Although he lost his sight as a one-year-old boy, it was his greatest passion. From an early age, he trained his skills to play instruments, to beat the stage as an adult. Jeff Healey’s albums have sold millions of copies, and he has made an international career.
Jeff Healey lost his sight as an infant. Despite this, he developed his vocal skills and playing instruments
When Jeff Healey was an infant, he was diagnosed with a malignant eye tumor. The retinoblastoma was in an advanced stage, which made it necessary to amputate the eyeballs and replace them with artificial ones. He was only one year old then. However, the loss of his sight did not prevent him from developing and acquiring new skills. As a 3-year-old child, he could play the guitar and sing well. At the age of 9, he took part in the TV show “Cucumber”, winning the hearts of viewers, and a few years later he founded his first band Blue Direction. He performed regularly in front of the public in local clubs and bars. As their popularity grew, the group evolved into The Jeff Healey Band, and respected musicians began to apply for cooperation with the musicians in the industry.
The debut on the phonographic market turned out to be a success. Healey was topping the charts
In 1988, the band’s debut album, “See the Light”, appeared on the phonographic market and almost immediately became a huge hit. The album went platinum three times in Canada, and the songs from it quickly began to conquer the charts. The musicians quickly became successful, not only creating the soundtrack to the film “Bouncer”, but also appearing on the screen alongside Patrick Swayze.
The second album “Hell to Pay” was released two years later, and the biggest hit was a cover of the Beatles song “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, which was created in collaboration with the author of the original George Harrison. In the early 2000s, Healey changed music genre. He switched from rock and blues to jazz, and during concerts he played not only the guitar, but also the trumpet.
Healey’s career was cut short by a shocking diagnosis. The musician was battling cancer
Unfortunately, in 2005, Jeff Healey’s health began to deteriorate. Due to a childhood cancer, the musician underwent detailed examinations. Soon after, he was diagnosed with cancer again, but this time it was a sarcoma, and it had metastasized even to his lungs. Although the musician focused on treatment, he also recorded the album “Mess of Blues”, which was supposed to be a return to blues-rock sounds.
Unfortunately, the Canadian musician passed away on March 2, 2008. At the time of his death, he was only 41 years old. The album he was working on before his death appeared on the phonographic market less than two months later.
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Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
