Douglas "Bugs" Beddow

bugs Beddow is a husband, father, trombonist, flutist, vocalist, bandleader, and
music educator who was born in Detroit in 1953 to Willam and Olga Beddow. His earliest
musical tastes were influenced by his older sister, Kate, and they later formed a band
(Smokey Burgandy) together while attending Groves High School in Birmingham, Michigan.
He met his wife Kathy in 1989 through a mutual musician friend Rick Swiecki and were
married in 1992. Their son Joseph was born in 1993 and also plays Saxophone, Piano, and
the Drums.
bugs likes spending time with his family, taking long walks with Winston, the family
dog, and playing the trombone and flute. While in 3rd Grade at Thomas Houghten
Elementary School in Detroit, bugs Beddow attended a pep assembly and noticed that while
all the other musicians seemed to be in a stationary position, the trombone player's arm
was quickly moving back and forth. "That guy looked like he was really doing something!
That was the instrument for me!". He kept active musically all through elementary and
secondary school, also teaching himself the bass guitar and flute. When starting at Northern
Michigan University, he was a Pre-Dental student, but after flunking physics, and doing
poorly in math and science, he switched his major to music. "I was in a ton of music
ensembles at college and most of my friends were musicians, so I knew I'd be happier
putting a trombone up to my mouth instead of looking into mouths. I started getting all A's at
that point and received a scholarship my final year." bugs Beddow graduated Northern
Michigan University in 1975 with a Bachelors in Music Education and earned Masters of
Music Education credits at Madonna University and the University of California-Bakerfield.
He taught everything from band, orchestra, choir, and elementary music in the years to
follow at a wide range of school systems, including Leland Public Schools, Interlochen Arts
Academy, New Morning School-Plymouth, Detroit Cornerstone Schools, Huron Valley
School District, and currently West Bloomfield School District, where he taught Middle
School Band and K-5 Elementary Music. He also taught private lessons at Marshall Music
and the Orchard Lake School of Music, and performed occasionally with his Church's
Praise group.
Educating by day, bugs Beddow was performing by night, having participated briefly
in the big bands of Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Don Ellis, and Stan Kenton. After
leaving college and playing with prominent local groups, he started his own jazz group,
recording a national best selling jazz album in 1983, which included Grammy award winning
guitarist, Earl Klugh. Beddow was inducted into the Detroit Jazz Hall of Fame in 1987. In
1992, after performing in the movie, "Hoffa" with Jack Nicholson, he changed musical
direction and began recording Rock & Soul music and has won dozens of accolades by the
Detroit Music Awards. Classically educated on the trombone, he is very excited to have an
opportunity to perform the Rimsky-Korsakov Concerto for Trombone with the Orchard Lake
Philharmonic and was a Principal Trombonist and Vice President of the Orchard Lake
Philharmonic, he led a Detroit area Rock & Soul band, bugs Beddow & the Good STuFF,
playing the best Rock & Soul music from the last four decades...you know...the good stuff..
He is Survived by Kathy and Joseph Beddow, and all his family, friends and fans.
The Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 14, 2023 at The Lakes Church, 1450 South Hospital Road, Waterford. The family will receive friends at the Church on Saturday 10:30 a.m. until time of service.
Immediately following the service, the celebration of his life will continue at Santia Hall, 1985 Cass Lake Road, Keego Harbor.