Reaching number five on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart with the single Angel Eyes, Toronto-born guitarist Jeff Healey gained international prominence for a distinctive performance style that involved playing the instrument flat across his lap. His career spanned rock, blues, and traditional jazz, marked by extensive touring and a vast, specialized collection of vintage recordings.
Early Development
Born in 1966, Healey lost his sight to retinoblastoma before his first birthday. He attended the W. Ross Macdonald School and Etobicoke Collegiate Institute, having begun his musical education at the Royal Conservatory of Music. By age 15, he established Blue Direction, a four-piece ensemble that frequented the Toronto club circuit. His early radio work at CIUT-FM introduced his extensive knowledge of 78 rpm gramophone records to a wider audience.
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Formed with bassist Joe Rockman and drummer Tom Stephen, the trio became a fixture at Toronto venues like Grossman's Tavern and Albert's Hall. After signing with Arista Records in 1988, the band released See the Light, which reached the RPM Top 100. During this period, the group served as the house band for the motion picture Road House, featuring performances alongside Patrick Swayze. Subsequent releases, including Hell to Pay and Feel This, secured ten charting Canadian singles between 1990 and 1994, earning the group World's Best-Selling Canadian Artist honours.
Jazz and Broadcasting
Transitioning toward traditional jazz around 2000, Healey performed on both guitar and trumpet with his ensemble, Jeff Healey's Jazz Wizards. He continued his broadcasting career through the CBC Radio program My Kind of Jazz and later at Jazz FM. He also maintained a performance space in Toronto, known as Jeff Healey's Roadhouse, where he hosted blues and jazz sessions until his final years.
Illness and Legacy
Following a series of surgeries for sarcoma, Healey died in his home city of Toronto in 2008. Posthumous releases such as Heal My Soul and Holding On, compiled by Roger Costa, showcased previously unissued material. He was inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame in 2009 and Canada's Walk of Fame in 2014, while a Toronto park was renamed in his honour in 2011.
Fast facts
- Born: 1966, Toronto, Canada
- Died: 2008, Toronto, Canada
- Instrument: Guitar, trumpet, vocals
- Notable hit: Angel Eyes
- Band: The Jeff Healey Band
- Burial site: Park Lawn Cemetery
- Educational institutions: The Royal Conservatory of Music, Etobicoke Collegiate Institute, W. Ross Macdonald School
Questions readers ask
What unique technique did Jeff Healey use to play guitar?
He developed a specific style of playing the guitar flat on his lap.
Did Jeff Healey own the club known as Jeff Healey's Roadhouse?
No, he did not manage or own the establishment, although he frequently performed there and lent his name to the venue.
Achievements
- Instruments: guitar, voice and trumpet
- Genres: jazz, blues and rock music
