Call him a "guitar god" or a "guitarist's guitarist," but Jeff Beck was in a class by himself. One of the most acclaimed guitarists in rock and roll history died Tuesday after contracting bacterial meningitis, according to a statement released by a publicist on behalf of his family. He was 78 years old.
Beck was born in Wallington, England in 1944. He became enamored with the guitar as a child and first came to prominence playing in The Yardbirds, where he replaced Eric Clapton and played alongside Jimmy Page, who also joined the group. Beck left the band shortly after, and formed The Jeff Beck Group (along with a then little-known singer named Rod Stewart). But across an extensive discography, his versatility spoke louder than his name. Beck could play rock, jazz, blues, soul or anything else that caught his ear, and still sound like himself.
