SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Rock and roll legend Eddie Van Halen has died at the age of 65. Van Halen's son Wolfgang announced the news Tuesday afternoon.
TMZ reports Van Halen died in Santa Monica Tuesday with his family beside him.
"He was the best father I could ever ask for," Wolfgang wrote on social media. "Every moment I've shared with him on and off stage was a gift."
TMZ reports Van Halen's heath had been deteriorating over the last 72 hours after it was discovered his throat cancer had moved to his brain.
— Wolf Van Halen (@WolfVanHalen) October 6, 2020
Van Halen, along with his brother Alex on drums, bassist Mark Stone, and singer David Lee Roth, founded the band Van Halen. The Van Halen brothers, Roth and Michael Anthony were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
Coincidentally, Van Halen played the Salt Palace 40 years ago Tuesday, Oct. 6, 1980. The band played some of their early favorites, including "Runnin' with the Devil," "Dance the Night Away," "Jamie's Cryin'" and "Ain't Talkin' 'bout Love."
As part of their induction to the Rock Hall, it was noted, "They delivered their music with an unrelenting intensity and musicality that audiences devoured, launching them to superstardom and restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene."
With his distinct solos, Van Halen fueled the ultimate California party band and helped knock disco off the charts starting in the late 1970s with his band’s self-titled debut album and then with the blockbuster record “1984," which contains the classics “Jump,” “Panama” and “Hot for Teacher.”
In 1985, Roth left the group and was replaced as lead vocalist by Sammy Hagar. With Hagar, the group released four multi-platnium albums in 11 years. Hagar left the group in 1996. Gary Cherone was lead vocalist for 1998-1999, then left. Hagar returned to the group in 2003 and left again in 2005.
Roth returned as lead vocalist in 2006, and Michael Anthony was replaced on bass guitar by Wolfgang.
