Jeff Healey dead at 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.

What a shocker.I didnt realise he died.What a brilliant guitarist he was.I had a few of his CDs.R.I.P.Jeff.

One can only have respect for the man.
Another unique and extraordinary master has passed.

Rest in peace, Jeff.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Micrówave wrote: [/QUOTENAME]

Due to his blindness, Healey taught himself to play guitar by laying the instrument across his lap.

[/QUOTE]

Blindness is no excuse for that kind of behavior. Rest in peace you psycho one-hit-wonder wannabe fuck!

Brad Renfro contributed much more to entertainment than this weirdo ever dreamed of.

jou suck, j7

damn, I didn't see that coming




And neither did he :D

Well if you measure it in cat years, he had a good long innings.

Brians curse...got to be.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]J7 wrote: [/QUOTENAME][QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Micrówave wrote: [/QUOTENAME]

Due to his blindness, Healey taught himself to play guitar by laying the instrument across his lap.

[/QUOTE]

Blindness is no excuse for that kind of behavior. Rest in peace you psycho one-hit-wonder wannabe fuck!

Brad Renfro contributed much more to entertainment than this weirdo ever dreamed of.[/QUOTE]

Wow... someone's bitter.

Jeff Healey was a very, very respected guitarist... especially in the field of jazz, his true passion.

RIP... a truly under-rated, under-appreciated musician.

[QUOTE][QUOTENAME]Brian_Mays_Wig wrote: [/QUOTENAME]Brians curse...got to be.[/QUOTE]

Lineage?

Brian is friends with Steve Lukather who is (or was) friends with Jeff. Steve visited Jeff not long before he died.

Thats Brian's curse for you...

I gotta admit, someone who can play a guitar with their penis does deserve some degree of respect.

oh dear! :( what a sad event.

good riddance blindy

he is no Brian may

God, you're such a dick.