Guitar legend Jeff Beck left his entire £28million fortune to his wife when he died, his will documents have revealed. The influential rock musician died at the age of 78 in January of last year after contracting bacterial meningitis.
Jeff rose to fame as part of the Yardbirds where he replaced Eric Clapton before forming the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart. A year and a half after his death, records have shown that his massive estate was valued at £27,604,802 - all of which he left to his second wife Sandra.
The pair married in 2005 in Tunbridge Wells when he was 61 and Sandra was 41, with Sir Paul McCartney among the guests. Documents show a will he signed in 2017 left instructions for Sandra to inherit his legacy.
Inheritance and Legacy
Sandra designed the album cover artwork for Jeff's musical collaboration with actor Johnny Depp. The pair had formed a close friendship and the Pirates Of The Caribbean actor was reportedly at his bedside when he was ill.
Jeff said of the sleeve: 'When Johnny and I started playing together, it really ignited our youthful spirit and creativity. We would joke about how we felt 18 again, so that just became the album title too.' The late star was laid to rest at St Mary's Church in Beddington, Sutton, in the February with a host of rock royalty attending to pay their final respects.
Sir Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood turned out to say farewell alongside Pretenders' star Chrissie Hynde, Sir Tom Jones, and Sir Bob Geldof. Eric Clapton, Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant were also in attendance.
In a statement announcing his death, Jeff's family said: 'On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck's passing. After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away. His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss.' Weeks prior to his death, the former Yardbirds star finished a transatlantic tour with Johnny Depp as they promoted their debut album '18'.
A representative for the man regarded as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, said that Jeff had been ill over the holiday period and passed away at a hospital close to his home in Surrey. The musical maestro played with legends including Tina Turner, Mick Jagger, and Stevie Wonder during his career.
A Life in Music
Born Geoffrey Arnold Beck in Wallington, London, he built his first guitar as a teenager. After a stint at Wimbledon Art College he left to play with rocker Screaming Lord Sutch and the Tridents. When Eric Clapton left the Yardbirds in 1965, Jimmy Page suggested hiring Jeff and he went on to play on hits like I'm A Man and Shapes Of Things where his pioneering use of feedback influenced musicians like Paul McCartney and Jimi Hendrix.
The guitarist stayed with The Yardbirds before declaring he was quitting music but later released his first solo single Hi Ho Silver Lining. Recorded in just three hours the song was his only top 20 hit in the UK charting in both 1967 and 1972. Describing his own playing style, Jeff said: '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? 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.'
A Lasting Legacy
Guitar icon Jeff Beck passed away last year at the age of 78 from bacterial meningitis. His family confirmed his death with a statement that read: “On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing. After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away. His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss.”
Now, it has been confirmed that Beck left his entire £28 million fortune (almost $36 million in USD) to his widow Sandra, including his large estate. Beck and his wife wed in 2005, and he had no children. He reportedly signed a will in 2017 and left instructions for Sandra on how to inherit everything he left behind. He was laid to rest in February 2023 at St Mary’s Church in Beddington, Sutton in London. Many of his famous friends and other rock icons including Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood came to pay tribute to the star, best known for being a part of the band the Yardbirds. In more recent years, he collaborated with actor Johnny Depp, and the two became so close that Depp was reportedly at his bedside during his final days.
The duo played together as they promoted their debut album 18 just weeks before Beck died. Beck played with many other legends over the years including Mick Jagger, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and many, many more. What was your favorite Beck collab or song? Let us know in the comments!
