The 'Uptown Girl' hitmaker delivers a rendition of 'People Get Ready' from Jeff's album 'Flash' as he pays tribute to the late musician during his gig in the Big Apple.
- Jan 17, 2023
AceShowbiz - Billy Joel remembered the late Jeff Beck at his New York concert on Friday, January 13, 2023 night. The "Uptown Girl" hitmaker paid homage to the guitarist - who died of meningitis last Tuesday, January 10, 2023 aged 78 - as "the best" before covering his and Rod Stewart's song "People Get Ready" from the late guitarist's 1985 album "Flash".
"He was a musician who I always loved. He was the best. Jeff Beck just passed away... I couldn't let the night go by without doing something by Jeff. This is a recording he did with Rod Stewart, called 'People Get Ready,' " Billy sat at his piano and told the crowd as seen in video footage from the Madison Square Garden show uploaded to YouTube.
And before the end of the gig, Billy, 73, and his band spontaneously decided to perform "Going Down" by Alabama State Troupers, which was covered by the Jeff Beck Group on their epnymous 1972 album. The "Piano Man" hitmaker quipped, "We should have rehearsed this today."
A number of other musicians have paid tribute to Jeff and his legacy in the wake of his passing. Queen guitarist Brian May wrote on Instagram, "Gutted, so sad, to hear of Jeff's passing. He was the Guv'nor. He was inimitable, irreplaceable - the absolute pinnacle of guitar playing. And a damn fine human being. I'm sure I will have a lot to say, but right now.... Just lost for words."
Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne also had kind words for the late star, whom he worked with on last year's album "Patient Number 9". He tweeted, "I can't express how saddened I am to hear of @JeffBeckMusic's passing."
"What a terrible loss for his family, friends [and] his many fans. It was such an honor to have known Jeff [and] an incredible honor to have had him play on my most recent album, #PatientNumber9. Long live #JeffBeck."
Ozzy's Sabbath bandmate Tony Iommi added, "Jeff was such a nice person and an outstanding iconic, genius guitar player - there will never be another Jeff Beck."
And The Rolling Stones icon Sir Mick Jagger wrote, "With the death of Jeff Beck we have lost a wonderful man and one of the greatest guitar players in the world. We will all miss him so much."
