Jeff Beck, the celebrated guitarist who played with the Yardbirds and led the pioneering Jeff Beck Group, has died at the age of 78, his representative announced.
Beck died on Tuesday after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis,” the representative confirmed. “His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss,” they added.
Upon news of his death, celebrated musicians from around the world paid tribute. Brian Wilson wrote>, “I’m so sad to hear about Jeff Beck passing. Jeff was a genius guitar player, and me and my band got to see it close up when we toured with him in 2013. One of the highlights we did was ‘Danny Boy’ – we both loved that song. Love & Mercy to Jeff’s family.”
Added Sean Ono Lennon, “Truly one of the greats. R.I.P.”
Said Jimmy Page, “The six stringed Warrior is no longer here for us to admire the spell he could weave around our mortal emotions. Jeff could channel music from the ethereal. His technique unique. His imaginations apparently limitless. Jeff I will miss you along with your millions of fans.”
Mick Jagger also wrote a tribute, saying, “With the death of Jeff Beck we have lost a wonderful man and one of the greatest guitar players in the world. We will all miss him so much.”
Wrote uDiscover staffer Tim Peacock, Jeff Beck’s childhood saw him surrounded by music; from the endlessly playing radio, to his homemade guitar and the countless hours he spent pouring over records and playing music with his friend, Jimmy Page. “I didn’t have to think about taking up guitar, I just wanted to pour my feelings into it” said Beck. Around the same time his love of classic cars was ignited from watching American B-movies featuring hot rods, and his two great passions in life were born.
After briefly attending art school in London, Beck began playing with Screaming Lord Sutch until, after Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds, Jimmy Page recommended Beck as his replacement. Although already a popular group by that time, the Yardbirds had many of their biggest hits during Beck’s short run in the band, including the 1966 album Yardbirds. Beck was in the Yardbirds for less than, leaving the group in 1966 due to tensions that had arisen during a US tour.
In 1968, Beck released Truth, his celebrated debut solo album. Three years later, he released an album with the Jeff Beck Group, Beck-Ola but had his solo career derailed after he suffered a head injury in a car accident.
Beck’s career continued to span into different genres. In the mid-70s, Beck supported John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra on tour, an experience that radically changed how he saw music. “Watching [McLaughlin] and the sax player trading solos, I thought, ‘This is me’,” he said in 2016, according to The Guardian.
Over the course of his career, Beck accumulated 17 Grammy nominations, including one for Best Rock Performance in this year’s ceremony, and has won eight. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice, both on his own and with The Yardbirds.