Jeff Beck, the celebrated British guitarist who rose to fame through the band Yardbirds in the 60’s has died. He was 78.
A statement from his family said that he died on Tuesday after “suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis”, adding that, “His family asks for privacy while they process this tremendous loss.
Often described as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Beck – whose fingers and thumbs were famously insured for £7m (Sh1 billion) pioneered jazz-rock, experimented with fuzz and distortion effects and paved the way for heavier subgenres such as psych rock and heavy metal over the course of his career.
He was an eight-time Grammy winner and was ranked fifth in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”