When Jeff Beck embarked on his 2022 UK tour, he didn’t go it alone. His close friend and recent collaborative partner, Johnny Depp, joined the guitar god on stage to give fans a glimpse of the magic behind their brand new joint album, “18.”
But when Johnny took the mic during a cover of The Everly Brothers’ 1960 hit, “Let It Be Me,” nobody expected the Pirates of the Caribbean star to sing quite like this…
Music Man readers can watch the spectacular moment unfold in the viral video above – it’s already topped 710,000 views to date!
It’s rare to see Johnny, a guitarist for Alice Cooper’s Hollywood Vampires, take center stage at a rock concert. But while Jeff Beck’s lush guitar tones hold the audience spellbound, Johnny braves the moment, feeling Beck’s bluesy, balladesque grooves filling the Birmingham arena.
And fans simply can’t get over the sound of his voice. As one top commenter wrote to the tune of 1,000 likes: “His voice sounds like pain, brokenness, regret, purity, humility, hopefulness, and triumph all wrapped up together.”
Another agreed when they commented, “I love the way Johnny delivers a song. Not the strongest singer, but he knows how to tell the story and gives us the emotion,” with another fan pointing out, “Johnny Depp is such a complete artist, he can change his looks, his actions and his voice and be anyone he needs to be. How can anyone not be enchanted by him… He is a beautiful man.”
Viewers were left just as smitten by Jeff’s velvet guitar parts, writing, “There is no guitarist left in the world who can play with such warmth and beauty. God bless Jeff Beck.”
But to some, Jeff and Johnny’s collaboration seems completely out of the blue.
That is, until you discover the heartwarming story behind their connection.
According to The Mirror, the two musicians met for the first time backstage at a 2017 concert. Jeff Beck later spilled the beans, telling interviewers, “[Johnny] came knocking on my dressing room door about five years ago and we haven’t stopped laughing since.”
In 2020, the friends stunned fans with a cover of John Lennon’s “Isolation” – a joint single which soon closed their first and only collaborative album, “18,” which hit the music scene in the summer of 2022.
Just six months later, after their UK tour had come to a close, the devastating news of Jeff Beck’s death hit the media. According to reports, Johnny was left “totally devastated” after visiting Jeff at his bedside mere days before his passing.
This live “Let It Be Me” collab stands testament to their brilliant chemistry, friendship, and talent, and fans can’t stop getting teary-eyed as they ponder where their collaborative career could have led next…
Jeff Beck and Johnny Depp’s onstage rendition of “Let It Be Me” was as surprising as it was unforgettable. For more on their 2022 tour, the album 18 and the viral performance, check the useful links below to discover videos, interviews and further coverage.