Eddie Van Halen

**Edward Lodewijk Van Halen** (26 Januar 1955-6 October 2020) wis a Dutch-American guitarist, keybuirdist an sangwriter. He is best kent for bein the heid guitarist o the 1970s and 80s Haurd rock/hivy metal muisic baund Van Halen. His son, Wolfgang, played bass efter the baund’s oreeginal bassist, Michael Anthony, left. He plays a Frankenstrat guitar, that he designed in 1978, sax year efter Van Halen wis formed. He played the solo for Michael Jackson’s biggest hit “Beat it”. Rolling Stones ranked him the aicht greatest guitarist in 2015.

## Early Life
Eddie wis born Edward Lodewijk Van Halen tae clarinetist an saxophonist Jan Van Halen an mither Eugenia Van Halen on 26 Januar 1955 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. His brither Alex wis born twa year earlier in 1953. The faimily flittit to Nijmegen a few year later afore muivin tae Pasedena, Californie, Unitit States whan Eddie wis seiven.

## Teenage years
Throuoot his teenage years, Eddie began playin wi his brither Alex an faither Jan. He waled tae play guitar but he didna hiv enouch money tae buy ane, or e'en an amp or pedal. In 2015, he said he cudnae afford pedals durin his teenage years, but in 1978, he bought a $50 guitar body, an $80 neck an a set o strings. Eddie biggit his ain guitar oot o the equipment he bocht. It wis pentit red, white an a few pairts wis black. The guitar wis kent as Frankenstein, or Frankenstrat, accordin tae YouTube musicker information channel Grunge.

## Van Halen
Van Halen oreeginally formed in 1972 unner the name Genesis. In 1977, Kiss bassist Gene Simmons flichtit the baund tae New York, an booked em intae Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios tae play some demos. The follaein year, they lowsed their first album entitled Van Halen, that includit sangs sic as Eruption, Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love an Runnin’ With the Devil. In 1979, the band lowsed their seicont album Van Halen II, that includit sangs sic as Light Up the Sky. Mair albums sic as 1984, lowsed in 1984, 5150, lowsed in 1986 an mony mair.

## Marriage
In 1981, Eddie mairrit actress Valerie Bertinelli, an they haed a son cried Wolfgang in 1991, that Eddie named efter Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. They divorced in 2001, but stayed thegither until 2007, whan Bertinelli waled tae lea Eddie due tae his addiction tae cocaine. In 2009, he mairrit Janie Lizewski.

## Health
In 1995, Eddie wis diagnosed wi Avascular Necrosis in the hip, an wis telt tae hae hip replacement surgery, but didnae hae the procedure until 1999 whan the necrosis began provin ower muckle. Van Halen haed a bionic hip efter the surgery, acause o bone daith in the femoral baa pairt o his hip. In 2000, he wis diagnosed wi tongue cancer, that he didnae pit on his years o smokin, but o haudin guitar picks in his mouth, tellin Billboard in 2019 “I used metal picks. They’re brass and copper, which I always held in my mouth. Plus, I live in a  recording studio that’s filled with electromagnetic energy.” In 2002, he wis declared cancer free efter he haed a third o his tongue taen oot. In 2012, Eddie unnerwent an emergency surgery efter a bout of diverticulitis, that he recovered frae. He deet on 6 October 2020 o cancer o the throat.

## References