Guitarist Jeff Healey Dies

-Painted Fan- · March 03, 2008, 08:25:11 pm

Rock/Jazz guitar legend Jeff Healey passed away Sunday March 2nd. He was 41. Jeff suffered from a rare cancer of the eyes, known as Retinoblasoma, which ultimately killed him. The Canadian guitarist had been blind since the age of 1.
Jeff had been playing guitar since age 3, and developed a unique style- sitting the guitar flat on his lap. Along with the guitar, Jeff also played the trumpet and clarinet. He was alos an avid record collector, amassing over 25,000 78 rpm records.
Along with appearing in the Patrick Swayze film "Roadhouse", Jeff was also in the Stevie Ray Vaughn music video "Look At Little Sister".
Jeff owned the nightclub "Jeff Healey's Roadhouse" in Toronto, where he lived with his wife and 2 children.
Jeff passed 1 month before the release of his newest CD, "Mess Of Blues".
RIP Jeff.

RisonRacingFan · March 04, 2008, 02:06:33 pm

Hate to hear this. All of the good ones die young.

Hendrix

Vaughan

Healey

Throwback1 · March 04, 2008, 02:12:43 pm

BB King
Eric CLapton

oh, wait

RisonRacingFan · March 04, 2008, 02:21:27 pm

Quote from: Throwback1 on March 04, 2008, 02:12:43 pm
BB King
Eric CLapton

oh, wait

Clapton himself said Vaughan was better than him. In fact, Vaughan opened up for him in 88, and about the 4th show into the tour, they made Vaughan the headliner because people were leaving after he played, and Clapton said himself after Stevie played, there was not much more a guitarist could do to entertain a crowd.

Throwback1 · March 04, 2008, 03:17:35 pm

Vaughn is the best whoever lived, imo..not my point...but, "ALL" the "GOOD" ones (DON'T) die young....

Father Guido · March 05, 2008, 05:58:32 pm

Sad to hear about Jeff Healy. Hadn't heard anything about him for quite a while.

(for those of you who have never SEEN Stevie Ray Vaughan play, I suggest you go find a DVD somewhere. "Live at the el Mocombo" has some amazing stuff on it. There are a couple of "Austin City Limits" shows available out there, too. You will be amazed. He was a great guitar "player", but was absolutely mind blowing to watch. He just became one with the guitar and nothing else seemed to even exist. My favorite Clapton quote was about comparing playing a song to telling a story. Clapton said "most people "play" in sentences. Stevie will play a paragraph or two at a time."

Throwback1 · March 05, 2008, 06:03:59 pm

I saw a concert DVD once where I believe BB echoed Clapton's general sentiments.

RisonRacingFan · March 05, 2008, 06:07:06 pm

Yes, that was BB who said that at Stevie's tribute concert. I have the DVD.

Father Guido · March 05, 2008, 07:04:20 pm

OK, so Alzhiemer's strikes again. Maybe it was BB.

...but to get back on track, I just got through listening to Jeff Healey's song, "Angel Eyes". Maybe he can see now.

Throwback1 · March 05, 2008, 07:15:04 pm

I don't know...I just said that BB offered the same general sentiments as Clapton regarding SRV's talent....never doubted that Clapton made the quote you posted,since I'd never heard that exact quote from Clapton or BB...