Rock ‘n roll legend pays tribute to Belleville’s Bob Heil with social media post

Even if you don’t know the song or artist by name, you’d instantly recognize the opening of Peter Frampton’s “Show Me the Way.”

The synthesized scat-like singing made famous on one of rock ‘n rolls best-selling albums, “Frampton Comes Alive,” was made possible by legendary sound and radio engineer Bob Heil, who died of cancer last week at age 83.

The long-time owner of Heil Sound Company in Fairview Heights and Belleville resident made many innovations that shaped rock music in the 1970s and 80s, but none are as well known as the Heil Talk Box, made famous by Frampton’s record.

It was used by Joe Walsh of the Eagles, Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, and others and is on display at the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

Walsh visited Heil at Addington Place Retirement and Assisted Living Center in Shiloh just weeks before his death. And Frampton joined other sound engineers and ham radio users in memorializing Heil and his contributions on X, which was formerly known as Twitter.

“I am sorry to hear of the loss of my friend for so many years, Bob Heil. A musician, inventor, ham radio expert, @Heilsound and microphones. He gave me a very important present mid seventies. The Heil Talkbox! Can never thank Bob enough. Rest in power my friend.”