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Alembic Club » Miscellaneous » Archive through November 11, 2010 » Archive: 2008 » Archive through March 17, 2008 » RIP Jeff Healey... « Previous Next »

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southpaw
Intermediate Member
Username: southpaw

Post Number: 198
Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2008 - 10:23 am:   Edit Post

We lost a great guitarist today. Died of cancer at age of 41 but leaves us a superb musical legacy.
If you are not familiar with Jeff, check out his music, amazing the obstacles he overcame in his short life. Thoughts & prayers to his family.
jacko
Senior Member
Username: jacko

Post Number: 1670
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2008 - 11:18 am:   Edit Post

I saw him in Glasgow last year. A superb talent who will be sadly missed.

Graeme
senmen
Senior Member
Username: senmen

Post Number: 719
Registered: 7-2003
Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2008 - 11:58 am:   Edit Post

..another great musician has left......
Read about this today in a local newspaper. Very sad.
A great talent he was.....

Oliver (Spyderman)
57basstra
Senior Member
Username: 57basstra

Post Number: 719
Registered: 4-2005
Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2008 - 2:53 pm:   Edit Post

From the New York Times

"Jeff Healey, a Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter whose band sold millions of blues-rock records and who also pursued a passion for old-time jazz, playing the trumpet and clarinet, died on Sunday in Toronto. He was 41.
Skip to next paragraph
Stephen Chernin/Associated Press

Jeff Healey in 2000.

He died of lung cancer, his publicists said.

Mr. Healey, who was blind, played his guitar with the instrument flat on his lap, resulting in what Guitar Player magazine called “astoundingly fluid bends and vibrato.” He blended jazz, rock and the blues.

Mr. Healey’s greatest success came in the late 1980s, when his band recorded the album “See the Light.” It reached platinum status in the United States by selling more than one million copies and eventually two million worldwide. A single from that album, “Angel Eyes,” was the Jeff Healey Band’s only Top 40 hit, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1989.

The same year the band performed the soundtrack for “Road House,” a movie starring actor Patrick Swayze. The band also had speaking parts. Soon the group was big enough to be booked in stadiums.

Mr. Healey also played the trumpet and clarinet in his own traditional jazz band, the Jazz Wizards. He collected as many as 30,000 old-time jazz records, mainly those on 78 r.p.m., which he played as the host of an hour-long radio show on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Mr. Healey, son of a firefighter, was born and raised near Toronto. He lost his sight to eye cancer when he was a year old and was given his first guitar two years later. At a school for the blind, he was shown how to play the guitar the usual way but found it felt more comfortable on his lap.

At a Toronto-area high school he played the guitar and trumpet in school bands. His early guitar inspirations were country stylists like Chet Atkins, but he moved on to Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and B. B. King, according to the reference work Contemporary Musicians. He studied music theory on his own.

He formed the Jeff Healey Band in 1985, with the drummer Tom Stephen and the bassist Joe Rockman. The trio gave as many as 300 concerts a year for about two years before signing with Arista Records in 1988. Their second album for the label (after “See the Light”) was “Hell to Pay,” which featured guest artists including George Harrison.

As the group’s popularity grew, so did their concert venues. Jon Pareles, writing in The New York Times in 1989, described the band’s music as “showy, arena-style blues rock,” although he praised Mr. Healey’s technique.

In 1990, a reader poll in Guitar Player magazine named Mr. Healey the best blues guitarist and best new talent.

Mr. Healey is survived by his wife, Christie; his daughter, Rachel; and his son, Derek."

hankster
Intermediate Member
Username: hankster

Post Number: 163
Registered: 6-2004
Posted on Tuesday, March 04, 2008 - 6:59 pm:   Edit Post

I used to live a few doors up from a local bar in Toronto where Jeff played periodically before his career took off, and I saw him several times there. I remember the first time I saw him. The instant he played a note just to see if his guitar and amp were live and working, you could tell he had a magical gift - he just had the touch and the sound. He was truly a brilliant musician in whatever idiom he chose on whatever instrument he touched.
white_cloud
Advanced Member
Username: white_cloud

Post Number: 327
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 10:04 am:   Edit Post

Im shocked to hear of the passing of Jeff, a wonderful talent and fine human being!

My sincere condolances to everybody that loved him, a terrible loss:-(

John.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 6293
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 5:22 pm:   Edit Post

Video
He could tear it up. His left hand technique is pretty amazing to see.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 6294
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 5:32 pm:   Edit Post

And Roadhouse Blues
olieoliver
Senior Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 1791
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 7:30 pm:   Edit Post

How'd you like to be able to tell your kids you were at this show?
olieoliver
Senior Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 1792
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 7:38 pm:   Edit Post

Dave, DUDE that See The Light video was incredible. Jef was ON! And the band was tight.
Thanks,

Olie
2400wattman
Senior Member
Username: 2400wattman

Post Number: 513
Registered: 11-2005
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 7:52 pm:   Edit Post

Olie, that was Marcus on bass and I believe Omar Hakim on drums.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 6300
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 8:12 pm:   Edit Post

And Dr. John on piano.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 6301
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 8:16 pm:   Edit Post

I just watched it again; even better the second time.
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 6302
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 8:27 pm:   Edit Post

Olie; the SRV video was pretty cool too!
davehouck
Moderator
Username: davehouck

Post Number: 6303
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 8:33 pm:   Edit Post

Here is another copy of the SRV vid with a little better quality video.
olieoliver
Senior Member
Username: olieoliver

Post Number: 1793
Registered: 2-2006
Posted on Wednesday, March 05, 2008 - 9:56 pm:   Edit Post

I recognized Marcus and Dr John but wasn't sure about the drums. Great videos.
Jeff was an incredibly smooth and fluid player. A lot like Stevie the lines just flowed out. Great stuff man. I could watch these all night , , and just might too will have to open a fresh merlot though.
trekster
Intermediate Member
Username: trekster

Post Number: 153
Registered: 7-2004
Posted on Thursday, March 06, 2008 - 5:14 am:   Edit Post

It's funny how it's not mentioned much about Jeff's role in the movie "Roadhouse".. not only a great guitar player, but he added a lot to that movie.

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