(CNN) — Jeff Beck, rock guitarist often considered one of the greatest of all time, has died, according to a statement posted on his official social media accounts. He was 78 years old.
Guitarist Jeff Beck, here in an undated photo, has died.
“On behalf of his family, it is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Jeff Beck,” the statement read. “After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he passed away peacefully yesterday. His family asks for privacy as they process this tremendous loss.”
His representative, Melissa Dragich, confirmed the news to CNN via email.
Beck rose to fame in the ’60s when he replaced Eric Clapton on the Yardbirds. He left a year later to start his own group The Jeff Beck Group, with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as part of the Yardbirds and again in 2009 as a solo artist.
English group The Yardbirds, with (from left) Paul Samwell-Smith, Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty, Jeff Beck and Keith Relf, pose together on a London street in 1965. (Val Wilmer/Redferns/Getty Images)
An eight-time Grammy winner, Beck won the first in 1985 for best rock instrumental performance for “Escape.” He went on to win five more times in that category.
Last year, Beck toured with Johnny Depp, after the two recorded a covers album titled “18” together.
Some of Beck’s most respected songs include “Heart Full of Soul,” a 1965 single by the Yardbirds; “I Ain’t Superstitious,” from his 1968 debut solo album with The Jeff Beck Group, “Truth,” and “Freeway Jam,” from his second album, “Blow by Blow” in 1975.
Reacting to the news, Stewart wrote on Twitter that Beck “was one of the few guitarists that when I played live he would hear me sing and respond.”
“Jeff, you were the best, my friend,” he said.
Wood, another of Beck’s former bandmates, also honored his memory on Wednesday, writing on Twitter that he “will be sorely missed.”
Beck (left), here during the 24th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
“I want to thank you for all of our first days together at the Jeff Beck Group, conquering America,” he wrote. “Musically, we were breaking all the rules, it was fantastic, innovative rock ‘n’ roll!”
KISS bassist and co-frontman Gene Simmons called Beck’s death “heartbreaking.”
“No one played guitar like Jeff,” Simmons wrote on Twitter. Please, he gets the first two Jeff Beck Group albums and beholds greatness. He rest in peace.”
Originally from England, Beck is survived by his wife Sandra, according to his representative.
CNN’s Dan Wright and Zahid Mahmood contributed to this report.
(CNN) — Jeff Beck, rock guitarist often considered one of the greatest of all time, has died, according to a statement posted on his official social media accounts. He was 78 years old.
Guitarist Jeff Beck, here in an undated photo, has died.
“On behalf of his family, it is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Jeff Beck,” the statement read. “After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he passed away peacefully yesterday. His family asks for privacy as they process this tremendous loss.”
His representative, Melissa Dragich, confirmed the news to CNN via email.
Beck rose to fame in the ’60s when he replaced Eric Clapton on the Yardbirds. He left a year later to start his own group The Jeff Beck Group, with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as part of the Yardbirds and again in 2009 as a solo artist.
English group The Yardbirds, with (from left) Paul Samwell-Smith, Chris Dreja, Jim McCarty, Jeff Beck and Keith Relf, pose together on a London street in 1965. (Val Wilmer/Redferns/Getty Images)
An eight-time Grammy winner, Beck won the first in 1985 for best rock instrumental performance for “Escape.” He went on to win five more times in that category.
Last year, Beck toured with Johnny Depp, after the two recorded a covers album titled “18” together.
Some of Beck’s most respected songs include “Heart Full of Soul,” a 1965 single by the Yardbirds; “I Ain’t Superstitious,” from his 1968 debut solo album with The Jeff Beck Group, “Truth,” and “Freeway Jam,” from his second album, “Blow by Blow” in 1975.
Reacting to the news, Stewart wrote on Twitter that Beck “was one of the few guitarists that when I played live he would hear me sing and respond.”
“Jeff, you were the best, my friend,” he said.
Wood, another of Beck’s former bandmates, also honored his memory on Wednesday, writing on Twitter that he “will be sorely missed.”
Beck (left), here during the 24th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)
“I want to thank you for all of our first days together at the Jeff Beck Group, conquering America,” he wrote. “Musically, we were breaking all the rules, it was fantastic, innovative rock ‘n’ roll!”
KISS bassist and co-frontman Gene Simmons called Beck’s death “heartbreaking.”
“No one played guitar like Jeff,” Simmons wrote on Twitter. Please, he gets the first two Jeff Beck Group albums and beholds greatness. He rest in peace.”
Originally from England, Beck is survived by his wife Sandra, according to his representative.
CNN’s Dan Wright and Zahid Mahmood contributed to this report.
