Greg Kihn, the singer, songwriter, guitarist and West Coast pop star finest identified for his bouncy hit “Jeopardy,” which made it to No. 2 on the Billboard Scorching 100 earlier than being parodied by “Bizarre Al” Yankovic, has died. He was 75.
Kihn died Tuesday after a battle with Alzheimer’s, publicist Michael Brandvold introduced. His household didn’t wish to disclose the placement of his dying.
Kihn blended people, basic rock, blues and melodic pop in a method that helped outline the Bay Space music scene within the Eighties. His first hit was “The Breakup Track (They Don’t Write ‘Em),” which bought to No. 15 on the Scorching 100 in Could 1981.
The Greg Kihn Band launched the danceable “Jeopardy” in January 1983, and solely Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” saved from nabbing the No. 1 spot. An enormous MTV favourite, it was rapidly spoofed by Yankovic as “I Misplaced on Jeopardy,” which even featured the host of the sport present, Artwork Fleming, and its announcer, Don Pardo. (Kihn’s tune was a few relationship going unhealthy.)
Kihn gave Bizarre Al permission to make his tune and was seen on the finish of Yankovic’s music video as the motive force of a convertible.
Gregory Stanley Kihn was born in Baltimore on July 10, 1949. His father, Stanley, was an inspector for the town well being division. Watching The Beatles carry out on The Ed Sullivan Present in 1964 for the primary time was “a life-altering occasion,” he mentioned.
When he was 17, his mom, Jane, submitted a tape of one in every of his songs to native radio station WCAO, and from that he gained a Vox electrical guitar. He moved in San Francisco in 1974, signed with Matthew Kaufman’s Beserkley Data and launched his first album, fronting his personal ensemble, in 1976.
His LPs additionally included 1981’s Rockihnroll, 1982’s Kihntinued, 1983’s Kihnspiracy, 1984’s Kihntageous, 1985’s Citizen Kihn, 1986’s Love & Rock & Roll, 1994’s Mutiny, 1996’s Horror Present and 2017’s Rekihndled.
Kihn was a preferred morning host on the San Jose, California-based station KUFX-FM (referred to as KFOX) for 17 years by means of 2018. He additionally revealed a number of horror novels and edited a set of brief tales written by the likes of Ray Davies, Pete Townshend and Joan Jett.
He had an attention-grabbing pastime — breeding uncommon praying mantises — and donated money and time to Operation Care and Consolation.
Survivors embody his spouse, Jay; kids Ryan and Alexis; son-in-law Samora; grandsons Nate and Zuri; sister Laura; brother-in-law Lou; and nephews Larry, Lou and Matthew.
A non-public memorial celebration is deliberate, as is a public celebration of life live performance. Donations in his honor could be made to the Alzheimer’s Affiliation.
