Greg Kihn: Rock star behind iconic ’80s hits has died

Greg Kihn the rock musician celebrated for his chart-topping hits “Jeopardy” and “The Breakup Song,” passed away at the age of 75 on Tuesday, August 13, after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease, as revealed in a heartfelt eulogy on his website.

The eulogy highlighted Kihn’s “magnetic stage presence and unique storytelling that captivated audiences around the globe,” noting that he was “not merely a musician but a cultural phenomenon whose influence will resonate for generations to come.”

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 10, 1949, Kihn discovered his passion for music early in life. He relocated to San Francisco in the early 1970s, where he formed the Kihn Band, which went on to release five albums. The band’s breakthrough came with “The Breakup Song,” which climbed to No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, earning them opportunities to open for rock legends like the Rolling Stones and Journey. Two years later, they released “Jeopardy,” which soared to No. 2 on the charts.

Reflecting on the creation of “Jeopardy,” Kihn once wrote on his website, “Sometimes it seems that you pull a song out of the air, and that’s what happened with ‘Jeopardy.’ It was as if the song was floating around in the atmosphere and I just snatched it up. I started singing, ‘our love’s in Jeopardy, whoo-whoo-whoo.’ It was completely spontaneous. Steve [Wright] looked at me, and we both realized what we’d done.”

In addition to his famous hits, Kihn was known for songs like “Remember” and “Lucky.” His most recent album, “Rekihdled,” was released in 2017. Beyond his music career, Kihn was a popular radio personality, hosting morning shows on KFOX for 17 years and serving as a nighttime radio host nationwide.

Kihn also pursued a successful writing career, publishing several novels and short stories, including Painted Black, Rubber Soul, Horror Show, Shade of Pale, Big Rock Beat, Mojo Hand, and Carved in Rock.

Kihn is survived by his wife, Jay Arafiles-Kihn, his son Ryan, his daughter Alexis Harrington-Kihn, his son-in-law Samora Harrington, his grandsons Nate and Zuri, his sister Lauren Otremba, and his brother-in-law Lou Otremba Jr.

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A private memorial will be held for his family and close friends, while a public celebration of life concert for his fans will be announced soon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Greg Kihn’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association, supporting efforts to end the disease.

Greg Kihn :

Kihn’s early influence came from The Beatles, particularly their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. He often remarked how that moment was a turning point for many musicians of his generation, including himself, recalling, “Just about every rock and roll musician my age can point to one cultural event that inspired him to take up music in the first place: The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. If you were a shy 14-year-old kid who already had a guitar, it was a life-altering event… In a single weekend, everything had changed.”

Kihn began his musical journey in his hometown of Baltimore, initially performing as a singer-songwriter before transitioning to straightforward rock & roll after moving to San Francisco in 1974. He started writing songs and performing in coffee houses during high school. At 17, his mother submitted a tape of one of his original songs to a local Top 40 radio station’s talent contest, where he won first prize—a typewriter, a stack of records, and a Vox electric guitar, setting the stage for his future in music.

Upon moving to California, Kihn took on various jobs, from painting houses to singing in the streets, while also working at Berkeley’s Rather Ripped Records alongside future bandmate Gary Phillips. In 1975, he became one of the first artists signed to Matthew King Kaufman’s Beserkley Records, joining a roster that included Jonathan Richman, Earth Quake, and The Rubinoos. Kihn helped shape the label’s sound—a blend of melodic pop with strong 1960s sensibilities, offering an alternative to the prog rock of the time.

In 1976, Kihn made his debut on the compilation Beserkley Chartbusters and soon after released his first album with the Greg Kihn Band, featuring Robbie Dunbar on guitar, Steve Wright on bass, and Larry Lynch on drums. Dunbar, already a member of Earth Quake, was replaced by Dave Carpender in time to record their second album, Greg Kihn Again. Gary Phillips, who had contributed guitar work to Kihn’s first album, returned as a session musician on the band’s Glass House Rock album in 1980 and officially joined as the band’s keyboardist for their follow-up album, Rockihnroll in 1981.

This lineup of Kihn, Wright, Lynch, Phillips, and Carpender remained intact until 1983, when Greg Douglass replaced Dave Carpender on guitar.