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Tom Hall Obituary, Member Of St. Louis Blues Society Has Died

• john Gibson
• April 23, 2023
• 0
• 80

Tom Hall Obituary, Death- Tom Hall was one of the most recognized and revered blues performers in the St. Louis area, and the St. Louis Blues Society is extremely saddened to announce the news of his loss.

After being able to hone his art with some of the finest blues giants in St. Louis, including Henry Townsend, Tommy Bankhead, James Crutchfield, and Leroy Pierson, amongst others, Tom has firmly established himself as one of the best acoustic blues guitarists that St. Louis has to offer. This recognition will remain with him for the rest of his life.
Tom was one of the most revered artists in this community, having performed “Solo,” “Geyer Street Shieks,” and “T&A” with Alice Spencer. He will be sorely missed.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Tom Hall’s family during this difficult time. Rest In “Blues” Heaven our good friend. Times of the Riverfront extract from Tom Hall, winner of the award for Best Acoustic Guitarist in 1998 “Tom Hall didn’t discover his particular gift until he was an adult, but when he did, he did it with force. He started playing the acoustic guitar when he was 22 years old, but he didn’t have his first performance until he was 26 years old. “I went to a friend’s house in Columbia — Gary, can’t remember his last name.

He started playing a record by Mississippi John Hurt. I was completely unfamiliar with his work. I was attempting to flat-pick at the time; however, I was unable to keep a pick in my hand. When I heard Hurt, that was the end of everything. That finger-picking had a very distant and foreign sound to it.

I had been playing bluegrass banjo, and after a while, it just came effortlessly to me. I purchased a double record of Hurt Live at Oberlin College, which is widely regarded as one of the best albums of all time. Unfortunately, someone took the album from my collection. Let it roll, play it back, let it roll, play it back, let it roll, play it back, let it roll, play it back, let it roll, play it back, let it roll, play it back.”