Pryor was alert and talking with officers after the crash, according to a report. He was taken by ambulance to St. John Medical Center with injuries to his lower extremities, the report says. When officers went to St. John to interview him, they learned he had died from internal injuries apparently suffered during the collision, police said.

Pryor, a graduate of Nathan Hale High School, was known for his extensive knowledge of music and his fierce guitar work, combining blues and rock with a raucous outcome.

“His guitar playing was fierce, but his heart and his soul was gentle,” Cooper said. “He had a gentle soul.”

Pryor was a member of the Oklahoma Blues Hall of Fame and had recorded four albums along with the Steve Pryor Band. Over his career, he shared the stage with blues legends John Lee Hooker, Albert King, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt and scores of others.

Pryor had regular gigs around Tulsa and could be seen multiple times a week around the region. Often he would join with other musicians for shows and collaborations, like his recent regular gigs at Soul City, which often featured Tulsa players for a unique set.

“This scene is my home. These musicians are my family,” Pryor told the Tulsa World in 2012.

Jerry Wofford 918-581-8346 jerry.wofford@tulsaworld.com