It's an incredibly sad day for music fans all over the world. Legendary musician Jeff Beck has died.
According to the musician's family, Beck died suddenly from bacterial meningitis. He was 78 years old.
"On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck's passing," his representatives said in a statement. "After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday. His family asks for privacy while they process this tremendous loss."
Beck first came onto the scene when he replaced Eric Clapton in the British band the Yardbirds. The year was 1965. While he wouldn't be with the band long, it was his first taste of music fame. Soon he started his own band, the Jeff Beck Group, with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood.
The band broke up on the eve of Woodstock.
Beck kept on making music, revamping the band with vocalist Alex Ligertwood, keyboardist Max Middleton, drummer Cozy Powell, and bassist Clive Chapman. Bobby Tench also joined on vocals and guitar. The band broke up after two years, and Beck shifted again.
He collaborated with bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice to produce an album, fittingly called Beck, Bogert & Appice, and performed with David Bowie before leaning into his solo career. He released the album Blow by Blow in 1975, which George Martin produced.
Shockingly, there were no lead vocals. Still, the album was widely well received. It set the tone for the kind of music Beck would continue to produce.
The musician was becoming a bona fide superstar, known for being a true innovator, a kind of creative genius. His music, which incorporated jazz, electronica, hip-hop, and more, simply didn't sound like anyone else's.
Eventually, he made 10 solo albums over the course of his incredible career.
Beck became an absolute legend and would receive many accolades over the course of his career. In 2014, he was honored with the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors' Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for both the Yardbirds and his career as a solo artist. He was also named one of the top five in Rolling Stone's greatest guitarists of all time.
In 2022, Beck collaborated with Johnny Depp on an album. He also recorded two tracks with Ozzy Osbourne. The album and the title track, which Beck was on, earned him a Grammy nomination.
In his career, he earned six Grammys for best rock instrumental performance. He also won for best pop instrumental performance and best pop collaboration with vocals.
