As if 2020 couldn’t get any worse Eddie Van Halen’s son Wolfgang just broke the news on twitter this afternoon that the legendary guitarist has passed away at age 65 after a long fight with cancer.
Regarded as one of the most innovative guitarists of the 20th century Eddie Van Halen changed the landscape of rock through a style uniquely his own, popularizing the two handed tapping technique in the late 1970s.
The band that bore his name went on to become kings of stadium rock launching hits the likes of Jump, Panama, Dreams, Why Can’t This Be Love, Love Walks In, When It’s Love (among countless others) into the stratosphere. Eddie further cemented his status as an icon by crossing over into the pop realm lending his skills on the guitar solo for Michael Jackson’s Beat It.
Our thoughts go out to Wolfgang Van Halen, Eddie’s brother Alex and Eddie’s wife Janie. Eddie Van Halen was a one in a million talent who to this very day continues to inspire kids to pick up the guitar.