Jeff Beck, full name Geoffrey Arnold Beck, was born on June 24, 1944 in Wallington, London. He learned to play the guitar as a teenager and after leaving school attended the Wimbledon College of Art.
In 1960, Jeff Beck began working as a session guitarist, but in 1965 joined the band the Yardbirds to replace original band member Eric Clapton. He was recommended by Jimmy Page a fellow session guitarist and a ex teenage friend of Jeff Beck’s sister.
Although Jeff Beck played with the Yardbirds on one album, it was the period of their greatest number of hit songs and is still remembered to this day. Jimmy Page also played bass on the album.
Jeff Beck was fired from the Yardbirds in 1966 while on tour in the USA. He returned to the UK to form his own band. The first Jeff Beck group featured him on lead guitar, Rod Stewart on vocals, Ronnie Wood on bass, Nicky Hopkins on piano, and Mickey Waller an experienced and successful session man on drums. The band produced two gold albums, “Truth “and “Beckola” including the hit “Hi Ho Silver Lining” before disbanding in 1969.
Jeff Beck went on to use other line ups for the Jeff Beck group and has had an illustrious musical career. Usually working with his own band or as a solo performer, his career has spanned over 50 years and he has worked with all the great musicians from the 1960s until the present day, including Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, Morrissey and many others.
He has released over 22 albums won four Grammy awards and his associations with other artists seem almost endless.
Jeff Beck has been described as the guitarist’s guitarist. He usually plays a Fender Stratocaster but also a Telecaster or a Gibson Les Paul on occasions. Jeff Beck is known for his technical brilliance combined with the use of the effects pedals and vibrato bar (tremolo) which gives his playing a unique sound.
Jeff Beck’s most recent album is “Emotion and Commotion” released in 2010.