A memorial bench honoring a Norman resident who frequently performed outside The Diner was dedicated in front of the restaurant Friday.
Steve Smith, who died in May, often brought music to Main Street, singing with his guitar for patrons. The bench was donated by Steve’s family, according to a Monday Facebook post from The Diner.
“He added some flavor, something interesting to the downtown scene,” Bonnie Amspacher, owner and cook at The Diner, said.
Eric Smith, Steve’s nephew, said it was enlightening and heartwarming to see the community’s response to the memorial bench.
“I work with all these restaurants, and I've mentioned it off kilter, ‘We're putting a bench over in front of Bonnie's place; my uncle used to play music over there.’ ‘Oh, Steve?’” Eric said. “It was cool. A lot of people down there miss him, and it was just something to do for him.”
Eric said the family wanted the bench to be a reminder of who his uncle was for all the people who grew to love Steve’s performances over the years.
“It was something that we could pay tribute to what he loved to do. That's the spot he always sat in,” Eric said. “A lot of people turned out with things like, ‘I remember having the worst day, and then I interacted with Steve, and it's always reminded me that everything's okay.’”
Amspacher said other businesses asked Steve not to play in front of their stores when he first started playing downtown.
“He asked if I minded if he played music in front of The Diner, and I told him I would love it if he played live music in front of The Diner,” Amspacher said. “It was really charming and fun.”
In an Instagram story posted Sunday, Norman Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman wrote Steve’s kindness and music will continue to inspire the city for years to come.
“Steve brought so much joy to Norman with his music, always playing from the heart in front of The Diner,” Holman wrote. “Even more inspiring, he quietly donated everything he received to help those in need, setting a powerful example of generosity and community spirit for all of us.”
In 2016, Steve told OU Daily his father gave him his first guitar when he was six, which he called “the greatest gift a man could ever give a child.” In a plaque commemorating him featured on the bench in the post, Steve is referred to as ‘The Guitar Man.’
Eric said music was all his uncle talked about.
“Either, ‘I just got done playing music,’ or, ‘I'm going to go play music,’” Eric said. “That was what he had, that was his life. Those were his people…he was either (at The Diner) or he was over off Campus Corner playing music for people.”
Amspacher said Steve would often show up in the morning, and The Diner employees would provide tea or other drinks while he entertained customers.
“He would play all kinds of country songs, like a lot of Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. He had a good voice, and people just loved it,” Amspacher said. “He was really friendly and welcoming and just a happy, cheerful guy.”
Rachel Wright, an OU math professor and Amspacher’s partner, wrote in an email to OU Daily about Steve’s passing on The Diner’s post.
“I already really miss Steve and his guitar playing,” Wright wrote. “He brightened many mornings while I waited outside for a table.”
Eric said he often ran into his uncle unexpectedly because of how much time he spent playing music downtown.
“I've got pictures from years back. My kids were young, and we're sitting there in The Diner, and I didn't even realize it, but I'm taking pictures of the kids sitting there in the booth, and in the background is him playing guitar,” Eric said. “I didn't even realize he was there because he wasn't there when we showed up.”
This story was edited by Natalie Armour, Thomas Pablo and Ana Barboza. Avery Avery copy edited this story.
