The West Texas music scene said goodbye to one of its very own on Sunday night. Local pianist, Doug Smith, passed away in his home. He was 52.
Today, local musicians and artists grieved his loss, but celebrate his talent and legacy. In his time as a musician, he released numerous albums and was even featured on a documentary on PBS in 2003.
He played all over the West Texas region, including local favorite music spots such as the Cactus Theater.
It was a talent that came very natural to him. Terry Akin, a local sound engineer and music producer who also grew up with Smith, said that Smith could not read music. All he had to was listen to a few notes to a tune, and he could then learn it. Although a stand-out pianist, he couldn’t quite get the A in his music reading class.
“He actually took a piano class at Tech and flunked it because he couldn’t read music and that’s what the whole class was about. They’d give him a sheet of music and he’d have 24 hours to come back and play it,” said Akin. “Well the final of the class counted 50% of the grade, the final was: you walked in and the professor gave you a sheet of music and you had to sit down and play it. Doug couldn’t do it, so he flunked his piano class at Tech. How funny is that?”
In 2007, Smith was in a car accident that left him paralyzed. Although music production came to a slow halt thereafter, that did not stop fans from listening to his music.
“Every note and everything he did when he performed he lived it, and he had such feeling and emotion behind his music it was just incredible. For those who never got to see him live, I feel sorry for you because it was something special, really was.”
Smith’s family shared that there will be a memorial service held Thursday, at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Petersburg.
