Jeff Beck, the influential, genre-bending English guitarist who rose to fame with The Yardbirds before later embarking on a solo career, has died at the age of 78, his family announced on social media on Wednesday.
He passed away peacefully on Tuesday after suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, the family said.
Beck is a two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee - in 1992 for his work with The Yardbirds and as a solo performer in 2009. In 2015, Rolling Stone magazine ranked Beck as the fifth greatest guitarist of all time, one spot ahead of blues icon B.B. King.
In 2022, Beck released his final album: "18," a 13-track collection of mostly cover songs, with Hollywood star Johnny Depp.
"We slowly built songs that we just like. We didn’t really make any design," Beck said at the time.
A native of Wallington, England, Beck won his first Grammy award in 1985 with the instrumental "Escape." He would go on to win seven more of the gold-plated statuettes in his career.
Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi mourned Beck's death on Twitter, saying he was shocked to hear of his passing.
"Jeff was such a nice person and an outstanding iconic, genius guitar player - there will never be another Jeff Beck," Iommi wrote. "His playing was very special & distinctively brilliant! He will be missed."
Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page, also a former Yardbirds member, paid tribute to Beck, saying his technique was unique and imagination limitless.
"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," he said. "Jeff, I will miss you along with your millions of fans."
“With the death of Jeff Beck we have lost a wonderful man and one of the greatest guitar players in the world,” Mick Jagger wrote. “We will all miss him so much.”
Rod Stewart, who toured with the Jeff Beck Group in the late 60s, called him “one of the few guitarists that when playing live would actually listen to me sing and respond ... you were the greatest, my man. Thank you for everything.”
Ozzy Osbourne tweeted, “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 honour to have known Jeff and an incredible honor to have had him play on my most recent album.”
Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour wrote, “I am devastated to hear the news of the death of my friend and hero Jeff Beck, whose music has thrilled and inspired me and countless others for so many years … He will be forever in our hearts.”
Johnny Marr called him “a pioneer and one of the all time greats”, while Whitesnake’s David Coverdale wrote, “Oh, My Heart … RIP, Jeff … I miss you already”.
The Kinks’ Dave Davies tweeted, “I’m heartbroken he looked in fine shape to me. Playing great he was in great shape. I’m shocked and bewildered … it don’t make sense I don’t get it. He was a good friend and a great guitar player.”
With inputs from The Guardian
