Steely Dan's Jim Beard dead at 63 'from complications due to a sudden illness'
ok.co.ukJim Beard, the touring keyboardist for Steely Dan for the past 16 years, has died at the age of 63. He passed away on Saturday, 2 March in a New York City hospital “from complications due to a sudden illness”, Deadline reports.The composer and producer joined the live Steely Dan band in 2008 when he joined them on their Think Fast Tour.
Earlier this year, he joined them for a show in Phoenix, Arizona on 20 January. Born on 26 August 1960 in Philadelphia, Jim moved to New York City in 1985 where he was able to launch his music career which saw his work span across a range of mediums.
During his career, Jim performed with the likes of jazz musicians including Wayne Shorter and John McLaughlin and produced recordings for artists such as Mike Stern and Bob Berg.
He also worked with The Eagles and joined them on their Long Goodbye tour. Meanwhile, his work in the studio saw him record with artists including The Brecker Brothers, Dianne Reeves and Dizzy Gillespie.
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