(CMR) The music world lost musical legends today: guitarist and songwriter Eddie Van Halen (65) and American reggae and pop singer-songwriter Johnny Nash (80).
Van Halen died after an extended battle with cancer this morning. In 1972 he formed the band, Van Halen, together with his brother Alex on drums. They’d go on to turn out to be one in all the most important groups in rock history together with bassist Michael Anthony and singer David Lee Roth.
Throughout the late Seventies and early ’80s, Van Halen became increasingly successful. Early hits corresponding to 1979’s “Dance the Night Away” eventually gave method to the bestselling 1984 — the band’s sixth album — which spawned the chart-topping “Jump,” in addition to flamboyant hits like “Panama” and “Hot for Teacher.” Peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard albums chart, 1984 was held back only by Michael Jackson’s Thriller, whose iconic “Beat It” just happened to feature a guitar solo from Eddie Van Halen.
Van Halen was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2007 and is among the many top 20 best-selling artists of all time. Rolling Stone magazine put Eddie Van Halen at No. 8 in its list of the 100 biggest guitarists.
Johnny Nash, the Houston-born singer, is best known for his 1972 hit I Can See Clearly Now died this morning of natural causes after years of declining health at his home in Texas. That single sold greater than 1,000,000 copies and remained on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 4 weeks in 1972.
He also song Tears on My Pillow a 1975 UK primary hit.
He was one in all the primary non-Jamaicans singers to record reggae music in Kingston, Jamaica. He actually lived there and was taught methods to play the reggae rhythm. He helped reggae legend Bob Marley sign a recording contract. His long musical profession began as a baby. He’s survived by his son, John and wife Carli.
