Jeff Healey RIP

A short while ago I learned that Canadian Blues musician Jeff Healey finally lost his fight with cancer at the age of 41. He was diagnosed at just one year of age.

I saw The Jeff Healey Band play twice in Cambridge during the early 90's and they are two of the best gigs I have been to. I was fortunate enough to meet Jeff at a signing session before one of the gigs where he signed my copy of the See The Light album and my old VHS copy of the Roadhouse movie in which he appeared with Patrick Swayze. I haven't met many famous people, but when I have there's always been an air of "them and us" about them. Jeff was one of the most down-to-earth dudes I've ever met and we chatted effortlessly for a few minutes before I was ushered away.

Now I fully understand that most people would never of heard of him. It's blues, it's not mainstream. The See The Light album sold a million copies in the US alone and he's done pretty well for himself. Watch the YouTube clip of the title track from that album below and you'll see what real musicianship is about. This guy was an absolute genius, a true guitar wizard.

Just one other point through all of this, not that it bothered Jeff, but he's been blind since the age of one. His eyes were the victim of the rare form of cancer that eventually ended his short life. Watch and be amazed by what he could do. RIP Jeff.