Friends and family yesterday mourned the loss of the talented man with the ``contagious smile'' who died in a single vehicle crash at Deviot on Wednesday morning.

Police have ruled out speed, road conditions and vehicle defects as causes of the crash and are investigating the possibility of a medical condition.

Crothers, an engineering business worker by day, first made a name for himself in Launceston at 16 as a drummer in band Dinner Time.

The band, made up of Crothers, Dave Whitney, Matt Shield and Nelson Tabe, soon relocated interstate and changed its name to Devils in Heaven.

The rock group took out national talent show Star Search and won a recording contract in Hollywood and Los Angeles with Sony, releasing songs ``Say a Prayer (One Departed)  and Liberation , but split up soon after.

However, Crothers and Tabe stayed together and formed The Fabulous Picasso Brothers, with Crothers as frontman.

For almost a decade they performed in Sydney, before moving back to Launceston and performing most weekends at the Star Bar, Tonic Bar, Irish Murphy's and at weddings across the state.

Crothers also performed under his own pseudonym Phil Picasso and some people may remember him as the extravagant Roger de Bris in the Launceston Musical Society's 2010 production The Producers .

Tabe yesterday described Crothers as ``a shining star''.

``He always put himself out to help others,'' Tabe said.

``He was so passionate about music and he was driven to be the absolute best performer that he could be.

``Launceston, Tasmania and in fact Australia has lost a remarkable musician and human being whose life was cut short and never was able to reach its full potential.''

Launceston musician Jack McNiff said his good friend Crothers, whom he met during The Producers  and had since performed with, was the person who inspired him to follow his dreams. ``He was a character,'' McNiff said.

``I always said that `his face is like rubber' because he could make the most incredible faces when acting.

``No matter what he was doing, whether it be solo acoustic, drumming or fronting his band, he would always steal your attention with his high level of energy, which is a true testament to the effort and passion he put into everything,'' he said.

``He was a local legend, personal mentor and, most importantly, one of the greatest and truest friends anyone could ever have.''

Several Launceston hotels where Crothers played expressed sympathy for his wife Kathy and family and friends on social media yesterday.

Crash investigations are continuing.