Profile of the Day: Eddie Van Halen

Today we remember rock legend Eddie Van Halen, who passed away yesterday at the age of 65.

Image: Eddie Van Halen / photo by Alan Light, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

He was born Edward Lodewijk van Halen on January 26, 1955 in Amsterdam, Netherlands to Jan van Halen and Eugenia van Beers. His father was a musician and played the clarinet and saxophone. His mother was born in Indonesia and met his father while he was on tour in the country. In 1962, the entire family moved from the Netherlands to the United States and settled in Pasadena, California. Growing up, Van Halen and his brother, Alex, learned to play classical piano and as teens, switched to the guitar and drums.

In 1972, the two brothers would form the band that would later be called Van Halen. The band became fixtures of the Los Angeles music scene and in 1978, they released their first album Van Halen. The album was a big success and showcased Van Halen’s remarkable talents on the electric guitar. Since launching to stardom, the band has become one of the most successful rock acts of all time.

Van Halen died on October 6, 2020 after a long battle with cancer. With his unique sound and quick-fingered riffs, Van Halen will be remembered as one of the greatest and influential guitarists of all time.

RIP Eddie Van Halen.