Jeff Healey Dies at Age 41
Canadian Guitar Hero Loses Lifelong Battle with Cancer in Toronto
Jeff Healey, one of Canada's finest guitar heroes, died of cancer on March 2, 2008, after battling the disease that left him blind at an early age for most of his life.
Canadian rocker, Jeff Healey, died of cancer on March 2, 2008 in Toronto after a life-long battle. He was 41.
Best known for his unique guitar playing style, Healey strummed the instrument laying flat in his lap. Healey lost his eyesight in his first year of life to retinoblastoma, a rear form of retinal cancer. Despite this, he became an accomplished player not only on the guitar, but on trombone, trumpet and keyboards.
See The Light
At 19 years old, Healey jammed on stage with bluesman Albert Collins at a Toronto night club. A few nights later he was invited back to play with guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan. And his career never turned back.
Soon after, he started the Jeff Healey Band with Tom Stephen on drums and Joe Rockman on bass. Together the band made four albums including Hell to Pay, Feel This and Get Me Some.
But it was the band's 1988 debut album See The Light, which produced the Billboard Hot 100 number 5 hit "Angel Eyes”, which made the band a household name. That album went on to sell over one million of copies in the US and garnered Healey several Juno Award nominations including one win, Canadian Entertainer of the Year as well as a Grammy Award nomination.
From the Road to the Road House
In the late 1980's the band toured extensively in support of their albums. Healey played alongside blues legends B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan and recorded material with the late George Harrison and the late Jimmy Rogers. Healey even branched out into acting, starring alongside Patrick Swayze in the 1989 film Road House.
Late in his career, tired of touring, Healey opened a performing venue in his hometown of Toronto aptly named Road House after the popular film.
Haley’s club enjoyed tremendous success, hosting hundreds of Canadian and international musicians including Healey himself who by this time had left the rock scene and intense touring to pursue his jazz dream.
Healey’s latest work had been more jazz-influenced. He also DJ-ed for jazz radio programmes on CBC Radio and Toronto's Jazz-FM with records from his own extensive collection of vinyl.
Last year Healey underwent surgery to remove cancer that had spread to his legs as well as his lungs. He had also been under radiation treatment and chemotherapy.
At the time of his death, he was anticipating the upcoming release of his first rock album in over 8 years. Mess of Blues will be released later in March in North America with a European release date set for April.
Healey is survived by his wife, Christie, and their 2 children.
Additional sources for this story: Reuters, CBC News, Official Juno Award website
