Jeff Beck , the legendary guitarist, has died at the age of 78. The news was confirmed by the musician's representatives.
Beck died last Tuesday, the 10th, after "suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis," his representative confirmed. "His family requests privacy while they process this tremendous loss," he added.
Often described as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Beck was known as a great innovator. He pioneered jazz-rock, experimented with fuzz and distortion effects, and started heavier subgenres.
Beck was born Geoffrey Beck in 1944 in Wallington, South London. As a child, he sang in a church choir and began playing guitar in his teens. Beck joined the Yardbirds in 1965 and, despite the band's already successful career, the addition of the guitarist brought great hits, including the fame of their self-titled 1966 album.
As a solo artist, the guitarist has released 11 studio albums and participated in various projects with fellow musicians, most recently the tracks "Patient Number 9" and "A Thousand Shades" from Ozzy Osbourne 's Patient Number 9 .