Wolfgang Van Halen releases heartfelt debut track Distance, a tribute to his father

Wolfgang Van Halen has just released his debut track, Distance and it has truly left me speechless. It is a tribute to his father, Eddie Van Halen, and it is an absolute musical gem! When you first listen, you are immediately captivated by Wolfgang’s compelling vocals. His emotionally stirring lyrics are soul baring and a true raw honesty rises from the song.

It brought tears to my eyes, and yet, the song absolutely rocks! I must have listened to over a dozen times after it was first released. Wolfgang is a remarkable musician and we never doubted for a second that he would deliver anything short of stellar music. What is amazing about this album, Wolfgang plays all the instruments on the album, it is a true labor of love.

You can pick up the song via iTunes by heading over here: https://music.apple.com/us/album/distance-single/1538015599

He also released a touching video that includes heartwarming home movie clips and ends with a beautiful voicemail. Check it out here:

About the new song:

“As my pop continued to struggle with various health issues, I was imagining what my life would be like without him and how terribly I’d miss him. While the song is incredibly personal, I think anyone can relate to the idea of having a profound loss in their life, I never intended ‘Distance’ to be the very first piece of music people would hear from me, but I also thought my father would be here to celebrate its release. This is for him. I love and miss you, Pop.” – WVH

Proceeds from “Distance” will be donated to Pop’s favorite charity,

The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation

An organization that is very close to the Van Halen family is the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. Eddie was very supportive of the organization via numerous donations throughout his lifetime. Following in his father’s footsteps in another way, Wolfgang is donating his portion of all proceeds from “Distance” to the foundation.

“Our connection with Eddie grew out of his generous nature, his delight in seeing kids learn and play music, and ultimately understanding what’s important in life. Eddie lived out loud through his music, and I believe that he wanted to see that kind of expression ignite in the students. Music saved him and he loved giving back through what we do for kids through the power of music. Thank you, Eddie. We’ll never forget you.” – Felice Mancini, the President and CEO of The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation