Jeff Beck Dead at 78: Iconic Rock Star Dies After ‘Suddenly Contracting Bacterial Meningitis’

usmagazine.com:

An icon gone. Guitarist Jeff Beck died after a short battle with meningitis, his family announced. He was 78 years old.“On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing,” the two-time Hall of Fame inductee’s family said in a statement to Us Weekly on Wednesday, January 11, one day after the singer’s death. “After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday.

His family asks for privacy while they process this tremendous loss.”Per the Mayo Clinic, meningitis — which can be either viral or bacterial — “is an infection and inflammation of the fluid and membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord.” Though rarer than its viral counterpart, bacterial meningitis is by far the more serious of the two, with the organization noting it “can cause death within days without prompt antibiotic treatment” and* “delayed treatment also increases the risk of permanent brain damage.”Beck won eight Grammy awards throughout his illustrious career, which included 18 studio albums from 1968 to 2022.

His final record, 18, was a collaboration with close friend Johnny Depp, who famously performed with the musician amid the actor’s trial against Amber Heard in May.The “Going Down” singer — who performed both solo and with various bands, including the Yardbirds and his own Jeff Beck Group, over the years — embarked on tour last fall, traveling the country from September 2022 to November 2022 with fellow musicians Depp, 59, ZZ Top and Ann Wilson.Beck’s fellow rockers expressed their shock and devastation at the news of the Grammy winner’s unexpected death.“I can’t express how saddened I am to hear of @JeffBeckMusic’s passing,” Ozzy Osbourne wrote via