Jeff Healey posthumously won awards in four categories at the 12th annual Maple Blues Awards.
Monday at the Phoenix Concert Theatre in Toronto, the late Jeff Healey was named Canada's blues Entertainer of the Year, Electric Act of the Year and Guitarist of the Year. He also won Recording of the Year for the album Mess of Blues, released on March 11, 2008, only nine days after his death.
Healey's bandmates also won awards for their work with the Jeff Healey Band. Alec Fraser won Bassist of the Year, Al Webster for Drummer of the Year and Dave Murphy for Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year.
The Maple Blues Awards, organized by the Toronto Blues Society and supported by blues societies across Canada, recognize the best of Canadian blues musicians. Winners were chosen by the public from a list of nominees.
Healey, who started to play the guitar at the age of three, was raised in Etobicoke. He continued to live in the community until his death on March 2, 2008. Healey produced the album Mess of Blues late in 2007.