By: Stacy Keith, Director
There are people in the world who leave a legacy and make an impact. Lubbock has held many of those people and one of them was Doug Smith. Smith was a composer and pianist, and his song “West Texas” has charmed audiences for many years at the Omni Theater in the Science Spectrum as the introduction music to the IMAX films.
Smith was born in 1963 and passed away in June of 2016. He was a prolific composer and expressed himself through the piano creating 11 albums and more than 300 original compositions with hits in addition to “West Texas” of “Linda”, “Passion”, “Song for Suns” and “If I Could Fly.”
Smith was born in Kermit, Texas and began playing on his aunt’s Wurlitzer organ as early as age 2. He quickly learned how to play songs by ear. His first concert was held at Purple Sage Elementary School in Kermit when he was 6. After high school graduation, he attended Texas Tech University where he polished his skills and honed his talent. Smith played in venues such as” the Ryman Theatre, the Spencer Theatre, and Texas Tech Music Hall.
In 2007, he suffered an injury which left him paralyzed from the chest down. Despite this new challenge, he continued to produce and perform. He used a device by Virtual Rehab to help him use the pedals on his piano.
In a 2010 video, produced for Virtual Rehab, Smith shared, “I take every day…in gratitude. I wouldn’t say my life is normal by any means now, but it’s awesome…It’s kind of hard to imagine this being a blessing, but as it’s turned out, I think that’s the way it is.”
His final project, a video release in 2014, was a collaboration with Wyman Meinzer and producer and Lubbock native Charlie Stout.
Smith was lost to family, friends and his community at only 52 years old. However, he has left behind an incredible legacy and because, not only of his talent, but also because of his goodness, fellow musicians in the Lubbock Civic Orchestra and friends decided to pay tribute to Smith in 2025.
The Lubbock Civic Orchestra elected to create an orchestral arrangement of Smith’s iconic piece “West Texas”. Commissioning music is not an easy task or an inexpensive one. The music community has worked diligently to raise funding for this very special project – and gift to the Lubbock music community.
“The Lubbock Civic Orchestra was established in 2018 with the mission of bringing high-quality orchestral music to the community through free concerts and outreach programs. Since its inception, the orchestra has grown from a small ensemble into a full-sized symphonic organization showcasing Lubbock’s exceptional local talent.
We are honored to feature several of Lubbock’s own distinguished musicians in this performance, including the late Doug Smith, as well as current vocalists and songwriters Hannah Jackson and Jonny “Keys” Hughes.
This concert presents a vibrant and diverse program, ranging from an orchestral “rag” to heartfelt country ballads and a special mariachi collaboration. It has been an exciting and rewarding program to prepare, and we look forward to welcoming the entire Lubbock community to join us on November 22 for this celebration of local artistry and musical diversity,” said Ryan S. Smith, Director of the Lubbock Civic Orchestra.
The evening will be a tribute to Smith, his talent and his legacy. The concert is free to the public and will be held at 7:30pm in the Texas Tech University Allen Theater on Saturday, November 22.
Sources
https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/lubbockonline/name/douglas-smith-obituary?id=8627905
https://lubbockcivicorchestra.org/events/upcoming-concerts/