Guitarist Jeff Healey has died

Gerk · #1 03-03-2008, 08:40 AM

TORONTO - Blind rock and jazz musician Jeff Healey has died after a lifelong battle against cancer. He was 41.

Healey died Sunday evening in a Toronto hospital, said bandmate Colin Bray, who was in the room with Healey's family when the guitarist died.
The Grammy-nominated Healey rose to stardom as the leader of the Jeff Healey Band, a rock-oriented trio that gained international acclaim and platinum record sales with the 1988 album "See the Light." The album included the hit single "Angel Eyes."
Healey had battled cancer since age 1, when a rare form of retinal cancer known as Retinoblastoma claimed his eyesight.
Due to his blindness, Healey taught himself to play guitar by laying the instrument across his lap.
His unique playing style, combined with his blues-oriented vocals, earned him a reputation as a teenage musical prodigy. He shared stages with George Harrison, B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Bray said he and many others expected the guitarist to rally from this latest illness.
"I don't think any of us thought this was going to happen," Bray said. "We just thought he was going to bounce back as he always does."
Healey had undergone numerous operations in recent years to remove tumors from his lungs and leg.
Bray and fellow bandmate Gary Scriven remembered their frontman as a musician of rare abilities with a generous nature and wicked sense of humor.
Healey's true love was jazz, the genre that dominated his three most recent albums.
His love of jazz led him to host radio shows in Canada where he spun long-forgotten numbers from his personal collection of over 30,000 vinyl records.
His death came weeks before the release of his first rock album in eight years.
"Mess of Blues" is slated for a North American release on April 22.
He is survived by his wife, Christie, and two children

Gerk · #2 03-03-2008, 08:42 AM

Many might remember him from being in the movie "Road House" which everyone has probably seen about 25 times

Keith · #3 03-03-2008, 08:42 AM

He did a version of the Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) song, I Think I Love her Too Much, which was amazing. Not a "great" guitarist, but a damn good one.

Keith · #4 03-03-2008, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gerk

Many might remember him from being in the movie "Road House" which everyone has probably seen about 25 times

jamming away behind the mesh screen while bottles are flying at the stage.

Wellahiya · #5 03-03-2008, 08:59 AM

i suppose i've seen it 50 times

prolly more often... but 41 years... that's way too early to pass away...

Keith · #6 03-03-2008, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eekchac

i suppose i've seen it 50 times

prolly more often... but 41 years... that's way too early to pass away...

there is a great scene with one of the waitresses getting f*cked from behind in a back office

Wellahiya · #7 03-03-2008, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

there is a great scene with one of the waitresses getting f*cked from behind in a back office

it wasn't an office, it was the supply closet:

[Dalton walks in on Steve having sex with a girl in the supply closet]
Dalton: Yo, Steve! You're history.
Steve: But I'm on my break!
Dalton: Stay on it.
Steve: Ah, shit!

that movie had so many great scenes:

Doc: Your file says you've got a degree from NYU. What in?
Dalton: Philosophy.
Doc: Any particular discipline?
Dalton: No. Not really. Man's search for faith. That sort of shit.
Doc: Come up with any answers?
Dalton: Not too many.
Doc: How's a guy like you end up a bouncer?
Dalton: Just lucky I guess.

and my favorite:

Dalton: If somebody gets in your face and calls you a cocksucker, I want you to be nice. Ask him to walk. Be nice. If he won't walk, walk him. But be nice. If you can't walk him, one of the others will help you, and you'll both be nice. I want you to remember that it's a job. It's nothing personal.
#
Dalton: I want you to be nice until it's time to not be nice.
#
Steve: Being called a cocksucker isn't personal?
Dalton: No. It's two nouns combined to elicit a prescribed response.
Steve: What if somebody calls my mama a whore?
Dalton: Is she?

Keith · #8 03-03-2008, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eekchac

it wasn't an office, it was the supply closet:

[Dalton walks in on Steve having sex with a girl in the supply closet]
Dalton: Yo, Steve! You're history.
Steve: But I'm on my break!
Dalton: Stay on it.
Steve: Ah, shit!

nevertheless, a quality doggy style scene--wherever it took place. LOL

sjmartin57ca · #9 03-03-2008, 11:54 AM

Prolly seen Jeff at least 50 times been to his bar here in TO a few times, he has a summer place near me, as well as being an amazing guitarist he was a quality person always had time to sit and shoot the shit with you. RIP Jeff. Cheers Steve

Keith · #10 03-03-2008, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjmartin57ca

Prolly seen Jeff at least 50 times been to his bar here in TO a few times, he has a summer place near me, as well as being an amazing guitarist he was a quality person always had time to sit and shoot the shit with you. RIP Jeff. Cheers Steve

Never got to see him in person, but have a couple of his discs. Good stuff. RIP.

Patriots Game · #11 03-03-2008, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sjmartin57ca

Prolly seen Jeff at least 50 times been to his bar here in TO a few times, he has a summer place near me, as well as being an amazing guitarist he was a quality person always had time to sit and shoot the shit with you. RIP Jeff. Cheers Steve

I've seen him play at THE PILOT. Always liked his stuff. RIP

Lukester · #12 03-03-2008, 01:24 PM

I'll give him credit to be among the great guitarists the world has given.

Don't know which rank I'd give him in the Top 100 All-Time.

Never did like his music/voice personally...but he is to be emulated in his determination for any aspiring musician--handicap or not in terms of "Never Give Up".

oxydawg · #13 03-03-2008, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lukester

I'll give him credit to be among the great guitarists the world has given.

Don't know which rank I'd give him in the Top 100 All-Time.

Never did like his music/voice personally...but he is to be emulated in his determination for any aspiring musician--handicap or not in terms of "Never Give Up".

Agree 100% Luke with your comment on determination. That is a hell of a hurdle to overcome, being blind your whole life, and putting out some dam good music. As far as his music, you gotta love the blues to really appreciate it, which I do. He left this world too early imo, but I didn't know he was battling cancer since age 1...wow!! He may have been in pain too. He was dealt a crappy hand to play out, but played it out as well as I think anyone possibly could. God bless his wife and children, who lost a husband and a father also.......... He may be jammin with Stevie and Bonzo already.............
....................OXY

Keith · #14 03-03-2008, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oxydawg

He may be jammin with Stevie and Bonzo already.............
....................OXY

and don't forget Muddy, Jimi, Howling Wolf, Lennon, Janis and so many others. Must be quite the show.

oxydawg · #15 03-03-2008, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith

and don't forget Muddy, Jimi, Howling Wolf, Lennon, Janis and so many others. Must be quite the show.

What do we have to do to get front row seats??????
How you doing brother??
.............................OXY

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