In reading about and watching TV news stories about the loss of actor Patrick Swayze last week, I learned of the death of another artist which somehow through inattention or Alzheimer's I somehow missed or forgot I heard about.
That would be the March 2nd, 2008 death of the Canadian guitar virtuoso Jeff Healey. Here is a photo of him as he appeared with Swayze as the leader of the house band in the movie "Road House:"
Adopted by a firefighter father from his birth mother, Healey lost his eyesight to a rare cancer at the age of 8 months, started playing guitar at the age of 3, and went on to live another 40 years of life "vision-less" while attaining great recognition as a guitarist and musical executive.
Imagine never remembering seeing the sun or your mom or your dog or even the guitar you make a living playing laying in your lap?
Click on this link and take a listen to his song "Angle Eyes" which I have the audacity to sing every now and again in public:
The Jeff Healey Band - Angel Eyes (Official Music Video) - The best video clips are here
Unfortunately, Cancer has a long memory...and it came back to get him in the end, but today I celebrate Mr. Healey's victories and successes and realize that I really don't have it so bad when I start feeling sorry for myself.
No comments:
Post a Comment