Legendary English rock guitarist Jeff Beck, known for his work with the Yardbirds and the Jeff Beck Group, has died at the age of 78, his family has said.
The Grammy award-winning musician died “peacefully” on Tuesday after contracting bacterial meningitis. He is survived by his wife, Sandra.
A statement posted on the musician’s official Twitter page read: “On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing.
“After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday.
“His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss.”
Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page paid tribute to “the six-stringed warrior” and praised his “apparently limitless” musical imagination.
Kiss bassist Gene Simmons said news of Jeff Beck’s death was “heartbreaking”.
He wrote: “Heartbreaking news to report the late, great Jeff Back has sadly passed.
“No one played guitar like Jeff. Please get a hold of the first two Jeff Beck Group albums and behold greatness. RIP.”
Paul Young added: “Devastated to hear of the sudden and tragic death of legendary guitarist Jeff Beck. He was loved by everyone in the know; the guitarists guitarist! My condolences to his family & friends RIP.”
Ozzy Osbourne wrote: “I can’t express how saddened I am to hear of Jeff Beck’s passing. What a terrible loss for his family, friends & his many fans. It was such an honor to have known Jeff & an incredible honor to have had him play on my most recent album.”
Tony Iommi, guitarist for Black Sabbath, tweeted: “Jeff was such a nice person and an outstanding iconic, genius guitar player — there will never be another Jeff Beck.”
Born in Surrey, Beck developed a passion for music as a child. His father was an accountant, and his mother worked in a chocolate factory. As a boy, he built his first instrument, using a cigar box, a picture frame for the neck and string from a radio-controlled toy airplane. He went on to attend Wimbledon Art College.
He first came to prominence as a member of the Yardbirds and then went out on his own in a solo career that incorporated hard rock, jazz, funky blues and even opera. He was known for his improvising, love of harmonics and the whammy bar on his preferred guitar, the Fender Stratocaster.
“Jeff Beck is the best guitar player on the planet,” Joe Perry, the lead guitarist of Aerosmith, told The New York Times in 2010. “He is head, hands and feet above all the rest of us, with the kind of talent that appears only once every generation or two.”
Beck was among the rock-guitarist pantheon from the late ’60s that included Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix. Beck won eight Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice — once with the Yardbirds in 1992 and again as a solo artist in 2009. He was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”
He played guitar with vocalists as varied as Luciano Pavarotti, Macy Gray, Chrissie Hynde, Joss Stone, Imelda May, Cyndi Lauper, Wynonna Judd, Buddy Guy and Johnny Depp. He made two records with Rod Stewart — 1968’s “Truth” and 1969’s “Beck-Ola” — and one with a 64-piece orchestra, “Emotion & Commotion.”
Beck had last year caused controversy by performing with Johnny Depp while the actor’s defamation battle with his ex-wife Amber Heard over allegations of sexual violence and domestic abuse was still ongoing.
As news of his death broke, tributes came from many including Kiss frontman Paul Stanley, who described him as “one of the all time guitar masters”.
Posting a picture of Beck on his Twitter, he wrote: “WOW. What awful news.
“Jeff Beck, one of the all time guitar masters has died.
“From The Yardbirds and The Jeff Beck Group on, he blazed a trail impossible to follow. Play on now and forever.”
Steve Hackett of Genesis said: “Devastating news about the loss of much loved, influential guitar legend Jeff Beck. He made the electric guitar sing… a powerful influence on myself and many others.”
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin added: “His technique unique. His imaginations apparently limitless. Jeff I will miss you along with your millions of fans. Jeff Beck Rest in Peace.”
Additional reporting by agencies
