Just a couple of days ago I was watching the move “Roadhouse” (don’t know why) but I watched it. But then I rememberd one reason why; Jeff Healy was in it. I was sitting there with my wife saying, “I forgot about him… what a great blues player he is.” I remember the first time I saw him on MTV (when they actually played music) it was the video for “Confidence Man” and I was thinking, “man this guy is good.” His style of play had an edge to it that reminded me of Stevie Ray Vaughn. I was also fanscinated with how he played the guitar on his lap, not knowing he was blind until a few weeks later. I tried to emulate it, just to see how it feels but could never get it. I loved “Angel Eyes”, I bought the tape and learned how to play it. Don’t ask me now I couldn’t play it or even hum it. Unfortunately, I moved on to other CD’s and Tapes but for a time Jeff Healy was all that I listened to.
Anyway, the very next day at work, I heard that he passed away on March 2nd, just when I was getting re-introduced to him again. I see that a new release is coming in a month or so. I will eagerly anticipate that and wish the best for his family. This might sound cliche’ but he will live on through his music and I’m sure more people like me have stories on how he inspired them one way or another.
http://www.jeffhealey.com/home.htm
