RIP Jeff Healey
Cats: CBC Radio, Canada, music|Waking up this morning to news of Jeff Healey’s death was like getting mugged and whacked over the head with a 2 x 4. I still have the stars circling over my head. I feel sick about it.
This amazing blues and jazz musician and musicologist died from cancer at 41. I didn’t even know he had a relapse of the disease that robbed him of his eyesight when he was just a young child.
I saw Jeff Healey rip up the blues guitar a number of times in the 80s and 90s. He was one of those musicians who made you smile until your face hurt. His hit Angel Eyes was sweet, growly and soulful. In the right mood, it could bring tears to your eyes.
And I listened that base-tone voice talking jazz and blues on his CBC radio show. He was an authority on old jazz and blues and drew on a vinyl collection of over 30,000 records.
He was a musician’s musician and played with likes of Stevie Ray Vaughan, George Harrison and B.B. King.
He was about to release a new album called A Mess of Blues.
Jeff Healey was a young talent with an old soul. We are going to miss him.
March 3rd, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I too was stunned when I heard last night. Such a tremendous loss.
I only saw Jeff Healey perform once, and that was after he had fully embraced his true love of jazz, and although it’s not really my style of music, I was floored by what I heard and by his obvious joy and passion for playing.
RIP Jeff.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:17 pm
When I turned on the radio this morning they were playing Jeff’s “While my Guitar Gently Weeps” I thought to my self…he should be on the “to see” list this year…. then I opened the paper. It has been a very sad day. A huge loss to Canadians and to music lovers.
Nanc
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Oh, I hadn’t heard this until I just read it on your blog. My mouth just dropped open. How sad. I saw his band open for Bon Jovi once. They kicked ass. And his version of John Hiatt’s “Angel Eyes” is one of my favorite covers.
March 3rd, 2008 at 6:34 pm
BB, I never heard him play jazz, just blues and rock. But I heard him play jazz on this CBC show and it was my early education in the jazz and blue of the 20s, 30s, 40s. I now love that music, thanks to Jeff Healey.
Nanc, He’s one of those artists who is just plain good – doesn’t even matter if he’s a Canadian.
BeckEye, sorry to break the news, and yes, I should’ve credited Angel Eyes to Hiatt – saw him another time in the same venue as I once saw Healey
March 3rd, 2008 at 11:00 pm
I had the chance to see him at Secretary’s in 1987 when he was just becoming well known. We didn’t stick around, because the group I was with wanted to see Razorboy at the Misty Moon. I wish I had stayed to see Jeff.
March 4th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Sorry to hear about this. I really liked his music.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
HnP, they made you sacrifice Jeff Healey for Razorboy? Have you forgiven your friends yet?
Chance, yup real crap, that.
March 5th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Healey hosted a show on FM 91 in Toronto, playing selections from his massive collection of jazz from 20s and 30s. To me, there was nothing finer than pouring a big drink and tuning in. I don’t think my Monday nights will ever be the same.
March 5th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
FP, may I suggest a Monday night replacement.
Humphrey Lyttleton’s Best of Jazz on BBC2 – you can listen anytime for up to seven days after it goes out. He plays jazz music from all eras, tells stories and shares his musical knowledge. He’s 85ish, a trumpeter still playing with his band, a wit, calligrapher, cartoonist and BBC Radio 4 radio personality – an institution in other words. It may blunt the loss.
March 5th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Damn shame, first ‘Real’ guitarist I ever saw back in the early 80′s. The lap playing style, unique. As a live act, extraordinary, he even brought a rare ray of sunshine to that dreadful movie Roadhouse….so long your Jeff-ness
March 6th, 2008 at 12:38 am
My brother in law and I were talking about his guitar playing style in the afternoon and I found out later that night that Jeff had passed away. A very sad event for his family and music lovers.
March 6th, 2008 at 6:55 am
Alf did you see him here or in the UK?
Dale, did you know he was ill? If not, how creepy.
March 10th, 2008 at 8:22 am
I know I am late responding to this. I was at an event in Ontario in November where Jeff Healey was the honoree. At the beginning of the event, we were told he was unable to attend as he was too ill, but that his father would speak and accept his award. There was a 10-minute-or-so video presentation on Jeff, most of which was footage of him playing, which was fantastic. (I am sorry to say it was my 9-year-old’s first exposure to his music, although we have listened to it since.) His father, Bud, spoke afterwards of adopting Jeff when he was almost one and had already been diagnosed with the cancer that robbed him of his sight. They had only planned on adopting Jeff, but heard a year or so later that his sisters were available for adoption, so they “went and got them too”. Bud Healey was very emotional as he spoke and we all got the message that Jeff’s illness was serious, although he did not share the particulars. There was a reception afterward and we were lucky enough to speak with Bud, who focused almost entirely on my young daughter. He told her that his basement was where the “band” practiced when Jeff was a teenager, and that they sometimes did three grocery orders in a weekend to feed them all! He told me to always let my kids have their friends over and to respect their music, even if it wasn’t to my taste. I will do so always. He is a plain-spoken, authentic, and elegant man who should not have to endure such a loss. Clearly Jeff Healey knew unconditional love and support his entire life.
March 10th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
D-Mac, that’s a beautiful story. It’s something any busy harassed parent should keep taped to their wall or computer.
Thanks for sharing it.