Dorothy Sloop

Dorothy Sloop (September 26, 1913 – July 28, 1998), also later known as Dorothy Sloop Heflick, was an American jazz pianist who performed with female jazz bands. A native of Ohio, her nickname was Sloopy,[1] and she was likely the inspiration behind the song "Hang On Sloopy" by the rock band The McCoys.[2] The No. 1 single became the official rock song of Ohio in 1985 and is used by the Ohio State University marching band.[2]

December 1948 listing for "Dixie's Bar of Music" featuring "Dottie Sloop".
Dixie's Bar of Music on Bourbon Street, New Orleans, 1964

Early life

She was born into a Catholic family in Steubenville, Ohio.[2] She learned piano as a youth and began performing in local theaters as young as age six, including a concert with another Steubenville native, Dean Martin.[2] She studied for a year at Ohio University.

Career

Sloop left college and moved to New York City where she formed a jazz quartet, the Southland Rhythm Girls, with singer and clarinetist Yvonne "Dixie" Fasnacht.[2] They moved to Fasnacht's hometown New Orleans, Louisiana, and played in Dixie's Bar of Music, a bar on Bourbon Street owned and run by Fasnacht. In 1957, they recorded the album Dixie and Sloopy.[3]

Sloop returned to Steubenville, and she earned her college degree and later a master's degree.[2] For 30 years, she taught special education in St. Petersburg, Florida. She continued to perform on jazz piano into her 70s.[2]

Personal life

Sloop was married to Joe Boudreaux.[2] They moved to Steubenville, then divorced.[2] Their daughter Jane Heflick was given a different surname, the maiden name of one of Dorothy's grandmothers.[2]

Dorothy Sloop died at age 85 in 1998.[2]

Notes
  1. "How well do you know 'Sloopy'?". Archived from the original on June 15, 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-23.CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link), Boomer Magazine.
  2. Joy, Kevin (26 September 2013). "Mystery surrounds Steubenville native who inspired 'Hang On Sloopy'". Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  3. Tucker, Sherrie (2004). "Rocking the Cradle of Jazz: Women who changed the face of music". Ms. Magazine. Archived from the original on 14 October 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
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