ST. LOUIS – Authorities continue to investigate the cause of Saturday’s fatal fire in Soulard that claimed the life of a local musician.

Friends of Tom Hall gathered Sunday to honor his life.

“It’s devastating. He was so talented and not very many people played like he played or the kind of music that he played,” said Cory Hammerstone, owner of Hammerstone’s. “It was kind of a niche, whenever it came to the blues.”

Friends shared decades of memories captured on video and pictures.

“Playing guitar at Robert Johnson’s grave, which I asked him to do, and he hated. He stopped it almost immediately, but I did get the picture,” said Chris King. “I got to really take Tom and flash fry him in real blues country, with real blues people, and that’s a story he told I’m sure to the day he died. He probably told the story yesterday. He loved to talk about that trip to Mississippi, where he really got to see blues people.”

Friends said they could tell stories for hours about Hall, from growing up in an orphanage. to his self-taught musical talents. and much more.

“He was the most honest soul I’ve ever met and he was completely open and caring,” Heather Lauby said.

Investigators have not yet released the name of the man killed in the fire, but friends said it was Hall’s home. City and county firefighters are investigating the cause.

“There are any number of scenarios and that becomes a challenge for the investigators; to take the physical evidence, the autopsy, and put those pieces to the puzzle, and try to come up with the very best possible scenario of what exactly happened or closure for the family,” said Cpt. Garon Mosby with St. Louis Fire Department.

Hall’s friends said he had a lasting impact on the lives he touched.

“He was so easygoing and had a heart of gold, and was just super nice,” Hammerstone said. “He was very quiet and soft-spoken, but once you got to know him, he had a pretty good sense of humor. He was very enjoyable to be around.”