Eddie Van Halen

American musician (1955 – 2020)

Eddie Van Halen was an American musician (1955-2020). He co-founded the rock band Van Halen in the early 1970s with his brother Alex and singer David Lee Roth. Eddie remained a member of the band for over four decades, up until his death in 2020. He helped redefine the guitar as a vehicle for almost classical-level virtuosity, having started on piano before moving to guitar in his early teens.

Eddie released albums with Van Halen that bridged hard rock and mainstream pop. He also and played the iconic guitar solo on Michael Jackson's Beat It. One of his few solo songs is Respect the Wind for the 1996 film Twister. He also collaborated with artists including Brian May, Thomas Dolby, and LL Cool J.