Sir Rod Stewart reunites with Ronnie Wood for star-studded Jeff Beck tribute concert

Virgin Radio

23 May 2023, 11:50

Sir Rod Stewart came together with former bandmate Ronnie Wood to honour iconic musician Jeff Beck during his star-studded tribute concert. 

Both Sir Rod and Ronnie were in The Jeff Beck Group from 1967 until 1969, when they both joined the new line-up of rock group Faces. 

The talented pair reunited on stage for the first of two gigs at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Monday (23rd May) to celebrate their fellow rocker Beck, who sadly passed away aged 78 in January. 

Beck's widow Sandra Cash and Eric Clapton organised the tribute concerts, with surplus income from the concerts being donated to the Folly Wildlife Rescue based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

Sir Rod’s wife Penny Lancaster shared footage from the concert on her Instagram page, during which he told the audience: “[Ronnie and I are] going to do two songs off of [Faces album] Truth - we ain't old enough! This whole album was recorded at Abbey Road - you know the one with the zebra crossing!"

The likes of Clapton, Stewart and Wood can be seen on stage in the footage, and they were certainly not alone. The likes of Johnny Depp, Doyle Bramhall, Gary Clark Jr, Billy Gibbons, Imelda May, John McLaughlin, Robert Randolph, Olivia Safe, Joss Stone, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks also hit the stage for the big night.

Shortly before his passing, Beck had finished touring his latest album 18, which he recorded with Depp who he first met in 2016. The pair began recording the album in 2019 while Depp was also playing with Alice Cooper's supergroup Hollywood Vampires.

Beck rose to fame as part of the Yardbirds, where he replaced Clapton. Following that, he joined forces with Stewart and Wood to form The Jeff Beck group.

He was often described as one of the greatest guitarists of all time and a pioneer of his craft. Famously, his fingers and thumbs were insured for £7million, and with eight Grammys, an Ivor Novello award for his contribution to British music and a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame both as a solo artist and member of the Yardbirds, it’s no wonder why. 

The news of Beck’s death in January was announced in a statement on his official Twitter page, which 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 yesterday. His family ask for privacy while they process this tremendous loss.”