Eddie Van Halen Donates 75 of His Guitars to Public Schools

Eddie Van Halen and Executive Director Felice Mancini pose with some of the 75 guitars donated to the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation.

In a collaboration with the Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation, Eddie Van Halen has donated 75 guitars to L.A.-area schools. "Music education and families are dealing with the economic times," said the guitarist in a statement, "and I wanted to help them."

Playing music has provided a good life for him, said Van Halen, and he hopes to pass along that gift. "Music kept me off the streets and out of trouble and gave me something that was mine that no one could take away from me," he said. The guitars came from Van Halen's personal collection.

The band Van Halen, recently reunited with singer David Lee Roth, is currently preparing to go on tour to support  their first album since 1998, A Different Kind of Truth, which is due next month.  

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