United Kingdom: The veteran rock guitarist Mr. Jeff Beck has died at age 78 after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis.”
“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. His family asks for privacy while they process this tremendous loss,” Mr. Jeff Beck’s team posted on the musician’s official social media page.
Mr. Beck’s real name was Geoffrey Arnold Beck, and he was born in Surrey, England. The legendary artist is known for giving iconic single hits like “Heart Full of Soul,” “I’m a Man,” and “Shape of Things.”
The British musician 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.
Mr. Beck received seven Grammys for instrumental performances and an eighth for his 2009 work on Herbie Hancock’s “The Imagine Project.”
“Jeff Beck was on another planet. He took me and Ronnie Wood to the USA in the late 1960s with his band, the Jeff Beck Group, and we haven’t looked back since. He was one of the few guitarists that, when playing live, would actually listen to me sing and respond. Jeff, you were the greatest, my man. Thank you for everything. RIP,” singer Sir Rod Stewart shared as a response to the news of Mr. Beck’s death.
Rolling Stones frontman Sir Mick Jagger shared that music had lost a wonderful man and “one of the greatest guitar players in the world.”
Singer Mr. Paul Young commented in a Twitter post that “he was loved by everyone in the know, the guitarists’ guitarist.”