Who is Jeff Beck? Video of Johnny Depp playing guitar at Sheffield City Hall ahead of trial verdict leaves fans in awe
American actor Johnny Depp appeared at a special performance alongside English singer Jeff Beck in England's Sheffield city on May 29. The singer is currently touring the U.K.
Johnny Depp and Beck performed Isolation, a rendition of the John Lennon song from 1970, as part of their 2020 collaboration. The duo also covered Marvin Gay's What's Going On and Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing.
Depp is expected to join Beck on his following two tour dates, which will take place at London's Royal Albert Hall on May 30 and 31.
Depp fans burst with excitement on social media after seeing the enthusiastic artists reunited and his newly colored hair, which is significantly lighter than what he wore during his court appearances.
Johnny Depp began his career as a musician before becoming an actor. In 2015, he co-founded the band Hollywood Vampires alongside Alice Cooper and Joe Perry.
All about Johnny Depp's stage co-performer, Jeff Beck
Born on June 24, 1944, Jeff Beck is a native of Wallington, England. His full name is Geoffrey Arnold Beck. A supporting role with rocker Screaming Lord Sutch drew teenage guitarist Beck to the notice of blues-rock band the Yardbirds, who hired him as lead guitarist in 1965, replacing Eric Clapton.
After leaving the Yardbirds the following year, Beck formed his band, the Jeff Beck Group, with vocalist Rod Stewart and bassist Ron Wood. The band pioneered a strong, overdriven style to the blues on Truth (1968) and Beck-Ola (1969), laying the basis for early heavy metal.
Stewart and Wood stepped down to join the Small Faces in 1970, while Beck was wounded in a car accident later that year, causing him to break from music. In 1971, he returned with a new Jeff Beck Group with Bobby Tench on lead vocals and Cozy Powell on drums. Rough and Ready (1971) and Jeff Beck Group (1972) were both rhythm-and-blues-influenced albums released.
He also released Beck, Bogert & Appice in 1973 with former Vanilla Fudge members Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert. Following the adverse reaction, the group separated, and Beck went on to pursue a solo career.
Blow by Blow (1975), composed by Beatles associate George Martin, was an all-instrumental, jazz fusion approach in which Beck's guitar performance replaced a lead voice. For the rest of his career, he would mostly record without vocals.
Beck's most commercially successful album was Flash (1985), produced by Nile Rodgers. It included the Grammy-winning song Escape and a rendition of the Impressions' People Get Ready, which had Stewart on vocals and became Beck's first breakthrough record.
Beck began mixing electronic textures and hip-hop rhythms into his songs in the early 21 century, most notably those for 2003's Jeff, which earned a Grammy for the song Plan B. Emotion & Commotion was a return to Beck's blues-rock beginnings, including guest vocalists such as Joss Stone and Imelda May.
That album garnered him two Grammy Awards in 2011, for best pop instrumental and best rock instrumental, and a third for his duet with Herbie Hancock on Imagine.
Beck worked on Loud Hailer's hard rock album with guitarist Carmen Vandenberg and vocalist Rosie Bones. He was admitted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of the Yardbirds and again in 2009 as a solo artist.
Twitter reactions to Johnny Depp's surprise performance
Johnny Depp hailers took to their Twitter handles to share their excitement seeing the actor perform. Several users supported the actor's gig, stating that he is happy after so long, referencing his current court battle with his estranged wife, Amber Heard.
Johnny Depp is taking a break from his high-profile court battle against his ex-wife Amber Heard, which reached the end on May 27 as the jury deliberates. The case has been on the air since April 11, with a ruling due as soon as May 31. Depp is suing Heard for slander and seeking $50 million in damages, while Heard is suing him for twice that amount.
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