Iconic Rock Guitarist Jeff Beck Dies At 78

Legendary rock guitarist Jeff Beck died on Tuesday at the age of 78.

According to his publicist, Melissa Dragich, the cause of death was bacterial meningitis.

JEFF BECK CAUSE OF DEATH

During the 60s and 70s, Beck was well-known as a member of the Yardbirds and a leader of his own bands. To this day, he is still admired as one of the most skilled and influential guitarists in rock history.

He joined the Yardbirds in 1965, replacing Eric Clapton. The band was one of the defining acts of the electric blues genre, but Beck’s contributions to songs like “Over Under Sideways Down” and “Shapes of Things” pushed the band into a more psychedelic rock direction.

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In 1968, Beck formed his own band called the Jeff Beck Group, whose lineup included bassist Ron Wood, drummer Mickey Waller and singer Rod Stewart.

In 1975, Beck began his solo career with the album Blow by Blow. It became a Billboard Top 5 hit and reached platinum status.

Although he rose to fame during the British Invasion and the growth of blues-rock, the guitarist continued to explore other genres, going from jazz fusion to orchestral rock (2010’s Emotion and Commotion) to heavy metal (2022’s Patient Number 9 with Ozzy Osbourne).

Beck was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as part of the Yardbirds and in 2009 as a solo artist.

Last year, Beck toured with actor Johnny Depp. The duo recorded a cover album together entitled 18.

After the announcement of his death, Stewart wrote that Beck “was one of the few guitarists that when playing live would actually listen to me sing and respond.”

Wood also wrote on Twitter, “I feel like one of my band of brothers has left this world, and I’m going to dearly miss him.”

Beck is survived by his wife Sandra.