American Legion Post 308 holds tribute for musician Steve Bagsby

Friends, family and fellow musicians spent the day honoring the life and legacy of a Tulsa musician who died last week.

American Legion Post 308 held a benefit for Tulsa musician Steve Bagsby's widow Sunday afternoon, featuring bands Bagsby played in over the years.

More than 100 people showed up to honor Bagsby's life Sunday.

His older brother, David Bagsby, says it's been a sad week but they have been touched by all the people reaching out to them.

"I'm in awe of how many people have come and reached out and shared his artwork with me and are here today," said Bagsby. "It's really incredible. A lot of people know him. I know there's a lot of bands he plays with that are real sad, because he's going to be hard to replace."

He was a steel guitar player and graphic artist who played for groups like the Round Up Boys and Dusty Halos. His former bandmates said he brought out the beauty in music.

"You could feel the emotion of the song when he played," said Dusty Halos member Andrea Esparza. "And he could play just about any instrument he touched. He had the steel guitar, he had the fiddle."

She describes Bagsby as a treasure.

"If you didn't get to meet Steve, you missed out on a great treasure, a beautiful soul, wonderful human being," said Esparza. "Never a cross word, never saw him angry. Never saw anything but just joy and love."

Bob Fjeldsted, a member of the Round Up Boys, also had high praise for Bagsby.

"In Tulsa, if you've ever gone and listened to any music, you probably heard of Steve Bagsby," said Round Up Boys member Bob Fjeldsted. "No matter what the band was, because he played with everybody."

Fjeldsted says he was always making people laugh and he was incredibly humble.

"He needed no praise, he needed no acclaim," said Fjeldsted. "He just needed a place to set his guitar and his amp. Then you win.”

Steve's family and friends also tell us he was inducted into the Western Swing Hall of Fame back in 2013.

The American Legion says more than $10,000 was raised to help his widow, Sharon.