When Jeff Beck passed away in January 2023, many across the world were moved by the loss. As friends and family paid tribute to Jeff alongside his many fans, they wanted a way to come together to celebrate the musician’s life and work. So, on the 22nd of May, 2023, Jeff’s friends and collaborators joined together to perform a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in his memory. Performers included close friends of the musician, including Eric Clapton, Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, and Billy Gibbons.
One of Jeff’s friends who was invited to perform was Imelda May, who had toured and performed with him in earlier years. With Ronnie Wood, Johnny Depp, and Billy Gibbons already having taken to the stage, Imelda swanned her way on to join them, a vision of grace in her low-backed red dress. She danced with Ronnie for a moment before making her way to the microphone to perform a cover of The Shangri-Las’ classic 60s hit, ‘Remember (Walking In The Sand)’.
Imelda’s performance was met with cheers as she performed a raw and gritty version of the hit. Online viewers were impressed with her vocal talents and stage presence, too, with one viewer commenting, “That slow walk out on stage was pretty outstanding on its own. Then, she just crushed the vocal — great job.” The video received over 3.2M views as fans flocked to see the powerful singer’s fitting tribute to her old friend.
That wasn’t the only time Imelda May would take the stage to pay tribute to Jeff that night, though. Imelda joined her fellow musicians once again, this time also being joined by Metallica’s Kirk Hammett, introducing the next track as “a good old rockin’ tune.” The performers launched into a version of the classic rhythm and blues hit ‘Train Kept A-Rollin’’, a song that shot to popularity in the ’60s with The Yardbirds, largely thanks to Jeff Beck’s iconic guitar work on the track.
With such moving tributes and the enormous coming together of talented musicians in his memory, it is clear that Jeff Beck’s life and influence are sure to be remembered and treasured for a long time to come. From his guitar work in The Yardbirds to leading the Jeff Beck Group to his supergroup Beck, Bogert, and Appice, Jeff Beck’s influence on music can hardly be overstated. The gathering together of his fans, those he worked with, and those he influenced at the Jeff Beck Tribute to play music in his memory stands up as the most fitting tribute possible for this musical giant.
If you would like to hear more from this talented artist, you can subscribe to her [YouTube Channel](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3bdIln4tahJJZe-SRTJFZQ), follow her on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ImeldaMayOfficial/) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/imeldaofficial/), or visit her [website](https://www.imeldamay.co.uk/) for more incredible music.