Mick Jagger can’t hold back his tears: “We will all miss him so much…” Jeff Beck, the man who redefined guitar music in the 1960’s, passed away Thursday at the age of 78.

The news of his sudden loss was shared on Twitter by members of his closest family.

“On behalf of his family, it is with deep and profound sadness that we share the news of Jeff Beck’s passing,” the statement said. “After suddenly contracting bacterial meningitis, he peacefully passed away yesterday. His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss.” Regarded among the greatest of all time, Beck constantly pushed boundaries and was a central figure in the key development of rock music.

Throughout the course of his career, which spanned five decades, Beck experimented with new sounds and approaches, which brought freshness in the world of music.
Beck joined the Yardbirds in 1965, replacing Eric Clapton. He stayed with the band for around two years, but it was during that period that he invented use of feedback, something that influenced other great names in the industry. Speaking of that technique, Beck told BBC Radio 2’s Johnnie Walker, “That [technique] came as an accident.