Doug Stegmeyer

Doug Stegmeyer
Background information
Birth name Douglas Alan Stegmeyer
Born (1951-12-23)December 23, 1951
Flushing, Queens
New York City, New York U.S.
Died August 25, 1995(1995-08-25) (aged 43)
Smithtown, New York
Genres Rock, pop
Occupation(s) Musician, producer
Instruments Bass, Vocals
Years active 1966–1995
Labels Columbia
Associated acts Billy Joel, Topper, Debbie Gibson, Hall & Oates

Douglas Alan Stegmeyer (December 23, 1951 – August 25, 1995) was an American musician who was best known as the bassist and back-up vocalist for Billy Joel. Stegmeyer also performed as bassist for Debbie Gibson and Hall & Oates.

Biography

Stegmeyer was born on December 23, 1951 in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York. He met Russell Javors in high school. At age 15, Javors was performing songs with childhood friend Liberty DeVitto. From then, the boys, along with Howard Emerson, formed the band Topper. They performed the songs that Javors wrote. Topper soon became noticed by Billy Joel. Soon, Joel found he needed a bassist on his Streetlife Serenade tour. Stegmeyer was the first musician that Billy took from Topper; at Stegmeyer's recommendation a year and a half later, Emerson,[1] Javors, and DeVitto joined Joel in the studio for his Turnstiles album and for the accompanying tour. Stegmeyer became a core member of Billy Joel's band, playing bass on all of Joel's studio albums from Turnstiles through The Bridge and the live albums Songs in the Attic and КОНЦЕРТ. Throughout his tenure with Joel, Stegmeyer was dubbed "The Sergeant Of The Billy Joel Band."[2]

After leaving Joel's band in 1989 (along with Javors), Stegmeyer maintained a busy schedule recording and producing. According to Liberty DeVitto, it was not Stegmeyer's decision to leave. In an interview with 30DaysOut, Liberty DeVitto said,

"I can understand why Doug ended his life (Stegmeyer committed suicide in 1995). It’s hard to see someone else playing your parts, especially when it wasn’t your decision to leave the band. You give your heart and soul to the music, and then someone says “Hey, I don’t need you anymore, but I’m keeping everything that you did.”

On August 25, 1995, Stegmeyer died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his Smithtown, New York home.[3][4]

Legacy

On October 23, 2014, Stegmeyer was inducted, posthumously, into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame, along with his Topper and Joel bandmates Cannata, DeVitto, and Javors. The four were inducted primarily for their work with Joel.[5]

See also

Credits

All albums listed are Billy Joel releases.

References

  1. ↑ piano-man.de - Archiv: "...but hey, you have to start somewhere, right?" (interview with Howie Emerson) @piano-man.de Archived March 5, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8-22-2013.
  2. ↑ Long Island Music Hall of Fame Archived May 30, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ↑ "Ex-band Leader For Billy Joel Found Dead". Spokesman-Review. 27 August 1995. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
  4. ↑ Baltimore Sun Obit
  5. ↑ Gamboa, Glenn (October 23, 2014). "Billy Joel Band set to join Piano Man in Long Island Music Hall of Fame". New York Newsday. Retrieved July 14, 2016.


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