Man who gave 'Hang On Sloopy' to Ohio State marching band dies

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – The man responsible for bringing “Hang On Sloopy” and many other compositions to the Ohio State Marching Band has died.

Arranger, composer, and musician John J. Tatgenhorst was 85 years old.

After graduating from Ohio State with a degree in music, Tatgenhorst arranged music for the Best Damn Band In The Land for more than 40 years, including arranging “Hang On Sloopy” while he was a student (Tatgenhorst was never a member of the band). The performance remains popular at OSU events and the song became Ohio’s official rock song in 1985

In the fall of 1965, Tatgenhorst's professor, Charles Spohn, who was also the band's director, asked his student to arrange the song for a halftime show; Tatgenhorst did so in four hours and the band performed his arrangement for the first time on Oct. 9, 1965, during halftime of a game against Illinois.

Tatgenhorst moved to Chicago in 1982, writing music for various advertising agencies, companies and orchestras. In addition to Ohio State’s band, he wrote for the Penn State Blue Band, Purdue’s All-American Marching Band, and the University of Washington Husky Band.

Traveling to Los Angeles often, Tatgenhorst worked with Academy Award-winning composer John Williams and wrote musical cues for the animated The Adventures of Batman and Robin. He also worked with musicians Nancy Wilson, Ray Charles, CeCe Winans, Steven Tyler and film director John Hughes.

Tatgenhorst suffered from ill health later in life, eventually settling in his wife Lisa’s hometown of Berlin, Wisconsin, to live out his final years listening to music, watching movies, and taking it easy.

Tatgenhorst was born on Aug. 22, 1938, in East Liverpool, Ohio. He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Lisa (Spoehr) Tatgenhorst, children Laura Tatgenhorst, Margo Tatgehnorst Drakos, and Michell Weaver Kuecks; sister Judy Theis; and many grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

A scholarship fund for music students will be set up in his honor.

The family is holding private services on Thursday. To share online condolences, click here, send email, or write to Lisa Tatgenhorst, P.O. Box 24, Berlin, WI 54923.