Blind guitar wizard Jeff Healey of Toronto died Sunday of cancer. He was 41.
Norman Jeffrey Healey was one of Canada's premier blues and jazz musicians. Healey lost his vision as a baby to a rare form of retinal cancer and he battled the disease throughout this life. As a toddler, Healey picked up a guitar and, setting it on his knees, developed a distinct sound and playing style. His best known work came when he formed the Jeff Healey Band. Later in his career he branched into jazz, especially from the golden years of the genre in the 1920s and '30s. He released several jazz CDs. At the time of his death, Healey was about to unveil his first rock/blues CD_in eight years. Mess of Blues is scheduled to be released in Europe in March and in Canada in April.
2 comments:
This is a big loss to the music world. I think many would agree that the JHB's cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps was one of the best ever. He will be sorely missed.
Agree! Man, he was so young. And on his way back to blues... Pure tragedy.
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