Eddie founded the group in the early 1970s together with his brother Alex Van Halen, who played the drums. Unfortunately, behind closed doors, things were far from perfect between them. Valerie's father on the far left. By all appearances, however, Valerie seems satisfied with her life and career and is proud of her son and his musical prowess, which he no doubt inherited from his famous dad. Eddie clearly had a soft spot for this charity as, back in 2017, he had donated 75 guitars to the charity from his personal collection. But that was only part of her struggles. Not only did Eddie influence rock and metal music for years to come, but reinvented how the guitar was used. He was 65. Eddie and his brothers lived pretty fast and this was enhanced by the rush of fame, and tours that quickly became their life. Eddie later stated that he was an alcoholic and couldnt function without alcohol in his system. According to NME, Van Halen's cause of death was a stroke, but he also had other medical conditions, including a bone marrow disorder and pneumonia. Its thought that their debut album alone raised around $10 million for Eddie alone as lead guitarist and songwriter, according to Wealthy Genius. Eddie was surrounded by his family and friends when he died of cancer in November 2020, and considering his long battles with health since 1995 it is likely he had a will in place long before his death. They divorced amicably, and Van Halen even approved her new house to ensure it was close to his house and Wolfgang's school. His death was confirmed by his . Frequently Asked Questions About Eddie Van Halen. Then. Eddie Van Halen constructed the studio of his dreams for the band in 1983 with the help of producer Donn Landee, who helped engineer the first few Van Halen albums. Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen on their wedding day. On Oct. 6, 2020, the world learned of the heartbreaking death of Eddie Van Halen following a two-decade-long battle with cancer. Instead, the couple remained close following their divorce from all accounts. Rocks Off Magazine is reader-supported. Also What did Eddie Van Halen leave his son? Here's a look into the wondrous professional life and sometimes tumultuous personal life of Eddie Van Halen. Janie Liszewski and Edward Van Halen at John Varvatos Los Angeles on March 10, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. He dominated pop music with "Thriller", a mega-hit that went on to sell 66million copies. An amateur guitarist, avid music lover, movie buff and Owner of Rocks Off Magazine. The "Taken Away" actress shared that years earlier, she had made a pact with him that if she ever saw a particular bird, she would know he was there. It's hard to keep a band down when it's ruled by one of the most supernaturally skilled rock stars of all time. The result of such a noteworthy career as a guitarist and songwriter for Van Halen, Eddies death left behind a world of wealth. Pandemic. Not only did Eddie play the guitar on every Van Halen song, but also features as the main writing credit on nearly all Van Halen songs. Eddie has been working since the '70s. Eddie Van Halen, the renowned lead guitarist of iconic rock group Van Halen, has died, according to a social media post by his son. It is clear that Van Halen will have amassed a serious net worth, likely around the $100 million mark, due to his credits as lead songwriter and lead guitarist on the bands 10 multi-platinum selling records, as well as Jump which reached number 1 in the US charts. "I used metal picks they're brass and copper which I always held in my mouth, in the exact place where I got the tongue cancer," Van Halen told Billboard. Wolfgang was a bassist for his late father's band Van Halen, which he joined after rocking for a while with his heavy metal band Tremonti. Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli once appeared to have one of the more successful marriages in Hollywood. A Dutch immigrant who came to the US . His son and ex-wife were also among the attendants for the ceremony at his estate in Studio City. | Source: Getty Images. He was drinking and smoking every day, despite his manager, Noel E. Monk, asking him to refrain. Proof came a few years later when she received a phone call from an angry man who claimed his wife was having an affair with Van Halen. The two were a beloved power couple in Hollywood, in fact. Eddie Van Halen started developing serious health issues in the mid-1990s. I'm Almila, a freelance writer and a fan of rock music. Eddie Van Halen was actually born in Amsterdam. After the ceremony, Monk helped the newlyweds navigate the horde of paparazzi until they safely got to their waiting limo. In doing so he became one of the most recognizable and influential guitarists of his time. privacy policy. According to Guitar World, child Van Halen won three annual prizes at a Long Beach City College piano competition, despite not knowing how to interpret the sheet music presented to him, and the habit followed him when he switched to guitar. Through the years, some band members departed, and new members were added, including Sammy Hagar, Mark Stone, and Gary Cherone. Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen | Eddie Van Halen | Valerie Bertinelli | Source: Getty Images | YouTube/Today. While Van Halen were opening for the band UFO, Gene heard them backstage, and when they finished, he would ask them about their plans. Eddie suffered numerous injuries due to his acrobatics on stage, as well as diverticulitis, tongue cancer, avascular necrosis, and much more besides. In a Rolling Stone tribute published shortly after Eddie Van Halen's passing, journalist Brian Hiatt recalled an interview he had done with the rock legend back in December 2008, during which Van Halen revealed he had zero plans to stop writing. As you know, you cant it with you, and as Van Halen was one of the biggest bands in the world, Eddie had a considerable chunk of wealth to his name when he sadly passed away. | Source: Getty Images. As you may know, Eddie was married to the actress Valerie Bertinelli and the couple has a son, Wolfgang Van Halen, born in 1991. Gene asked them to go with him instead and invited them to record demos with him in New York. He was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2017 and was told that he had less than two months to live. In other words, we can assume that some of his wealth was donated to charities close to his heart. I'm Almila, Executive Editor of RC and a fan of rock music. Eddie Van Halen has recalled how his passion for tinkering with equipment nearly got him killed when he was young. All 10 studio albums were certified multi-platinum. Many sources such as Celebrity Net Worth and Rock Celebrities estimate Eddies Net Worth at around $100 million around the time of his death. Its incredible how as a young player, your guitar chord, is the umbilical cord that intimately connects you to someone you may never meet, more so than even someone in your own family. "One of the many reasons that Ed and I split up is to give Wolfie a better vision of what two people who are supposedly in love treat each other like." Don't have an account yet? Their divorce was finalized in 2007, according to Distractify. Eddie Van Halen was the co-founder and guitarist for the rock band Van Halen. She knew it was no excuse to be unfaithful and regrets going down that path. Later in 2007, they decided to divorce as a result of Eddie's cocaine addiction and his refusal to quit smoking. A proud dad, bragging about how Wolfies new solo album is gonna blow minds, etc Whats cool though, was the last thing Eddie talked about.. The guitarist, inventor, and songwriter Eddie Van Halen was mainly known for being the co-founder and renowned guitarist of Van Halen. After appearing on "One Day At A Time," Bertinelli quickly became America's favorite girl next door. Following that shows end, it would take Bertinelli several years to find her next hit. In 1985, when Van Halen was at its commercial peak thanks to the multiplatinum success of the album "1984," which generated the #1 hit "Jump" and other songs whose music videos became early MTV staples, over-the-top lead singer David Lee Roth left the group to pursue a solo career. Edward Lodewijk Van Halen (/ v n h e l n / van HAY-ln, Dutch: [trt lodik fn al(n)]; January 26, 1955 - October 6, 2020) was an American musician and songwriter.He was the co-founder, guitarist, keyboardist, backing vocalist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Van Halen, which he co-founded with his brother Alex Van Halen in 1972. Following his divorce from Bertinelli, Eddie got married toJanie Liszewski in 2009. Besides his earnings as one of the most famous rock stars in the world, Eddie also owned several properties around Los Angeles where he lived throughout his adult life. Wolfgang Van Halen is the only son of Van Halen frontman Eddie Van Halen and Golden Globe- winning actress Valerie Bertinelli. He declined to take on Van Halen as clients, but after the band returned to California, Simmons recruited Eddie Van Halen (and his brother, drummer Alex Van Halen) to demo songs for the next KISS album, "Love Gun." The cancer had returned and spread to his brain. Considered as one of the greatest guitarists in rock music history, Eddie is also credited to popularize the tapping guitar solo technique. In 2020, Eddie Van Halen died at the age of 65. Simmons liked the group and booked them some studio time to record demos of 12 songs and then flew the guys to New York City for overdubs at Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studios and to play at a showcase for KISS' manager, Bill Aucoin. "I used metal picks they're brass and copper which I always held in my mouth, in the exact place where I got the tongue cancer," he said. Related: Iconic Rock Stars Send Outpouring Love To Val Halen's Son, Wolfgang. In 2000, Eddie Van Halen was diagnosed with tongue and throat cancer. One common topic of debate that arose following his death, however, was who did Eddie Van Halen leave his money. As reported by Loudwire, yesterday Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation (MHOF), an organization that helps kids get music education in schools throughout the United States, revealed that Eddie had left them a seven-figure donation that will help improve the foundation's technology, hire more staff, and work with schools to provide more music education. When it comes to Eddies wealth, while there is no official statement on the matter, we can assume his wealth was distributed among his children, widow, and potentially his ex-wife, all of whom were present when he died. They emerged from the bathroom holding hands and made a spectacular entrance into the ballroom as the friends and family cheered. Register here, by continuing you accept our The two were a beloved power couple in Hollywood, in fact. But at the peak of his fame, he was also well-known for being married to Valerie Bertinelli. She shared that she'd only been searching for someone to touch, love, and give her the attention she was not receiving at home. Votes" polls, earn exclusive profile badges and claim your Rocks Off Mag merch!