Editor's note: This story was originally published by the Belleville News-Democrat.
A private family service will be held in memory of Bob Heil, a metro-east native known for revolutionizing the sound systems used by rock bands in the 1970s and creating a high-powered “talk box” used by rock stars to modify their voice.
Heil, a sound engineer who grew up in Marissa and lived in Belleville, died Wednesday following a “brave battle with cancer,” according to his obituary with the Kurrus Funeral Home in Belleville. He was 83.
The Heil Talk Box can be heard on Peter Frampton’s 1976 album “Frampton Comes Alive!,” which is ranked as one of the highest selling live albums in rock history. Joe Walsh of the Eagles and Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi also have used the Heil Talk Box.
“The Heil Talk Box was the first high-powered talk box on the market, which could reliably be used on high-level rock stages,” according to his obituary. His invention is featured in a display at the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. Rock stars sang into a plastic tube that was next to their microphone to create the unique sound.
When the Grateful Dead needed a sound system for a concert at the Fabulous Fox Theatre in 1970 in St. Louis, Heil was asked to help out.
“Bob provided his own sound system for the show which was such a success that the band asked Bob and his sound system to join them on the road,” his obituary states.
That led to Heil designing sound systems and touring with The Who on their Who’s Next tour in 1971.
Heil became a professional performer on the Wurlitzer theater organ at the Fox Theater in St. Louis when he was 15.
“During that time, he learned to tune and voice the thousands of pipes in that great Wurlitzer organ. It was the platform that taught Bob how to listen – mentally dissecting discrete tones which became so important throughout his several careers,” his obituary states.
Heil opened the Ye Olde Music Shop in Marissa, which eventually became the Heil Sound company.
Heil also was known for his work with home theater installations, writing books about sound technology and his involvement with ham radio operators.
A public funeral service will not be conducted.
Mike Koziatek is a reporter with the Belleville News-Democrat, a news partner of St. Louis Public Radio.
