Greg Kihn, Rock Singer Behind ‘Jeopardy’ and ‘The Breakup Song,’ Dies at 75
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Greg Kihn, a rock musician best known for hit songs “Jeopardy” and “The Breakup Song” has died at age 75.
Kihn died on Tuesday, Aug. 13, after battling Alzheimer’s disease, according to a eulogy posted to his website.
“Known for his magnetic stage presence and unique storytelling that captivated audiences around the globe,” the statement continued. “He was not merely a musician but a cultural phenomenon whose influence will resonate for generations to come.”
Kihn was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on June 10, 1949 and discovered his love for music early in life. He moved to San Francisco in the early 1970s and formed the Greg Kihn Band, which went on to release five albums.
When the band released “The Breakup Song,” it reached No. 15 on the Hot 100 chart and landed the group slots opening for the Rolling Stones and Journey, according to Rolling Stone. Then, two years later, they released “Jeopardy” and that song peaked at No. 2.
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“Sometimes it seems that you pull a song out of the air, and that’s what happened with ‘Jeopardy,’”Kihn wrote on his website. “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.”
Throughout his career, Kihn was also remembered for hit songs “Remember” and “Lucky.” Meanwhile, his most recent record was 2017’s Rekihdled. He was also a morning host for KFOX for 17 years and a night-time radio host across the country.
He also went on to publish 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..
A private memorial will be held for his friends and family, while a public celebration of life concert for fans will be announced in the near future.
Kihn’s family also asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Greg Kihn’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association to help end Alzheimer’s disease.
