Īfter experiencing mistreatment for their mixed-race relationship in the 1950s, the parents moved the family to the U.S. The family eventually settled in Nijmegen, Netherlands.
His father was a Dutch jazz pianist, clarinettist, and saxophonist, while his mother was an Indo (Eurasian) woman from Rangkasbitung on the island of Java in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). Early life Įdward Lodewijk Van Halen was born in Amsterdam on January 26, 1955, the son of Jan van Halen and Eugenia (née van Beers). Rolling Stone named Van Halen the 4th greatest guitarist of all time in its “The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” list in 2023. Van Halen is widely regarded as one of the greatest guitar players in rock history and was well-known for popularizing the tapping guitar technique, allowing rapid arpeggios to be played with two hands on the fretboard. He was the guitarist, keyboardist, backing vocalist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Van Halen, which he founded with his brother Alex in 1972.
Edward Lodewijk Van Halen ( / v æ n ˈ h eɪ l ən/ van HAY-lən, Dutch: January 26, 1955 – October 6, 2020) was an American musician.
