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Eddie Van Halen, the venerable guitarist and co-founder of Van Halen, one of the most successful metal bands of all time, passed away Tuesday morning after a battle with cancer. He was 65.
His son, Wolf Van Halen, announced Eddie Van Halen's passing on Instagram. "He was the best father I could ever ask for," Wolf wrote. "Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift." Read his statement below.
Eddie Van Halen's work as a guitarist is some of the most celebrated in rock history, and his talents helped establish Van Halen as a key rock and roll act in the early 70s. Throughout their nearly four-decade-long career, Van Halen sold approximately 80 million albums. In 2007 the band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.