"Uncle" Doug Seymour has passed

Richard Seymour · From: Virginia, USA

Hi All,

Last night at about this time Doug Seymour left us at the age of 87. He was my Dad and he meant the world to me. Of course he was also Bobbe Seymour's Uncle who legend has it showed Bobbe a steel for the first time. Since they're both upstairs now neither of them can argue with me on that.

I'm sure some of you have interesting memories of him and me and my brother and sisters our family would love it if you could share. After I write the official obituary I'll put it up here too.

Thanks always for being such a great steel guitar community and one he loved to share stories and opinions with. Here's a nice photo of him playing I found when I was in Jamestown NY this past weekend to see him before he passed. I also found labelled photos of a steel guitar jam that happened in (I believe) Stowe NY that he organized.

Blake Hawkins · From: Florida

I'm very sad that he is gone. A few years ago, we had some correspondence about Slim Idaho and the musicians from the 1940's. Doug was a wealth of information and a very nice guy. I will always remember our contact and his friendship.
Blake

Jerry Overstreet · From: Louisville Ky

Condolences. I never met him, but I do recall many of his posts here. We even shared a couple. Sad to lose him. I wish you peace and comfort.

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

Rich. I knew Doug when he played with Jack and Gertrude. While I live in California, I go back each summer to Panama, NY and spend the summer there. I saw your Dad a couple of times at the TCMA shows. He showed me a book when we were young, at his house, of places he played and bands he played with. Gonna miss him, tho we shared little in later years.
Ken
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Bob Watson · From: Champaign, Illinois, U.S.

Richard, I'm sorry to hear about your Dad's passing. I always loved his contributions to this forum. You and your family have my deepest condolences.

Hook Moore · From: South Charleston,West Virginia

He was a very good guy, my condolences.
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Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Doug was a great guy, like Hook says. I'd see him at steel shows and we always had good conversation. Rest well, Doug.
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Gerald Smith · From: Tennessee, USA

Sorry to hear this,I traded Doug a S12 MSA, that was made for Tommy White, for this steel in this picture,we both wished we had kept the S12 MSA,Doug loved to experiment,he had taken the entire undercarriage from this MSA Classic SS and put it in a ShoBud,he said said he decided to put the Classic SS back to original,that's when we traded guitars, I will surely miss him, I talked to Bobbe about his uncle,he said he got him hooked on steel.

Billy Easton · From: Nashville, TN USA

RIP...our deepest condolences to all the family.
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Jack Stoner · From: Kansas City, MO

Sorry to hear of his passing. We corresponded occasionally.

Mike Weirauch · From: Harrisburg, Illinois**The Hub of the Universe

I got to meet him a couple times and I was fortunate to have. I am sorry for your loss.

Larry Bell · From: Englewood, Florida

So sorry to hear
Uncle Doug was one of a kind.
Sympathies to the Seymour family
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C. E. Jackson

Richard, so sorry to hear of the passing of your Dad. I only met him once in Bobbe Seymour's store, Hendersonville, TN, on 7/22/03. Thereafter, I always called him "Uncle Doug".

I was fortunate enough to visit the store when Bobbe, "Uncle Doug", and Jim "Shorty" Luce were having a family musical playing session. I, my wife, and "Cousin Vern" Skarzenski enjoyed the music, including Bobbe and "Uncle Doug" picking at each other during the visit, which lasted maybe 2 hours. Later, I enjoyed several telephone conversations with him.

I consider his passing as the loss of a very special friend. May God be with you and the family during this time of your great loss.

The following are 3 videos made during during the visit on 7/22/03. I hope you enjoy these:

MUSIC SESSION(01) WITH "UNCLE DOUG" AND BOBBE: 7/22/03

MUSIC SESSION(02) WITH "UNCLE DOUG" AND BOBBE: 7/22/03

MUSIC SESSION(03) WITH "UNCLE DOUG" AND BOBBE: 7/22/03

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LaVern Skarzenski · From: North East,Pennsylvania, USA

I just a few minutes ago got a phone call telling of "Uncle Dougs" passing. He was the first person to reach out to me in my very early years of playing steel. For the first year after meeting him at one of Rick Troyers steel guitar shows in New Philadelphia, Ohio, he would travel the 40 minutes or so to my house every week to help me figure out this machine. Despite all his efforts, I think I have not lived up to his expectations. I enjoyed two trips to Scotty's conventions with him, and two trips to see Bobbe. He will be missed. My condolences to his family and friends. Rest in Peace Uncle Doug.

LaVern (Cousin Vern) Skarzenski
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LaVern Skarzenski · From: North East,Pennsylvania, USA

Here's a video I go to occasionally when I want to smile.
LaVern

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmCQXSn3bic
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Mitch Drumm · From: Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake

I guess Doug is about 18 in this picture:

stevepo · From: Clarion, PA. USA

Richard,

I am sorry for the loss of your father and I offer my condolences to you and your family. I look forward to reading Doug's obituary when you have it as I may get to pay my final respects in person.

I first met your dad in 1981 when he came to see me at my home in Clarion, Pa. He had heard about my playing and wanted to look over my keyless Kline pedal steel. He was fascinated by the unique mechanism on the instrument and I found a new friend for life that day. We kept in touch over the years and visited back and forth now and then. I believe you and I met during one of my visits to Jamestown many years ago. Doug mentioned you often and I know he was proud of all his family.

I attended the steel jam Doug arranged in Stowe. He always had a "Project" steel and I remember a Derby D-10 that I got to try out at the jam. Many of Doug's musician friends showed up to play that day and we all had a great time. Doug attended most of our steel jams in Western Pa and all our area players enjoyed his friendship and unique playing style. He always encouraged us to learn the "back neck" but most of us were satisfied to accumulate knowledge on the E9th tuning.

Again, sorry for your loss.

Steve
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Greg Cutshaw · From: Corry, PA, USA

Richard, I met you when I stopped in to see Doug when he lived at the top of the hill in Jamestown, NY. I stopped in with my dad and daughter (she was pry about 10 years old at the time). Doug was always generous to me. I took him to the Atlanta steel show one year and we had some nice chats on the way down and back. For a few years when I was 16-18 starting in 1971 Doug visited me weekly or I would stop over to see him at the Chautauqua house. He showed me all the latest wide grip stuff that Bobbe had showed him. That got me out of the old C6 stuff into some progressive sounds that I would have never found on my own. Doug gave me a tape of Bobbe practicing with Ray Price mic'd right off a tape recorder on Bobbe's amp. Bootleg for sure but it contained a lot of tunes I never heard Ray do before but here's the kicker. It was Doug's only copy of the tape and he gave to me outright. Those who met Doug were always impressed with his photographic memory for really specific dates and places and names. Doug could be funny too. He played on a local TV station country music show and forgot his steel bar. He played that whole with a butter knife instead. It was hilarious! If you met Doug even only once you seldom forgot him. This year I made a trip down to Maryland to pick up a steel amp and started talking steel with the seller, a dealer of steel guitars and such. One of the first questions this guy asked was "aren't you from the NW PA area?, followed by "did you ever meet a guy named Doug Seymour?. Yep Doug had been down at that shop too many years ago. Doug really got around and his enthusiasm for the steel guitar was infectious. The enrichment he brought to my life was as they say "priceless"!

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Richard, so sorry to hear of Uncle Dougs passing. although we had not spoken or visited in quite some time, we were "friends". I recall one of his trips to NC , Uncle Doug came by to visit me at my home and to a band rehearsal as well where he sat in with us and played a few tunes. It was a pleasure to know him even for even a brief time.

Wishing you and your family prayers and peace .

Uncle Doug made his mark and he will be missed.

tony
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Richard Seymour · From: Virginia, USA

Thanks for all these remembrances. I just got around to emailing the Jamestown Post-Journal to start the process of writing an obituary.

As for a service we are going to hold it in the Spring in Western NY, possibly at the Seymour homestead in Stedman and/or the open meadows church. Chances are some of Bobbe's siblings will be there as well so there will be a chance to reminisce about him and my father both.

I've said it before, but again thanks for this outpouring of memories and keep them coming.

Ernie Pollock · From: Mt Savage, Md USA

New your Father very well, He visted my shop here in Maryland quite a few times, loved the Guy. We will all miss him, thats for sure.

Ernie Pollock
Ernies Music
Mt Savage, Maryland

steve takacs · From: beijing, china via pittsburgh (deceased)

That is a great story Greg mentioned about Doug. What the other members had to say also confirm my few interactions with Doug on the Forum. Namely that he was both generous and kind. The world can use more guys like that. Stevet

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