The Tragic Death Of Music Legend Jeff Beck
The family of legendary guitarist Jeff Beck announced that the '60s musician sadly died on January 10. According to the statement released on his Twitter account, Beck "peacefully passed away" after he "suddenly [contracted] bacterial meningitis." He, unfortunately, joins the growing list of celebrity causes of death we didn't see coming. Tragically — per Johns Hopkins Medicine — bacterial meningitis is a deadly infection that very quickly affects the brain and spinal cord. The musician was 78 years old at the time of his tragic death.
Known for his out-of-this-world guitar skills with The Yardbirds and other iconic groups, Beck was a great influence on the generations of rockers who came after him. Paul Stanley, the lead guitarist of the band KISS, shared his condolences for the music innovator. "WOW. What awful news. Jeff Beck, one of the all time guitar masters has died," Stanley lamented on his Twitter. "From The Yardbirds and The Jeff Beck Group on, he blazed a trail impossible to follow. Play on now and forever," he added.
Jeff Beck was one of the most decorated, revered guitarists
The impact of Jeff Beck's immense talent and career cannot be overstated — he was just that good! His work with the '60s London-based band, The Yardbirds, brought him notoriety, but he went on to front other bands like The Jeff Beck Group and the trio Beck, Bogert & Appice. The genre-defying guitarist is often credited for being one of the pioneers of the combination of rock n' roll, blues, and folk music, creating a new sound in the British rock scene, per Variety.
Beck was not just inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame once, but TWICE. The first time was as a member of the Yardbirds in 1992, and the second time was in 2009 on his own solo merit. The English musician won a total of eight Grammy Awards along with a whopping 17 nominations. In 2015, Rolling Stone dubbed Beck one of the "100 Greatest Guitarists" of all time, coming in at the number five spot for his "combination of brilliant technique with personality."
Our condolences go out to Beck's loved ones.