Eddie Van Halen- musician, songwriter, producer, and lead guitarist of American Rock band Van Halen– passed away last night after a long battle with cancer. Eddie was known all throughout the music industry for his amazing talent, and he was especially praised after wiring and playing the iconic guitar solo in Michael Jackson’s hit song, “Beat It”. Music fans all across the world were heartbroken to hear about his passing. It was reported last year that Eddie was flying between the US and Germany for five years to get his cancer treated. In the last 72 hours, though, Eddie’s battle rapidly went downhill, while doctors discovered the cancer had spread quickly throughout his body.

Eddie died with his wife, ex-wife, son, and brother by his side. His brother, Alex, was the drummer in their band and his son, Wolfgang Van Halen, took over as Van Halen’s bassist in 2006. In a heart-breaking Instagram post last night, Wolfgang said, “He was the best father I could ever ask for. Every moment I’ve shared with him on and off stage was a gift. My heart is broken and I don’t think I’ll ever fully recover from this loss. I love you so much, Pop.”

Photo courtesy of: The Guardian