Jeff Healey Blues Guitarist 1966-2008
The sad passing of a musical inspiration
More years ago then I care to remember I bought an album by a young, up and coming Canadian blues guitarist/singer-songwriter called Jeff Healey. The guitar work on the ‘See the Light’ album was a breath of fresh air in the rock world, blues for the masses, if you will.
I used to play that album over and over, it was the sort of music you wanted to be able to play as a guitarist and his popularity rapidly grew. His performance on the Patrick Swayze movie, ‘Road House’ brought him greater public awareness but in 2000 he switched to the Jazz world where he would remain until early this year with the announcement of his new album, ‘Mess of Blues’ due for UK release on March 20th.
Sadly, Jeff Healey passed away on March 2nd after a year long battle with cancer leaving behind a wife and two young children.
What I remember most about Jeff Healey is being told that the amazing guitar playing I was listening to was by a man who had been blind since infancy and how he played the guitar laid across his lap with his fingers playing from over the neck rather than from underneath it.
I read a comment from one fan recalling a concert in the late 80’s when somebody in the crowd shouted for the volume to be turned up. Healey replied “I’m already blind, I don’t want to be deaf as well!”
A great man.
Miles
thanks for this, a sad day indeed, I had no idea, learning the news 10 days after makes it more tragic.
He was a unique talent - rare to see something different
March 12, 2008 @ 8:00 am
Rod,
What I loved was the fact that despite his blindness he managed to do something as worthwhile as write and record music and have the strength to tour the world despite the obvious difficulties.
He wasn’t the first well known blind blues guitarist but he certainly helped give the music more mainstream coverage.
Miles
March 12, 2008 @ 8:08 am