Doug Stegmeyer

{{Infobox musical artist

| image = Doug_Stegmeyer.jpg

| landscape = yes

| alt =

| caption = Stegmeyer in 1976

| birth_name = Douglas Alan Stegmeyer

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1951|12|23}}

| birth_place = Flushing, Queens
New York City, New York U.S.

| origin = New York City

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1995|8|25|1951|12|23}}

| death_place = Smithtown, New York

| instrument = Bass, vocals

| genre = Rock, pop

| occupation = Musician

| years_active = 1966–1995

| label = Columbia

| associated_acts = Billy Joel, Topper, Debbie Gibson, Hall & Oates

| website =

}}

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

Life and career

Stegmeyer was born on December 23, 1951, in Flushing, Queens, New York City, New York. In high school, he met Russell Javors, who at age 15 was performing songs with childhood friend Liberty DeVitto. Along with Howard Emerson, the boys formed the band Topper, which performed songs by Javors and attracted Billy Joel's attention. Joel hired Stegmeyer to play bass in his backing band on the Streetlife Serenade tour. At Stegmeyer's recommendation a year and a half later, Emerson,[http://www.piano-man.de/archiv/detail.asp?ID=169&Artikel_ID=emerson piano-man.de - Archiv: "...but hey, you have to start somewhere, right?" (interview with Howie Emerson) @piano-man.de] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305090001/http://www.piano-man.de/archiv/detail.asp?ID=169&Artikel_ID=emerson |date=March 5, 2016 }} Retrieved 8-22-2013. 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 Joel's studio albums from Turnstiles through The Bridge and on the live albums Songs in the Attic and КОНЦЕРТ. Stegmeyer was dubbed "The Sergeant Of The Billy Joel Band".[http://www.limusichalloffame.org/lirock/topper.html Long Island Music Hall of Fame] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530134333/http://www.limusichalloffame.org/lirock/topper.html |date=May 30, 2010 }}

Stegmeyer (and Javors) left the band in 1989; according to DeVitto, he was forced out. Stegmeyer subsequently maintained a busy schedule recording and producing.

On August 25, 1995, Stegmeyer died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his Smithtown, New York, home.{{cite news|title=Ex-band Leader For Billy Joel Found Dead|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1314&dat=19950827&id=PLwzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Z_EDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1677,3262553|accessdate=31 January 2012|newspaper=Spokesman-Review|date=27 August 1995}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1995-09-01-1995244099-story.html |title=Baltimore Sun Obit |access-date=2013-03-05 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304084220/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1995-09-01/news/1995244099_1_billy-joel-martin-luther-luther-king |url-status=live }}

Legacy

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

|last1=Gamboa

|first1=Glenn

|title=Billy Joel Band set to join Piano Man in Long Island Music Hall of Fame

|url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/billy-joel-band-secures-spot-in-long-island-music-hall-of-fame-1.9530592

|accessdate=July 14, 2016

|work=New York Newsday

|date=October 23, 2014}}

Credits

With Billy Joel

1976 Turnstiles
1977 The Stranger
1978 52nd Street
1980 Glass Houses
1982 The Nylon Curtain
1983 An Innocent Man
1986 The Bridge

With Phoebe Snow

1978 Against the Grain
1981 Rock Away

With Melanie

1983 Seventh Wave

With Hall & Oates

1990 Change of Season

With Debbie Gibson

1990 Anything Is Possible

External links

https://www.facebook.com/?ref=tn_tnmn#!/DougStegmeyer?fref=ts (Official Facebook Page dedicated to Doug Stegmeyer)
[https://web.archive.org/web/20101215174538/http://www.bluecoalition.com/doug Memorial page for Stegmeyer]