It’s truly sad to say Jeff Beck has died. Jeff Beck was unique in several ways. He was famous as a guitarist, AND underrated. You’ll see a lot of guitarists paying their respects, and with good reason.
He was a truly extraordinary guitarist, at home at the top of the neck like few other guitarists have ever been. His name belongs firmly and forever as one of the all-time greats. Rolling Stone rated him as Number 5 on a list of all-time great guitarists.
Beck’s career is odd for a globally recognized artist. He became well-known as a member of the Yardbirds, a band that also included Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page, lifelong friends of Beck’s. Unlike Beck and Page, he didn’t quite become a household name like them.
Instead, he became the go-to guitarist for the entire music scene for generations. He wasn’t part of the musical furniture. He was a major part of what made the buildings stand up.
He worked with everybody. His list of recording credits is almost unbelievable. He also worked a lot with Rod Stewart and many other top artists over the years on a more or less routine basis, with or without adequate acknowledgment. Doesn’t seem to have bothered him much.
Beck was an exceptional mix of a rock and roll guitarist and an aesthetic guitarist. His style was never really put in any particular bag. The range of artists and styles he worked with is a good indicator of his scope as a guitarist.
He was never a cliché. He could work with Rod Stewart and Donovan and do his own solo work at the same time. If there’s ever a Saint Telecaster, it’s probably him.
This is a case where “sorely missed” barely begins to describe it. Every word of praise, every accolade, and every expression of respect is thoroughly deserved.
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