Jan Van Halen: What happened to Eddie Van Halen’s father?

Jan Van Halen is a Dutch Singer and also the father of Rock Legend Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen, and also the grandfather of Wolfgang Van Halen. Jan Van Halen is the “patriarch” of the Van Halen family. His son Eddie was the co-founder, guitarist, keyboardist, backing vocalist, and primary songwriter of the rock band Van Halen, which he co-founded with his brother Alex Van Halen in 1972. Alex was the drummer of the Band.

Jan Van Halen: Bio Summary

Jan Van Halen was born on 18 January 1920 to his parents Jannetje Berg and Hermanus van Halen, a butcher in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Jan Van started his music career at a very young age. The singer had already made a career in music when, at age 19, World War II erupted. He was a jazz pianist, clarinetist, and saxophonist.

Jan Van Halen enlisted in the Dutch Air Force in 1939

Eddie Van Halen’s father joined the Dutch air force in 1939 and his musical talent landed him the job of playing marches for Dutch troops. Germany invaded The Netherlands in May 1940 and all Dutch soldiers including Jan were conscripted to fight for Germany or they were shot on the spot. Once again the musician put his abilities to use. He was ordered to entertain the troops and play propaganda music rather than fight in the trenches.

After the war, Van Halen emigrated to the Dutch East Indies where he further pursued his career and met his future wife, the Dutch-Indonesian Eugenie van Beers (1915–2005). They married in August 1950 in Jakarta and moved back to the Netherlands, arriving on March 4, 1953.

ALSO, READ; Eugenia Van Halen, Mother of Eddie Van Halen’s mother

Alex was born two months later in Amsterdam. The Van Halen family moved to Nijmegen, where Eddie was born in 1955. Eugenia became convinced that it would be better for the family to emigrate to the United States after experiencing mistreatment for their mixed-race relationship in the 1950s. They left in February 1962 by boat and moved across the continent by train to Pasadena, California.

ALSO, READ; Stine Schyberg: Untold Truth about Alex Van Halen’s Wife

Jan Van Halen’s music career

Jan continued to work as a musician even after the War and starting a family. According to Van Halen News Desk, Jan played at notable places such as The Continental Club, La Miranda Country Club, and The Alpine Haus. However, Jan’s income from his music career was nearly enough to take care of the family of four. To tackle this, he often took on many different jobs including janitorial work, washing dishes, and answering phones overnight.

Talking about his father’s love for music, Eddie recalled- “I knew what music was really about ever since my earliest memory of hearing my dad downstairs in his music room, holding just one note on his clarinet for as long as he could. I’m serious. He wouldn’t just sit there pissing up a rope.”

Jan Van Halen’s wife Eugenia Van Halen could not understand why her husband did not just give up his music career and get a regular job to support the family. Recalling her childhood memories, Eddie Van Halen revealed- “The whole time I was growing up my mom used to call me a ‘nothing nut—just like your father.”

ALSO, READ; Malcolm Van Halen- Who is Alex Van Halen’s son?

Jan Van Halen wanted their boys Eddie and Alex to be classical pianists, but Eddie who has chosen his own path gravitated towards rock music. The legendary Rockstar was greatly influenced by 1960s British Invasion bands like the Beatles and the Dave Clark Five. When Edward finally picked up the guitar, Eugenia’s frustration hit an all-time high, and often a young Edward’s punishment was his mother locking his guitar away in a closet.

While Eddie went in for the guitar, Alex also choose the drums. When Alex began playing the guitar, Eddie bought a drum kit; however, after he heard Alex’s performance of the Surfaris’ drum solo on the song “Wipe Out”, he gave Alex the drums and began learning the electric guitar. According to Eddie as a teen, he often practiced while walking around at home with his guitar strapped on or sitting in his room for hours with the door locked according to VHND.

Jan Van Halen was a perpetually working-class musician until a collaboration with his sons in 1982 on the album Diver Down. He was over sixty years old when he finally landed that biggest gig.

Eddie Van Halen’s father lost his finger

According to Van Halen New Desk, Jan Van Halen lost one of his fingers in 1972. Explaining what happened, Eddie said that his father “tried to lift up a trailer and it fell on his finger and just chopped his finger off.” A critical component of the musician’s livelihood had been severed, and he essentially stopped playing the clarinet.

What happened to Eddie Van Halen’s father Jan?

Jan Van Halen suffered a heart attack in May 1980. He passed away that same year in December. According to Peoplepill, His death was due to the effects of alcoholism.