Sunday, 8 June 2008

Guitar great Jeff Healey dies, 41

Jeff Healey, the Canadian guitarist who sold over a million copies of his debut album 'See the Light' and starred opposite Patrick Swayze in 'Road House', has died.
Healey, who was 41, had battled cancer throughout his life and died on Sunday in Toronto.
As an infant Healey lost his eyesight due to retino blastoma, a rare form of cancer.
He began playing the guitar when he was three-years-old and developed a style of playing the guitar across his lap while seated.
Discovered by the legendary guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan in a Toronto bar at 15, Healey put together his first band at 17 and later found fame with his trio The Jeff Healey Band.
The trio's debut, 'See the Light', was Grammy-nominated and gave them a US hit with the track 'Angel Eyes'. 
Healey explored early jazz on his later albums but had completed work on his first rock and blues album in eight years, 'Mess of Blues'. It was due for release in Europe on 20 March.
He is survived by his wife and two children.