Nancy Wilson of Heart has paid tribute to late guitar hero Eddie Van Halen with the new single, “4 Edward”. The song is set to appear on Wilson’s upcoming solo debut, You and Me, due out on May 7th.
The 1:43 minute instrumental track bears some hallmarks of Van Halen’s iconic guitar playing, while also allowing Wilson to make her own statement. The thumbnail image for “4 Edward” even sees Eddie’s iconic Frankenstein color scheme applied to Wilson’s acoustic guitar in a juxtaposition of musical styles. The song is entirely acoustic, a medium that the late guitarist seldom explored, which only adds to the significance of Wilson’s tribute.
“When Heart toured with Van Halen I asked Eddie why he never played acoustic guitar, his response ‘I don’t have one,’” she said in a statement. “I gave Eddie one of mine and he immediately wrote a song on it that stole my heart. After he passed, it hit me so hard I felt it was time to pay tribute to him.”
Related: Heart Biopic Written And Directed By Carrie Brownstein In The Works
“[Eddie] was the sweetest soul,” Nancy said when he passed. “Whether or not he was effed up or partying too much, or whatever was going on, which they all did, but he was just wonderful and sweet as they come. And sort of like the three-mile smile, you know… He was a genuine person. He was a good person. Nothing like you would think a hoity-toity rock star would be. Nothing like that.”
Listen to Nancy Wilson’s musical tribute to Eddie Van Halen, “4 Edward”. Wilson’s solo album, You and Me, is available here for pre-order.
Nancy Wilson – “4 Edward”
[Video: Nancy Wilson – Topic]
[H/TÂ Brooklyn Vegan]