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van halen dies at 65: guitarist had previous brush with cancer
tributes poured in for the guitar virtuouso who had previously battled cancer in 2000.
oct 7 2020
2 minute read
van halen and kenny wayne shepherd perform live in concert at the austin360 amphitheate, 21 sep 2015.
arnold wells/wenn
eddie van halen, guitar icon and rock & roll hall of famer, died of cancer tuesday .
a driving force of the 1970s rock band van halen, the 65-year-old’s death was announced on social media by his son.
“i can’t believe i’m having to write this but my father, edward lodewijk van halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning,” wolfgang van halen said on twitter .
— wolfgang van halen (@wolfvanhalen) october 6, 2020
van halen started the band in california with with his brother alex, a drummer, and lead singer david lee roth and bassist michael anthony.
they became bit-makers, famous for songs such as as jump, panama and hot for teacher with eddie impressing fans and other artists for his virtuoso guitar solos that showed off his two handed tapping technique. constantly experimenting, eddie kept performing through the decades. the band’s last performance was in 2015.
though the exact details of his death haven’t been officially released, tmz and the new york post are reporting the guitarist had throat cancer. us magazine reports his throat cancer diagnosis was revealed in 2019.
this wasn’t the musician’s first brush with cancer. in 2000, he was diagnosed with tongue cancer, which eventually spread to his esophagus. he had a third of his tongue removed. he was reported cancer-free in 2002.
oral (mouth) and oropharyngeal (throat) cancers are more than twice as common in men as in women, according to the american cancer society. in 2020, it’s expected more than 53,260 americans will get oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer, and an estimated 10,700 people will die of these cancers. in canada, the canadian cancer society estimates 5,400 people across the country will be diagnosed with oral cavity cancer and 1,500 will die.
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smoking and other tobacco use are linked to both oral and throat cancer, according to adam health. heavy alcohol use also increases the risk for oral cancer. both cancer-types have also been linked to human papillomavirus (hpv) infections.
by his own admission, eddie was a heavy smoker and drinker, starting both at the age of 12. he later also used drugs, like cocaine. in 2015, he told billboard magazine that he had been sober since 2008.
in an interview with the magazine, he suggested it was possible the metal guitar picks he frequently held in his mouth may have had something to do with the cancer. survivornet, a cancer information site, notes that it’s unlikely: “the u.s. centers for disease control and prevention (cdc) and environmental protection agency (epa) do not classify copper or the metals in brass (an alloy comprised of copper and zinc) as carcinogenic to humans. this means that there isn’t known evidence that the metals cause cancer.”
tributes to the star have begun to pour in from both close family members and other major musicians. elton john wrote on instagram that eddie was “an amazing talent and a gentle, lovely man.” gene simmons called him a “superhero.” actress valerie bertinelli, who was married to eddie from 1981 to 2007, shared this message: “i’m so grateful wolfie and i were able to hold you in your last moments. i will see you in our next life my love.”
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if you or someone you care about is living with cancer, connecting with a support network can help to not only learn ways to better manage their health, but also share experiences with others. some canadian resources include the wellspring, cancer connect at the canadian cancer society, and in the u.s., the oral cancer foundation.
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