The Jeff Healey Band formed in Toronto with Jeff Healey on guitar, Joe Rockman on bass, and Tom Stephen on drums. Healey played guitar flat on his lap, a technique he developed after losing his sight to retinoblastoma as an infant. Their self-titled debut album came out in 1988 and included 'Angel Eyes,' which became their best-known track.
That album mixed blues, rock, and jazz, and it found an audience beyond Toronto's clubs. They followed it with 'See the Light' and kept touring. Healey's lap-style playing drew attention, sometimes raising questions about whether his disability overshadowed the music itself, but the band's shows were consistently well-received.
Their recordings included covers like 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' and 'All Along The Watchtower,' alongside original material. The Jeff Healey Band's sound was defined by Healey's fluid, unconventional guitar work over Rockman and Stephen's steady rhythm section.
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