Guitarist Terry Kilgore, best known to Van Halen fans as a sideman to David Lee Roth, lost his home to the fires that have devastated Altadena. Like so many victims of the Los Angeles wildfires, Kilgore had little time to collect his belongings before departing his residence. As a result, Kilgore lost a priceless collection of vintage guitars and amps, along with all his other possessions. He also lost a rental home on his Altadena property, which provided his family with income. Now homeless, Terry and his family face a most uncertain future.
Terry Kilgore was raised in Pasadena. He developed friendships with both David Lee Roth and Edward Van Halen. According to David Lee Roth, he and Kilgore wrote a song together when they were both thirteen. After Roth joined Van Halen, Terry’s bands went head-to-head with Van Halen on the Pasadena backyard party scene. As admirers of each other’s talents, Edward and Terry often traded guitar licks and techniques in the 1970s. During the 1990s, Kilgore collaborated frequently with Roth. He played guitar and co-wrote several songs on Roth’s Your Filthy Little Mouth (1994) and DLR Band (1998) albums, including “Big Train,” “Black Sand,” and “Going Places.”
Donations to support Terry and his family as they look to rebuild their lives during this incredibly challenging time are most appreciated. Donate through GoFundMe below:
- A special thank you from the Van Halen News Desk to Greg Renoff for his contributions to this article.