Guitar legend Jeff Beck has died at 78, his representatives said in a statement. The statement said Beck passed away Tuesday after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis.”“On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing,” the statement said.
After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday,” the statement added. “His family asks for privacy while they process this tremendous loss.”Beck’s style was influenced by a variety of genres, including rock, blues and jazz fusion.He played the Fender Stratocaster without a plectrum, with his style also incorporating the whammy bar and harmonics.
Beck’s first foray into stardom began with English rock band The Yardbirds. The band experimented with new sounds during the psychedelic era of the 1960s, bringing Middle Eastern and Indian influences into the mix. In the mid-1960s, the Yardbirds not only included Beck in their lineup, but also Jimmy Page, who would go on to perform in the rock phenomenon Led Zeppelin.Beck later went on to a successful solo career, collaborating with other artists and forming the Jeff Beck Group.He is widely considered to be one of the greatest electric guitar players to ever grace the stage.