Iconic Rock Star Greg Kihn Passes Away At 75

Revered rock artist Greg Kihn has passed away following his battle with Alzheimer's disease.

The family of Gregory S. Kihn announced the tragic news in an obituary they posted to his website on Thursday, August 15. His estate confirmed he died on Tuesday. He is survived by his wife Jay Arafiles-Kihn, his children Ryan Kihn and Alexis Harrington-Kihn, his two grandsons, his sister Laura Otremba, and his nephews. Born in Maryland, the singer-songwriter rose to fame in the San Francisco Bay Area by integrating folk, classic rock, blues and pop together with his unforgettable voice.

Greg Kinh started in the music industry in 1974 after he moved to San Francisco. He began writing songs while in high school and eventually became one of the first artists to sign with Beserkley Records in 1976. He later formed The Greg Kihn Band with guitarist Robbie Dunbar, bassist Steve Wright, and drummer Larry Lynch. His band went on to release hit songs like "Jeopardy" and "The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em)," which topped the charts in 1981.

"I never really finished the lyrics to ‘The Breakup Song,” Kihn told Rolling Stone in 1983. “The ah ah ah‘s in the song were just filler – I intended to write words later. Then I played it for the band, and they said, ‘Wow, those are the deepest words you ever wrote.’ I tried to be cool and act like I’d planned it, but in reality, I had no idea. It took me three weeks to write a song about that. Now it takes five minutes.”

The band went on to release five albums on Beserkley, but they continued to make music throughout the 1990s and into the late 2010's. Their final album was Rekindled in 2017.

Outside of music, Kihn was a hit in the radio industry as a morning show host and a syndicated nighttime host for 17 years. He also wrote six novels and a variety of short stories.

Rest in peace, Greg Kihn.