thinking about jeff healey

i met jeff healey twice. once during the wendel clark goobye party at mel lastmaan square and the second time at his own pub downtown. i know more people who knew him better and had more memories with him have more of a right to talk about this legendary canuk musician but i'll always remember those two times as very inspirational meetings.

the first time at clark's goodbye party, i was backstage hanging out with the guys from ez rock when healey came by to say hi tom rivers. they both had respect for each other and both always admitted on being fans of each other. healey stated how he was always shy and felt like a boy again when he was talking to rivers - his favorite radio disk jockey from yesteryear. after the two caught up for a few minutes tom introduced me to healey. i told him how it was an honor to meet him and that his track angle eyes was a huge hit at my class dances back in elementary school. he then responded by asking me if he looked that old by saying that i sounded like i was in my 20's. of course, i knew he was joking but it was that kind hearted joking around happy type of person healey struck me as that made me respect him even more. for some reason, i thought he'd be different. more down, or frustrated or upset. healey though was just the opposite.


the second time i met him i saw him at his pub during cmw 2001. i introduced myself as rivers' little pal from wendel clark's party. he remembered me. he smiled and said, "oh yeah, you were the that 25 year old who used to listen to me in elementary school". i laughed and said yes. i told him how i was volunteering tonight at his pub and was attending trebas institute for music business. he sat down with me for a few minutes talking to me about the industry. the low parts. the high parts. the drawbacks. the politics. but as long as he was talking about it you can tell healey loved it. it was his passion. he loved everything about it.


it's the passion and humor that made healey more than just a canadian artist but a legend who will be greatly missed.


rock on, jeff.