The world is learning today that Eddie Van Halen has passed away at age 65. His son, Wolfgang posted a tweet earlier today:
— Wolf Van Halen (@WolfVanHalen) October 6, 2020
Wolfgang's tweet reads: "I can’t believe I’m having to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning.
"He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift.
"My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss.
"I love you so much, Pop."
It's incredible to think of how many guitarists Van Halen influenced. Whether it be his explosive licks, his tapping technique, how he built guitars, his use of the whammy bar, and so much more, he was a enormous influence to a wide array of players.
Van Halen was one of the first bands I remember hearing growing up. My family always had vinyl copies of all the VH records, that I still cherish to this day. Eddie was always such a huge influence not only on my playing, but how I thought about guitar as a whole. He will be sincerely missed.
Reach out to me on Twitter and let me know your favorite Eddie Van Halen riff, or better yet, what was the first EVH riff you ever learned?