British musician Jeff Beck, widely regarded as the most influential rock guitarist of all time, has died at the age of 78.. Beck's cause of death was bacterial meningitis..

“On behalf of his family, it is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Jeff Beck.. After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he passed away peacefully yesterday,"

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Beck rose to prominence in the 1960s when he was a member of The Yardbirds.. Later he also collaborated with Led Zeppelin, and in 1967 he founded his own collective The Jeff Beck Group.

Beck's work has had a huge impact on such areas as blues rock, hard rock, fusion and others.. In 1990, according to the results of a poll by The Observer newspaper, Beck was recognized as the most outstanding guitarist in the world.. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine included Jeff as one of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time, and in 2009, Beck was included in a similar list by British Classic Rock magazine..

Beck has also won seven Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, in 1992 and 2009..