The project is aimed at engaging leading thinkers, public figures and Americans from all walks of life to explore how the United States became the nation it is today.

Van Halen joined host Denise Quan for the session, where he discussed his family's journey from Holland to America, his musical roots and, as things developed, his need to build his own guitar - which turned out to be a hybrid of a Fender and a Gibson - to create the sound he heard in his head.

The rocker then recounted his long history of tinkering with guitars, amps and electronics under the evening's theme, "Is rock 'n' roll about reinvention?"