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English guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck dies at 78

Beck's family revealed that he recently contracted bacterial meningitis leading to his death.

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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.

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.

A guitar virtuoso and innovator who was also one of the world's great rhythm and blues interpreters, Beck died "peacefully" after being stricken by illness.

He passed away peacefully on Tuesday after suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, the family said.

"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 yesterday," a statement on the English-born musician's website 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.

🙏Now Jeff has gone, I feel like one of my band of brothers has left this world, and I’m going to dearly miss him. I’m sending much sympathy to Sandra, his family, and all who loved him. I want to thank him for all our early days together in Jeff Beck Group, conquering America. pic.twitter.com/UareDAdtZ9
— Ronnie Wood (@ronniewood) January 11, 2023

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.

'Genius guitar player'

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."

SOURCE: TRTWorld and agencies