Eddie Van Halen. This is a Dutch name; the family name is Van Halen, not Halen. Edward Lodewijk Eddie Van Halen (born January 26, 1955) is a Dutch-American musician, songwriter and producer. He is best known as the lead guitarist, occasional keyboardist and co-founder of the American hard rock band Van Halen. He is considered one of the most influential guitarists in the history of rock music.