Doug Stegmeyer

Douglas Alan "Doug" 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.

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, 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." After leaving Joel's band in 1989 (along with Javors), Stegmeyer 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.

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.

All albums listed are Billy Joel releases.

• 1976 Turnstiles
• 1977 The Stranger
• 1978 52nd Street
• 1980 Glass Houses
• 1981 Songs in the Attic
• 1982 The Nylon Curtain
• 1983 An Innocent Man
• 1985 Greatest Hits Volume I & II
• 1986 The Bridge
• 1987 КОНЦЕРТ