It was with great shock and sadness that I learned of the passing of one of blues guitar’s true heroes. Jeff Healey lost his battle to cancer yesterday, at the age of 41. He left his wife, Cristie, and two children, Rachel (13) and Derek (3).
When I first heard Jeff, I was instantly stunned by his fluid and energetic style. I remember where I was too – watching up in awe at a TV screen in Footlocker. An odd place to discover a legend, indeed. I was puzzled as to why he was sitting, and more confused by the fact that he was playing the guitar with his left hand over the top of the neck. When I realised that he was unable to see, my awe turned to admiration. He wasn’t a great ‘blind guitarist’, he was a great guitarist regardless of his handicap – which, if you have ever heard him play, was no handicap at all. I
had some practising to do.
The music world will miss him dearly.
I’m sure his wife and children will miss him more. Thankfully, he left behind an incredible legacy, and a fantastic record of his life. He will never be forgotten. There is more about Jeff at Wikipedia