D. Webb was a tenured professor of
electrical engineering at the University
of Illinois and also recipient of the
Everett Award for teaching excellence.
As a civilian scientist with the U.S. Army
Signal Corps, Doug’s grandfather was
part of a team in 1946, which sent the
first radar signals through the
ionosphere to the moon and received the
return echoes.
grandson, who prevailed and went on to
graduate the Berklee College of Music.
“I remember my grandfather watching
the Johnny Carson Show and telling me,
‘Doc Severinsen and those guys are the
best musicians in the world,’” said Doug,
who in turn argued, “I could play with
those guys.” “‘Oh no, you couldn’t—
they’re the best musicians in the world,’”
his grandfather told him.
The irony of their differences fully
resolved when Doug became a member
of the Tonight Show Band shortly before
Johnny Carson retired. “I think Pete
Christlieb decided he no longer wanted
to play in the band, so I essentially took
his place,” said Webb.
Eventually, Doug went to Champaign,
Illinois, with Doc’s band, where both
sets of his grandparents had lived. “My
grandmother came to the show—my
grandfather had already died, but he had
known that I’d been playing with Doc
Severinsen,” said the grandson-musician.
“I guess when I got that gig they thought
I must be okay,” reflected Webb, who
tour with Doc Severinsen from 1993
until 2006.
Shortly after World War II, military
leader’s, concerned that the Soviet
Union would soon have long-range
missiles and possibly nuclear weapons,
were anxious to learn whether longrange radar could be used to detect
incoming ballistic missiles. The
program was called Project Diana.
“There was a picture of him on the cover
of Look and Time Magazine,” said Doug
proudly, recalling the accomplishments
of his grandfather. “So, he didn’t have a
high opinion of musicians,” admitted the