The Jeff Healey Band - Topic

Canadian music icon, Jeff Healey, was born on March 25, 1966. Blind from early childhood due to retinoblastoma (a rare form of eye cancer), Jeff’s guitar playing virtuosity & soulful voice saw him rise to prominence in the entertainment world in the late '80s and ‘90s selling millions of albums worldwide.

Getting his first guitar at the age of 3, he developed a unique style of playing. Placing the guitar flat on his lap, and playing it like a lap steel with his hands over the fret board, gave him the flexibility of fretting with all 5 fingers & the power of pulling notes with the strength of his whole hand.

For over 2 decades, Jeff enjoyed a career that spanned rock, blues & traditional jazz. Grammy nominee & Juno winner, he was a radio personality,  jazz historian, club owner & world famous record collector (his collection of 1920’s & ‘30’s jazz 78s would ultimately top out at over 30,000 records).

His incredible reputation led him to perform & record with such greats as Stevie Ray Vaughan, B.B. King, the Rolling Stones, George Harrison, Les Paul & many more.

He was a proud Canadian through & through. While he set a high standard and example as an unbelievable musician, he was also an inspiration to disabled people around the world.  Jeff represented determination, equal opportunity and a passion to stay true to your dreams, no matter what the obstacle.

Jeff Healey died on March 2nd, 2008 after a 3-year battle with sarcoma cancer. He was 41-years-old.