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Jeff Beck: Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant leads tributes

Some of rock's biggest stars have paid tribute to guitarist Jeff Beck, who has died at the age of 78.

Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant said the musician's "gift was enormous", recalling his "limitless energy and enthusiasm".

"He took his place side by side with the virtuosos of the period, his mates," the singer added.

Sir Rod Stewart, who sang with the guitarist in the Jeff Beck Group, simply called him "the greatest".

Posting a picture of the pair together on Instagram, he wrote: "Jeff Beck was on another planet. He took me and Ronnie Wood to the USA in the late 60s in his band the Jeff Beck Group and we haven't looked back since.

"He was one of the few guitarists that when playing live would actually listen to me sing and respond. 

"Jeff, you were the greatest, my man. Thank you for everything. RIP." 

Wood added: "Now Jeff has gone, I feel like one of my band of brothers has left this world, and I'm going to dearly miss him".

He, thanked the guitarist for "all our early days together in Jeff Beck Group, conquering America".

US rock band Hollywood Vampires, comprising Johnny Depp, Alice Cooper, Joe Perry and Tommy Henriksen, also saluted "the passing of our dear friend and guitar legend".

"Jeff's incredible musicianship and passion for guitar has been an inspiration to us all," they wrote in a joint statement. "He was a true innovator and his legacy will live on through his music. Rest in peace, Jeff." 

Rock singer and guitarist Eric Clapton, who Beck replaced in 1960s blues band the Yardbirds, simply tweeted: "'Always and ever'……..  ec".

Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, who was also part of the Yardbirds, paid tribute to Beck as "the six-stringed warrior" and praised his "apparently limitless" musical imagination which could "channel music from the ethereal".

In another rock tribute, Rolling Stones frontman Sir Mick Jagger shared a video of the pair playing together, saying music had lost "one of the greatest guitar players in the world" and "we will all miss him so much".

The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson remembered Beck as a "genius guitar player", recalling "me and my band got to see it close up when we toured with him in 2013".

U2's The Edge said Beck was "punk rock before punk existed and one of the most inventive guitar players of all time. He set a very high bar for all of us who followed. His legend will live on."

Pink Floyd's guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour added: "I am devastated to hear about  news of the death of my friend and hero Jeff Beck, whose music has thrilled and inspired me and countless others for so many years. 

ZZ Top, who toured with Beck, called him "a brilliant musician and friend".

Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne said it had been "such an honour" to know and play with Beck, adding: "I can't express how saddened I am." 

The band's founding member Tommy Iommi remembered "such a nice person and an outstanding iconic, genius guitar player".

Queen guitarist Sir Brian May said he was lost for words, but called Beck "the absolute pinnacle of guitar playing" and a "damn fine human being".

Two members of Kiss, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, also expressed their shock.

Simmons called the news "heartbreaking", while Stanley said Beck had "blazed a trail impossible to follow. Play on now and forever".

Singer Paul Young added in a Twitter post: "He was loved by everyone in the know; the guitarists' guitarist!"

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