It’s a sad day for Canadians and musicians everywhere, guitarist Jeff Healey lost his lifelong battle with Cancer on Sunday at the age of 41. At a time when Canadian music was rarely heard south of the border, Jeff Healey managed sell over a million albums (no small feat for a Canadian artist) and achieve international success with such songs as “See The Light” and “Angel Eyes.” Jeff’s first new rock and blues record in eight years, Mess of Blues is set to be released in North America on April 22, 2008.

Blind rock and jazz musician Jeff Healey has died after a lifelong battle against cancer. He was 41.

Healey died Sunday evening in a Toronto hospital, said bandmate Colin Bray, who was in the room with Healey’s family when the guitarist died.

The Grammy-nominated Healey rose to stardom as the leader of the Jeff Healey Band, a rock-oriented trio that gained international acclaim and platinum record sales with the 1988 album ”See the Light.” The album included the hit single ”Angel Eyes.”

Healey had battled cancer since age 1, when a rare form of retinal cancer known as Retinoblastoma claimed his eyesight.

Due to his blindness, Healey taught himself to play guitar by laying the instrument across his lap.

His unique playing style, combined with his blues-oriented vocals, earned him a reputation as a teenage musical prodigy. He shared stages with George Harrison, B.B. King and Stevie Ray Vaughan. [NYTimes/AP]

Globe and Mail Obituary
CBC.ca Obituary

Mess Of Blues tracklist after the jump.

Mess of Blues Tracklist
1. I’m Torn Down
2. How Blue Can You Get
3. Sugar Sweet
4. Jambalaya
5. The Weight
6. Mess O’ Blues
7. It’s Only Money
8. Like A Hurricane
9. Sittin’ On Top of The World
10. Shake, Rattle and Roll