Hubbard, Ohio-AP -- Hundreds of mourners packed a church in northeastern Ohio today for the funeral of  Great White guitarist Ty Longley.

The 31-year-old Sharon, Pennsylvania, native was one of the 98 people who died in  a fire at a Rhode Island nightclub where the band was performing.

None of the four surviving band members attended today's service.

Some in the crowd wore black ribbons that said "Rock on, Ty."

The Reverend Jim Burks told mourners that whenever Longley couldn't make it back from Los Angeles for holidays, he would spend time delivering peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches to the homeless. Quoting Longley's mother, Burks said: "His heart was as big as his hair."

After the service, friends gathered for a jam session at a nearby ballroom.

LA Friends say goodbye as well.

Los Angeles area friends of Ty Longley plan to hold a candlelight vigil in honor of Ty Sunday night on “the strip” in Hollywood. 

Longley was an active member of the Hollywood rock community and was well known and liked by many of his fellow musicians and others who knew him from the scene. 

It is not known who initiated the vigil but members of the Hollywood community have been sending emails, making phone calls and posting messages to online bulletin boards asking that friends of Ty’s gather at the Whiskey Ago go at 6pm on Sunday Night with a candle and the group would walk to the length the “Hollywood strip” together, ending at the Rainbow Bar and Grill a few blocks from the Whiskey. 

A memorial for Ty was originally schedule for tonight at the Cat Club (next door to the Whiskey) but the promoter, Happenin Harry, has postponed the event until April so that more of Ty’s friends and family can attend. Ty often played in an allstar jam band, fronted by Happenin’ Harry, on Sunday nights at the Cat Club. 

Because of rapid development of news related to the Rhode Island tragedy we have set up a news hub for related stories.

Rant or Rave? Your turn, post you comments and thoughts on this news item. But hey keep it clean, we wouldn't want to have to wash your mouth out with Old Spice.

Fan Speak: