# RIP Jeff Healy



## Beatles (Feb 7, 2006)

Just heard the bad news...Jeff Healy succumbed to cancer. Another great musician has left us. He was only 41. Left a wife and two kids.


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## Ripper (Jul 1, 2006)

Wow, that is incredibly sad news. Canada lost a great musician.


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

Oh man, I was hoping he'd be able to fight it. :frown: So sorry to hear about this.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Wow, that IS sad news. My wife and I had the good fortune to hear him with his jazz band in Victoria last year, and even though I would have loved to hear him doing the other stuff that made him popular, it was a very enjoyable concert with him alternating between his horn and a big ole jazz box. We were entertained by his great sense of humor and great playing during the show. I hadn't heard that he had been battling cancer until just now, and having been through cancer myself just a few years ago, I am even sadder to hear of his passing. RIP, Jeff, we have lost a great player from our land!
-Mikey


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## JHarasym (Mar 27, 2007)

I was just listening to his radio show this morning "My Kind Of Jazz" on Jazz-FM in T.O. which had become part of my Sunday morning routine. I am going to miss that. He had the most amazing speaking voice, never mind singing. He amazed me with his guitar playing, and then he started touring the festivals with a jazz band, singing and playing trumpet. Truly a Canadian musical icon.


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## Guest (Mar 3, 2008)

A wonderful man and an amazing talent. I'll miss him for sure.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Oh *(%*^*&(*%^#. What a downer. He just recently released album too. He will be missed.

http://www.jeffhealey.com/home.htm


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## rockinbluesfan (Mar 3, 2008)

Sad the good ones always go too soon!


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## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

*RIP Jeff Healey*

:frown: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/...08/03/02/guitarist-jeff-healy-dies-at-41.aspx


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Just saw him a few weeks ago with the Jazz Wizards. What a shame.

A wonderful man and massive talent.

My sympathies to those who knew and loved him.

Peace, Mooh.


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## guitarzan (Feb 22, 2006)

Bubb said:


> :frown: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/...08/03/02/guitarist-jeff-healy-dies-at-41.aspx



sad, only 41. RIP Jeff.


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## Tycho (Jan 3, 2007)

Oh no. I had no idea he was sick again. We saw him do a great show in front of a somewhat uncomprehending audience in Gananoque last summer.

Last night at the Blue Rodeo show in Toronto, Jim Cuddy dedicated "Try" to Jeff. I guess he must have known how sick he was.

RIP Jeff and thanks for everything.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

RIP Jeff. I was a big fan of his blues based stuff and he was a genuinely nice great. That's a great loss.


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## Geek (Jun 5, 2007)

*D:*

Sad news indeed.

Here's to you dude, you turned me on to Blues Rock and have enjoyed it ever since.

R.I.P.


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## darreneedens (Nov 13, 2007)

I cant believe it.... I am at a loss for words.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Big loss.

As much of a guitar hero as he was to many (including me), he was a hero to those with a love of music history and especially jazz history. This guy knew so much about pre-war jazz. Listening to his show "My Kind of Jazz" was always an education. He was also very supportive of young talent.


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## Justinator (Jan 27, 2008)

I was just talking about him today with my buddy, I had no idea he was sick. RIP Jeff, you will be missed.


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## Tarl (Feb 4, 2006)

Terrible news. Great musician with a young family and a kind heart. We lose too many to the big C......


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## Seakayak (Nov 24, 2007)

Jeff Healey was a monster player. Peace to you and your family, Jeff.


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## firstfret (Mar 2, 2008)

Been a fan forever. Found myself in the highschool he attended at a sports event for my kids - his accomplishments were so proudly displayed! Also saw him at Barrie's Downtown Countdown (New Year's outside '05?). So many accomplishments in so short time. 
My condolences & prayers to the family.


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

very sad indeed. met him once ages ago at sam the record man. very sweet character. another big loss to the canadian music scene.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

RIP Jeff.

A great musician and a great guy.


This is sad news indeed.


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## NB-SK (Jul 28, 2007)

I'll always remember seeing him on TV when he was just a kid, couldn't have been older than 12 or 13.


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## Mr. David Severson (Feb 3, 2006)

Tragic loss for sure..


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## Gene Machine (Sep 22, 2007)

*i'm devastated*

i was a fan when i first heard 'see the light' EP version before his first LP
i saw him a number of times at his old club on bathurst. great band, great player.

this is a sad day for music. 

RIP Jeff. 

g.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

Wow, it seems even his band members were shocked.

He was certainly quite talented, and fun to listen to. 
My favorite memory will be his jamming with Dr John on the old Night Music" show (hosted by David Sanborn & Jools Holland).

I found one of the songs from that show on Youtube-See the Light


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

Oh crap.... that hit me hard... he had more heart and soul than 90% the other musicians out there. I can still hear his voice.... " and now one of my favourites trumpet pieces " 

oh crap


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

I heard the news this evening while down at The Rex listening to jazz. I'm shocked. I had the pleasure of meeting and singing with Jeff (I gave him my guitar) when he showed up at one of my gigs in Fredericton a few years back. I'll always remember him for that. He was a great musician and a great guy and a true Canadian musical icon.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

What a great loss. Jeff is not only a great musician but a great person as well. He will be sorely missed.


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## mario (Feb 18, 2006)

Terrible news. I remember seeing him a few times at a blues club called the Firehall here in London before he hit it big. In fact...I still have a 45 he was selling. RIP Jeff.


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## Tybone (Feb 12, 2006)

I will remember him. Great player...not just guitar either. I wonder when and where the funeral is.

Larry


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i, too, am devastated, and at a loss for words.

except to say, we will all miss you, jeff.

-dh


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

I just saw this on the news. What a shock.

From rock to jazz, a great Canadian musician. 

RIP man, thanks for the music and the memories.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

One of my favorite guitarists. He will be missed.


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## Jaggery (Mar 12, 2006)

Very sad.

RIP.


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## Supro (Dec 17, 2007)

OH Sh!t, that one hit me hard.....jeeze, he is the last one I would of thought to leave early.
I saw him in Vancouver one time and that kicked off one of the best summers in my life.....
I had won an official Jeff Healey tour jacket! that night and so when they came to Montreal that summer, I pulled a fast one on the group!.....I came barging in the Spectrum with 2 of my buddies, me wearing the jacket, got in no problem!.....saw the show and decided to push my luck further, got backstage real easy.....had this monster of a security guard at the door, just took my speed, came barging in saying, out of my way, out of my way, I need to go back stage real fast...the guy looked at me and simply stepped aside and in I was!
Proceeded to hang around Jeff for maybe half an hour! talking to him and the entourage.
This guy was an angel, very soft spoken, actually listening to you and responding, he did not even have an assistant to move around, he seemed very comfortable and sort of seeing his way thru the masses, I remember being very impressed at how he moved around effortlessly.
The only bad memory I have of all this was how my head hurt after seeing him play standing first in front of the stage with my arms resting on the stage.....so I was about 15 feet directly in front of his Marshall stack which had to be at 11.
Oh man, that is for sure one 2 hour episode where I definetly flattened some little hairs in my ears!
I could not beleive that he did that night after night and still hear something, I mean it was brutal!...the only other show that hit me like that and forced me to cover my ears was ACDC in the "For those about to Rock" years.
Jeff thanks alot for the music, but mainly the inspiration and courage you gave me to handle anything in life...RIP.


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## bluecoyote (May 18, 2007)

Definitely a very sad day for Canadian Blues/Jazz music! What a guitar player that man was! Still gives me goose bumps when I hear his versions of Jimi Hendrix's Freedom or George Harrison's (Beatles) My Guitar Gently Weeps! I saw him about two years ago along with his Jazz Wizards. It was in a small local club, but he put on a show like there were 20,000 people there. He also took the time afterwards to mingle with the 150 people that were there. A really genuine and gentle individual. He will be missed.

Check out the video of Jeff doing the 1960s hit from a great group called Spirit, I Got A line on You:

http://www.totalmusicgeek.com/2008/0...-you-1968.html

I think it is fitting to quote the lyrics from a Graham Nash song:

_Just another morning cup of tea
I turn my radio on
and in between the static and the headlines
I heard that you were gone
we lost another one_


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## zinga (Apr 22, 2007)

good bye jeff you will be missed.


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## auger (Apr 23, 2006)

for me the saddess news of the year....
he will be missed...
my heart goes out to his family .....and kids....

in the words of Jimmie Vaughan.." god had taken another blues singer back home"

we miss you Jeff....rest in peace brother.....

Auger.....


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

Over on the JazzFM website they've posted an audio clip of Toronto guitarist Danny Marks rememberance of Jeff. One of the things he said he'll remember most about Jeff is his sense of humour. You can check it out here: http://www.jazz.fm/content/view/2882/146


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Kenmac said:


> Over on the JazzFM website they've posted an audio clip of Toronto guitarist Danny Marks rememberance of Jeff. One of the things he said he'll remember most about Jeff is his sense of humour. You can check it out here: http://www.jazz.fm/content/view/2882/146




...jeff had an absolutely wicked sense of humour.

there is a delicious rumour that he once drove a car down yonge street.

-dh


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Private funeral for renowned musician Jeff Healey:
Plans for public memorial to be announced later

TORONTO, Ontario, March 4, 2008 - Arrangements for a private funeral 
service for renowned Canadian musician Jeff Healey have been finalized; 
however, details are not being disclosed as the family wishes to 
preserve its privacy. The guitarist and bandleader - whose music 
straddled different musical genres - passed away on Sunday, March 2.

"We would like to thank our family, friends and Jeff's fans for their 
condolences and kind thoughts at this most difficult time," said 
Cristie Healey. "Jeff's music touched many people on many different 
levels. More importantly, in his personal life, Jeff was a loving 
husband and a committed family man, generous and kind, extremely down 
to earth, and a loyal friend. Jeff had a determination that he brought 
to all aspects of his life, and this was an inspiration to all that 
knew him. Now we need to say our goodbyes in private; however, we 
respect the public need to participate in celebrating Jeff's life and 
music and we are planning a public memorial, with details to follow."

As a child, Jeff was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, 
retinoblastoma, which resulted in his loss of sight. As a result of 
early intervention, Jeff was able to enjoy 39 years free from cancer.. 
Unfortunately, this form of cancer is hereditary and can predispose 
the carrier to other cancers later in life. With this in mind, in lieu 
of flowers, Jeff's family has asked that donations to Daisy's Eye 
Cancer Research Fund (to support their efforts to discover a cure) 
would be greatly appreciated.

This was a cause that Jeff had supported for many years, and for which 
he played numerous benefit performances. Donations may be made through 
the organization' s website: www.daisyseyecancer fund.ca.

Details for a celebration of Jeff's life and music will be announced 
soon.

For further information, please contact:

Richard Flohil


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## suttree (Aug 17, 2007)

david henman said:


> ...jeff had an absolutely wicked sense of humour.
> 
> there is a delicious rumour that he once drove a car down yonge street.
> 
> -dh


i've heard his band members would move things around on stage, which he always found pretty funny. they'd move his chair closer to the stage edge and such (he'd count the steps everywhere, so this behaviour usually ended up in a tumble). i met him once in 1990, at sams records in toronto. i didn't know what to say, so i asked him "what made you walk into the store today?". i swear to god he looked right at me and said, "i'm blind, i didn't see it there". i laughed pretty hard.


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## faracaster (Mar 9, 2006)

I've had a hard time dealing with this one. (hence my late entry into this thread)
My thoughts are with his family and his spirit. 


When I heard the news I guess my mind went to sharing the stage with him several times at Grossman's and The Horseshoe. Trading licks back and forth. Indelible pictures in my mind of him throwing his head back and finally getting up out of the chair he was sitting in because the music had compelled him to. Talking between sets about great players past and present (most of which he had actually played with). Going back to those heady days where you almost expected Jeff to walk in the door of any of those downtown clubs and ask to sit in. I find it hard to believe that a soul with soooo much life and energy has left this plain. Those are times I will never forget.

RIP sweet boy.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Th following link has some photos that I shot a few years ago, with some professional camera equipment I had.
They are hosted by a friend I know from golf discussion forum I frequent.
The photos were taken at Cockshutt park in Brantford, Ontario on Canada day at a free concert that was paid for by the city.

http://www.akrus.ca/Akrus 2007/Jeff Healey.html


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