Eddie Van Halen Dies of Cancer at 65

NEW YORK (AP) — Eddie Van Halen, the guitar virtuoso whose blinding speed, control and innovation propelled his band Van Halen into one of hard rock’s biggest groups, fueled the unmistakable grinding solo in Michael Jackson’s hit “Beat It” and elevated him to the status of rock god, has died. He was 65. Van Halen, who had battled cancer, died Tuesday. A person close to Van Halen’s family confirmed the rocker death. 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.”

Sammy Hagar, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, Jimmy Kimmel, Billy Idol, Nikki Sixx, Paul Stanley, Josh Gad, Tom Morello, Gene Simmons, Diane Warren and more react to the death of guitar rock god Eddie Van Halen, who passed away Tuesday at age 65 after battling cancer. Van Halen was a guitar virtuoso whose blinding speed, control and innovation propelled his band Van Halen into one of hard rock’s biggest groups, fueled the unmistakable fiery solo in Michael Jackson’s hit “Beat It” and became elevated to the status of rock god. Kimmel called him “a great musician” while Sixx said Van Halen changed the world and called him “the Mozart of rock guitar.”

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