Jim Beard, Steely Dan’s keyboardist, has died at the age of 63. According to a representative, Beard died of complications from a sudden illness on Saturday (March 2) at a hospital in New York City.
The musician, born in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania in 1960, moved to New York in 1985 and found his place in the music scene there. Since then he has toured worldwide with various musicians and collaborated with artists from a wide range of musical styles. Over the course of his career, Beard published more than 100 compositions, which can be heard on recordings by John McLaughlin, Michael Brecker and other musicians, as well as in books such as The New Real Book.
His music productions and compositions have been nominated for several Grammy Awards. He was also one of the protagonists of the live album “Some Skunk Funk”, which won two Grammys in 2007. In 2008, Beard joined Steely Dan as keyboardist. His last performance with the band was on January 20th in Phoenix, Arizona.
Mourning Beard
Many musicians publicly expressed their sadness over Beard’s death. Jazz drummer Peter Erskine wrote on X: “Jim Beard, RIP…Jim was the glue and such a great presence on so many projects. I will miss the man, his wit and his musical incisiveness. You made a difference, Jim.”
The drummer and composer Antonio Sanchez also mourns Beard: “I can’t believe that the great Jim Beard is gone. What a tragic loss. He was such a gentle soul and an incredibly talented artist… We will miss you, dear Jim,” he writes on X.
Jim Beard is survived by two children, Victor and Caitlin, his mother Sarah, his brother Bill Beard and his sister Nancy Canale.