OT: Jeff Healey dies at 41

by **Rick** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:28 pm

From the noticeboard.

Canadian blues guitarist Jeff Healey dies at 41

Updated Sun. Mar. 2 2008 8:38 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Legendary blues and jazz guitarist Jeff Healey has died, his publicist said Sunday. The Canadian musician had battled cancer his entire life.

"It was something he fought with considerable bravery," his publicist, Richard Flohil, told Newsnet late Sunday.

Healey, 41, had lost his eyesight to a rare form of the disease, Retinoblastoma, at the age of one.

The musician had performed with such acclaimed guitar players as B. B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins and George Harrison.

His full name was Norman Jeffrey Healey and he passed away Sunday in the city of his birth, Toronto, at St. Joseph's Hospital.

Healey first began playing guitar at the age of three and formed his first band while still a teenager, according to his website. He played with a very distinctive style, laying his guitar on his lap.

"Visually, Jeff was an intriguing player to watch, because he played guitar -- by any conventional standard -- all wrong, with it flat across his lap," said Flohil. "But he was remarkable, a virtuoso player."

One of his best-known songs, "Angel Eyes," came from the Grammy-nominated album See the Light.

His blues band, simply called the Jeff Healey Band, has sold more than 1 million albums in the United States. But along with rock and blues music, Healey was also an accomplished jazz musician.

In his final years he had hosted a jazz program on Jazz-FM in Toronto, playing rare tracks from his vast collection of more than 30,000 78-rpm records.

He had also been touring with a group called the Jazz Wizards, playing American jazz from the 1920s, 1930s and early 1940s.

They had been planning to perform a series of shows in Britain, German and Holland in April.

Healey leaves behind his wife, Cristie, 13-year-old daughter Rachel and three-year-old son Derek.

by **Saint John** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:30 pm

Terrible news. Great artist.

by **Lula** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:32 pm

he battled cancer his whole life? how terribly sad. his music is truly a gift.

by **larryfromnextdoor** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:33 pm

OMGoodness!!! this is just unbelievably sad..

by **Rhiannon** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:36 pm

OMG... I love, love, love his guitar work. So sad. So young.
He is in a better place and I hope his wife & kids manage through it.

by **nikki** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:41 pm

Always loved his cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. He was the genuine article, for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJh3KaIKDAw

Two greats, together again now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqU9RZqvFKY

by **larryfromnextdoor** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:43 pm

jeff healey live - angel eyes
written by john hiatt..

fantastic!

http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?a ... 556C362BF0

by **Rhiannon** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:45 pm

nikki wrote:Two greats, together again now:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqU9RZqvFKY

Oh man, I miss Stevie Ray. Wish he could've stuck around longer, too. SRV began my love affair with blues.

One of my favorite vids & songs from him: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Kq9pn4HtDA

by **StoneCold** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 1:55 pm

Jeff and SRV start their solos at 1:18. At 1:53, its the only time I've ever seen Healey stand up playing.

Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Healey - Look at Little Sister

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqU9RZqvFKY&NR=1

by **Perrydise** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:01 pm

He will be missed.
I am a fan.

by **MrsPerry** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:07 pm

what a talent. Was my favorite character in Road house. What a shame.

by **7 Wishes** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:16 pm

I had no idea. What a talent. So very very sad. What a terrible day for music.

by **Rockindeano** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:21 pm

Lower the Maple Leaf.

This guy was all class.

by **sadie65** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:31 pm

What a shame. I loved his work. A class act all the way.

R. I. P.

by **Journey69** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:41 pm

That is terrible.. I didn't know he was fighting cancer.. He was in the movie Roadhouse with Patrick Swayze...

by **treetopovskaya** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 2:49 pm

oh how sad... i didn't know he had cancer. way too young to die. }:C((

by **Maui Tom** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:27 pm

by **ProgRocker53** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 3:47 pm

Sad news indeed...

I never listened to Healey much but the little I heard, I enjoyed. From every account I've heard he's a great man and is absolutely deserving of praise and acknowledgement.

Maybe I should go buy some Healey soon and pay some tribute to his legacy.

R.I.P. brother.

by **StoneCold** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 5:54 pm

Here's Jeff playin' his most famous song, live.

Angel Eyes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRov2XscQJc

by *Laura » Mon Mar 03, 2008 7:19 pm

I got all teary when I heard this... :cry:

I loved this man's music,now even more because he's not going to be out there playing any longer.
He was so incredibly gifted...This is so unfair.

RIP JH.

by **conversationpc** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:09 pm

Major bummer...Fantastic player and person from what I've heard. :cry:

by **MartyMoffatt** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:50 pm

Yep, a very sad day indeed. We saw Jeff healey at least once every time he toured here in recent years, the last time just a few months ago, when he was still recovering from major surgery.

Even sadder is that I don't think his legacy, in terms of his recorded output, ever did justice to his real talent. Some of his guitarwork on his albums is sublime, but in a live environment it just got elevated to another level. Along with Joe Bonamassa, Jeff healey was at the pinnacle of great blues guitarists. The fact that he was blind as well, almost defies belief.

Marty

by **Jenna** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:11 pm

Very sad news--He will be missed--but not forgotten

by **jrnychick** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:31 pm

I got to see him once at the HOB in Chicago in the 90s. What a phenominal talent! He will surely be missed.

by **Lady Luck** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:36 pm

OMG, how sad.

I was only familiar with a few of his songs, but he truly had a gift.

RIP Jeff.

by **Ratgirl** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:39 pm

StoneCold wrote:Here's Jeff playin' his most famous song, live.

Angel Eyes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRov2XscQJc

That's the song I remember him from.

How sad.. RIP Jeff.

by **wildone** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:51 pm

Ratgirl wrote:
StoneCold wrote:Here's Jeff playin' his most famous song, live.

Angel Eyes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRov2XscQJc

That's the song I remember him from.

How sad.. RIP Jeff.

wow how sad is that ....well he's better off and feeling the way he should ,he left us with alot of great music and memories he did his work and now the Big Man is taking care of him ...Thank you Jeff for all the fun and smiles may god blessyou!

by **conversationpc** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:53 pm

nikki wrote:Always loved his cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. He was the genuine article, for sure.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJh3KaIKDAw

That's my favorite tune of his and it's far better than the original or any other cover of that song, for that matter. His guitar just sings on that one.

by **SteveForever** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 11:54 pm

battling cancer his entire life, the guy was a warrior!
love his music and I hope he's sitting in Heaven today making
even more beautiful songs~

by **CatEyes** » Tue Mar 04, 2008 12:54 am

Way to young.

Be at peace.

Cat

MR

OT: Jeff Healey dies at 41

OT: Jeff Healey dies at 41

SRV with Healey jammin!

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