turning educational content into catchy, memorable songs. He became instrumental in bringing this concept to life by recruiting jazz musician Bob Dorough and connecting him with art director Tom Yohe to create what would become Schoolhouse Rock!.

As executive producer, songwriter, and creative director, Newall played a central role in shaping the iconic educational series that aired from 1973 into the mid-1980s—and later experienced revivals in the 1990s. He contributed original songs like “Unpack Your Adjectives,” “The Energy Blues,” and “Them Not-So-Dry Bones,” and even conceived the title and concept for one of the series’ most memorable tunes, Conjunction Junction.

Beyond the original run, Newall continued to expand the Schoolhouse Rock! legacy. He wrote new material for the 30th-anniversary DVD, including “I’m Gonna Send Your Vote to College,” and played an active role in the environmentally themed “Schoolhouse Rock! Earth” project in 2009.

George R. Newall passed away on November 30, 2022, in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, at age 88, succumbing to cardiopulmonary arrest. His creative vision transformed the way children learn, seamlessly blending education with entertainment. His ability to craft engaging, musically rich content continues to resonate across generations, cementing his legacy in both the worlds of music and education.