Ace Frehley 's backing band paid tribute to Eddie Van Halen on the first anniversary of the iconic Van Halen , playing two VH songs, "Somebody Get Me A Doctor" and "Dance The Night Away," during soundcheck at a show in North Carolina. The show was part of Ace's US tour as the opening act for legendary rocker Alice Cooper .
Frehley's band features guitarists Ryan Cook and Jeremy Asbock , bassist Philip Shouse , and drummer Matt Starr .
Last October, Frehley reacted to Eddie's death on social media, writing on his Instagram: “Eddie was a friend of mine… I am very sad about his passing so young… My prayers and condolences go out to his family, friends and fans! A great and innovative guitarist… God bless Eddie… RIP”.
After being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, he began flying to Germany for treatment. Eventually, the cancer spread to Eddie's spine and brain. A few months later, he passed away at the age of 65.
Last December, it was revealed that the immediate cause of Eddie's death was a cerebrovascular event, such as a stroke. Pneumonia, myelodysplastic syndrome, a blood disorder, and lung cancer were also cited as underlying causes on his death certificate, obtained by TMZ.
The certificate also listed a number of other “significant conditions” that contributed to Eddie’s death, including squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer) of the head and neck and atrial fibrillation, a condition that causes irregular heartbeats and increases the risk of stroke.
Rolling Stone magazine ranked Eddie Van Halen 8th on its list of the 100 greatest guitarists. Van Halen was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.
A memorial honoring Eddie in his former hometown of Pasadena, California, was officially unveiled on Monday morning, October 11.
Check out the videos of the tribute:
