V-A-N H-A-L-E-N: Eddie’s ‘High-Flying’​ Moxie

Eddie Van Halen never really followed the rules!

He was an accomplished and influential musician who couldn’t read music. He was a doting father and loyal brother who struggled to maintain relationships with key collaborators. He was a forever-young and energetic rocker who battled significant and painful medical conditions for years before succumbing to cancer earlier this year at the age of 65.

It takes moxie to rock the world for 4 decades, and Eddie Van Halen had it!

Here’s how:

Moxie is innately talented.

Though he could not read music, Eddie Van Halen was an innately talented musician. He took piano lessons from an early age but played by ear and by watching his teacher’s hands and imitating the movement. He taught himself to play guitar by listening to albums.