Jeff Healey

1966-2008

Jeff Healey

Canadian bluesman

Unorthodox guitar playing posture

Blind from infancy

Etobicoke, Ontario

West-end suburb of Toronto (Canada's largest city)

Jeff Healey born 25 March, 1966

Adopted at 3 months by Bud and Yvonne Healey; never knew his natural parents

RetinoblastomaRetinoblastoma

Rare but deadly cancer of Rare but deadly cancer of the eyesthe eyes

Healey was diagnosed at 8 Healey was diagnosed at 8 monthsmonths

Both eyes were surgically Both eyes were surgically removedremoved

Healey wore prosthetic Healey wore prosthetic eyeseyes

Early Years

Bud (pictured) and Yvonne Healey encouraged Jeff to pursue music

First guitar: age 3

Early Influences

Eric Clapton

John Lee Hooker

Muddy Waters

(Click names to listen)

Playing Posture

Traditional posture: guitar is held upright, against the torso

Healey played with the guitar flat on his lap

Youth

In his teens, Healey began to establish a presence playing blues and jazz

cafes throughout the Toronto area.

At age 17, he formed his first band.

...and on to college radio!

DJ for University of Toronto's CIUT-FM

Employed Healey's extensive collection of 78 RPM records

Healey would live to collect about 30,000 records!

The Jeff Healey Band

Met at an open jam session:

Joe Rockman (bass)

Tom Stephen (drums)

Discovery

JHB was spotted by blues greats Albert Collins and Stevie Ray Vaughan at this gig

Soon signed with Arista Records

First LP• See the Light,

September 1988

• 3x Platinum in Canada; Juno Award

• “Angel Eyes” remains best-known song

Road House (1989)

• JHB appeared in the film and provided the soundtrack

• Healey plays “Cody,” a blind white bluesman (typecasting!)

Second LP

• Hell to Pay released in 1990

• Juno for “Canadian Entertainer of the Year”

• Famous guest musicians

Subsequent Releases

• Feel This, 1992

• Cover to Cover, 1995

• Greatest Hits, 1998

– Contract dismissal from Arista

• Get Me Some, 2000

– Released on Eagle Records

Turn of the Millennium

• Renewed interest in jazz

• Return to radio: My Kinda Jazz on the CBC

Honourary Doctorate

McMaster University (Hamilton, ON)

Honourary Doctorate of Letters

3 June, 2004

Jeff's cancer returns

• 2006: leg sarcomas

• 2007: lung metastases

Jeff succumbed to the disease on 2 March, 2008

Posthumous Recognition

• Mess of Blues was released shortly after death

• Inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame

• Jeff Healey Park

Legacy

History

• Blues as a genre appreciates covers of well-known “standards,” which were Healey's specialty.

• We will explore three songs written (or cowritten) by Jeff:

– “See the Light”

– “Cruel Little Number”

– “That's What They Say”

“See the Light”

“Cruel Little Number”

“That's What they Say”