Jeff Healey 1966 2008

Back in the mid 1980's I was heavily involved in Toronto's Queen Street blues scene. I had a group called The Alexander-Willms band. The rhythm section consisted of Joe Rockman on bass and Tom Steven on drums. One night we all gathered at The Birds Nest on Queen to set up for a gig only to be told that we were double booked and the other band had already set up. I was so pissed off, having driven in from Waterloo, that I said I need a break and sort of disbanded the group. Tom and Joe went to Grossmans Tavern later that night, met Jeff Healey and the Jeff Healey band was born. The rest, as they say, is rock and roll history. Jeff and I became good friends and I played on stage with him many times....so many stories could be told. Jeff died Sunday night of the cancer that dogged him his entire life and there is this big hole in my heart. The 45 pictured above is the first record he ever made...first pressing...signed by the band. Such genius only comes along every once in a while and he will be greatly missed!!!