By Steve Newton
I always thought Jeff Healey was one of the greatest blues-rock guitarists that ever lived. I rank him right up there with Stevie Ray Vaughan, and that’s sayin’ a lot.
I got to interview Healey three times before he passed away from cancer in 2008 at the age of 41. I chatted with him in 1988, 1989, and 1993.
I was also fortunate enough to have seen him in concert a few times, including at Vancouver’s Yale Hotel and Town Pump on the same day in July of ’88 and on a bill with Robert Cray and Colin James at the Pacific Coliseum in 1992.
I didn’t see him play a New Year’s Eve gig with Bachman-Turner Overdrive at Vancouver’s 86 Street Music Hall on December 31, 1990, but fortunately for all the dedicated Healey fans out there, producer/engineer Larry Anschell of Turtle Recording Studios was there with his mobile recording van, and he captured the entire gig for a live radio broadcast.
Anschell was kind enough to give Ear of Newt exclusive access to the audio, as he has recently with live recordings of Kick Axe, Paul Rodgers, and Pat Travers.
Enjoy.
Setlist:
1. “My Little Girl” (from See the Light, 1988)
2. “Blue Jean Blues” (ZZ Top cover)
3. “I Think I Love You Too Much” (Dire Straits cover)
4. “How Long Can a Man Be Strong” (from Hell to Pay, 1990)
5. “Something to Hold On to” (from Hell to Pay, 1990)
6. “That’s What They Say” (from See the Light, 1988)
7. “I Can’t Get My Hands on You” (from Hell to Pay, 1990)
8. “Full Circle” (from Hell to Pay, 1990)
9. “Angel Eyes” (John Hiatt cover)
10. “Roadhouse Blues” (Doors cover)
11. *See the Light” (from See the Light, 1988)
12. “Life Beyond the Sky” (from Hell to Pay, 1990)
13. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (Beatles cover)
Have a listen:
To hear the full audio of my 1988 interview with Jeff Healey subscribe to my Patreon page, where you can eavesdrop on over 500 of my uncut, one-on-one conversations with musicians since 1982.