Chris Martin
British musician
Jeff Beck was an influential English guitarist who rose to prominence with the rock band The Yardbirds. He later founded his own groups and explored various musical genres, earning critical acclaim and numerous Grammy Awards. Despite not achieving the same level of commercial success as some of his contemporaries, Beck is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time.
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About the Jeff Beck
Geoffrey Arnold Beckwas an English guitarist. He rose to prominence as a member of the rock band the Yardbirds, and afterwards founded and fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, he switched to an instrumental style with focus on an innovative sound, and his releases spanned genres and styles ranging from blues rock, hard rock, jazz fusion and a blend of guitar-rock and electronica.
Beck has been consistently ranked in the top five of Rolling Stone and other magazines’ lists of the greatest guitarists. He was often called a “guitarist’s guitarist”. Rolling Stone described him as “one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock”. Although he recorded two successful albumsas a solo act, Beck did not establish or maintain commercial success like that of his contemporaries and bandmates. He recorded with many artists.
Beck earned wide critical praise and received the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times, winning in three categories at the 2010 Grammy Awards for a career total of eight Grammies. In 2014, he received the British Academy’s Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: first as a member of the Yardbirdsand secondly as a solo artist (2009).
Frequently Asked Questions
Jeff Beck was an English guitarist who rose to prominence as a member of the rock band the Yardbirds. He later founded and fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice.
Jeff Beck’s music spanned various genres, including blues rock, hard rock, jazz fusion, and a blend of guitar-rock and electronica.
Jeff Beck won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance six times, winning in three categories at the 2010 Grammy Awards for a career total of eight Grammies.
Jeff Beck was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice: first as a member of the Yardbirds (1992) and secondly as a solo artist (2009).
In 2014, Jeff Beck received the British Academy’s Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music.
Jeff Beck was often called a ‘guitarist’s guitarist’ and was described by Rolling Stone as ‘one of the most influential lead guitarists in rock’.
Although Jeff Beck recorded two successful albums (1975’s Blow by Blow and 1976’s Wired) as a solo act, he did not establish or maintain commercial success like that of his contemporaries and bandmates.
4 Quotes by Jeff Beck
- 1.
I was really small when jazz broke through in England and I can still remember sneaking off to the living room to listen to it on the radio – much to my parent’s disapproval.
Jeff BeckEnglish guitarist (1944-2023)
- 2.
I don’t understand why some people will only accept a guitar if it has an instantly recognizable guitar sound. Finding ways to use the same guitar people have been using for 50 years to make sounds that no one has heard before is truly what gets me off.
Jeff BeckEnglish guitarist (1944-2023)
- 3.
I don’t care about the rules. In fact, if I don’t break the rules at least 10 times in every song then I’m not doing my job properly.
Jeff BeckEnglish guitarist (1944-2023)
- 4.
I play the way I do because it allows me to come up with the sickest sounds possible. That’s the point now isn’t it?
Jeff BeckEnglish guitarist (1944-2023)