Guitar rock legend Eddie Van Halen passes away at 65 after a long battle with cancer

Eddie Van Halen, the lead guitarist of iconic rock group Van Halen, passed away after a 10-year fight with throat cancer. "He was the best father I could 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," Van Halen's son Wolfgang wrote in a social media post as he confirmed the news of his father’s sudden demise. He was 65. He died after a long battle with cancer at a hospital in Santa Monica, California on October 06, 2020. Van Halen is among the top 20 best-selling artists of all time and the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007. Rolling Stone magazine put Eddie Van Halen at No. 8 in its list of the 100 greatest guitarists. Born in Amsterdam, Van Halen moved to the US in 1962. He formed the band with brother Alex, bassist Mark Stone and singer David Lee Roth in the first recording line-up of the group. They had a global hit with Jump. Van Halen made his debut on the 1978 self-titled album, which has sold more than 10 million copies. Roth posted a photo of himself beside his former bandmate and wrote on Twitter: "What a long, great trip it's been." (All photos: Instagram)

Eddie Van Halen with his bandmates during a stage show.