Who was Steve Sostak? Tributes pour in as Sweep the Leg Johnny saxophonist dies aged 49

A well-known saxophonist and vocalist Steve Sostak recently passed away at the age of 49. The cause of death has not yet been disclosed. An individual named Faye Kolly, an old friend of Sostak paid tribute to him on Facebook in a lengthy post and stated:

"I have been contemplating on how to honor the memory of a friend from a long time ago. We haven't been in contact since college, but in the past few days learning of his passing and seeing the deep grief, and memories of my friends, and friends of friends has touched a deep nerve."

Kolly mentioned that Sostak was a "bright light" to everyone who knew and loved him. Kolly stated that she remembers Sostak as an individual who was passionate about music and the band. He was a member who was always willing to perform at a concert for Amnesty International letter drives on campus, which were organized by them.

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Kolly said it was one of the best college memories when they changed the lyrics to "It's a shame about Ray" to her name. She continued:

"The irony and good nature of that performance, still gets me when I hear the song, even though I hate it. He did himself well in a sea of conformity in college and the world. He was always genuine, himself."

Kolly asked everyone to get in touch with those who have been in contact with Steve Sostak for a long time. Kolly continued by saying that everyone would miss him deeply and that his life was meaningful. The post ended by stating:

"My deepest condolences to my friends here on FB that may see this post and are mourning his death. But you don't need to know him to honor his memory. Dial up folks, and connect to the people who matter to you."

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Netizens pay tribute on Twitter

Steve Sostak gained recognition in all these years as a flawless performer. Twitter was flooded with tributes when people heard about his death:

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Steve Sostak was a resident of Beijing before his death

Steve Sostak was a member of Sweep The Leg Johnny (Image via Steve Sostak/Facebook)

Steve Sostak was the co-founder of Inspire Citizens, which aims to empower teachers and students toward impactful action. He enrolled at the University of Notre Dame and began performing with Chris Daly at Check Engine.

The duo shifted to Chicago and met a few more people, including Scott Ana and Matt Alicea, and led to the formation of Sweep The Leg Johnny. The group released a few albums until they separated and established another group, ZZZZ.

The first album of ZZZZ, titled Palm Reader, was released in 2005, and the group performed at different events. Sostak then changed his profession to teaching for the next few years. With the help of Inspire Citizens, he helped spark educators and student passions to build community and problem-solving via designing media and global impact projects.