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English guitarist Jeff Beck, one of the most influential guitarists of all time, has passed away at the age of 78.
The news of his death was announced by his family via his Twitter handle on January 11.
"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. His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss."
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Beck died at a hospital near his house in Surrey, England.
Jeff Beck rocked with several bands alongside his solo career
Jeff Beck quickly rose to fame when he joined Yardbirds in 1965, replacing Eric Clapton. Beck's time with the band overlapped with Jimmy Page, who switched to playing the second guitar from the bass.
Beck and the Yardbirds released several hits in the United Kingdom like Evil Hearted You, Heart Full of Soul, and Shapes of Things. Although his input to the band helped the Yardbirds make a mark during the late 1960s psychedelic revolution, his unpredictability put him at odds with his co-players.
While speaking with Something Else! in 2015, drummer Jim McCarty said:
“Jeff was a pretty wild character, very highly strung and unpredictable. When it worked with him it was great, but [he] could be very difficult.”
He was fired from the band in 1966 after not showing up for a nationwide tour sponsored by Dick Clark.
Post that, Beck had a solo career before he formed the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood. They released several Billboard acclaimed songs like Truth, Beck-Ola, and Jeff Beck Group.
He also formed a supergroup comprising bassist Tim Bogert and drummer Carmine Appice, and released an album Beck, Bogert & Appice in 1973.
After the group got dissolved, Jeff Beck focused on a solo career and released two chart-topping albums, Blow by Blow and Wired in 1975 and 1976 respectively. Both albums saw platinum-selling success that helped Beck set a higher bar for instrumental rock guitar.
Throughout the 80s and 90s, Beck's career graph remained stagnant as he only released three albums that underperformed. He made some influential collaborations with other musicians like Jon Bon Jovi, Roger Waters, and Kate Bush.
In 1992, Beck was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of his former band, Yardbirds. During his speech, he did not seem proud about it as he mentioned that the band kicked him out.
All in all, Beck won seven Grammy awards and was inducted into the Rock Hall in 2009 as a solo artist. He most recently collaborated with actor Johnny Depp and released an album, 18.
Twitter reactions to Jeff Beck's death
After Beck's death was announced via his Twitter handle, Twitterati paid tribute to the iconic guitarist. Several famed musicians and longtime friends of the deceased shared tributes on the social media platform while remembering his contribution to the music industry.
Beck is survived by his wife, Sandra Cash, whom he married in 2005.
