Greg Kihn, “Jeopardy” Singer and Bay Area Rock Icon, Dies at 75

Greg Kihn, the iconic singer-songwriter who captured hearts with the hit “Jeopardy,” has passed away at the age of 75.

Kihn, who succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease on Tuesday, was a significant figure in the Bay Area rock scene during the 1980s. His death was announced in a statement posted on Thursday on his official website.

Greg Kihn and the Greg Kihn Band gained widespread fame with their upbeat 1983 track “Jeopardy,” which reached number two on the Billboard singles’ chart, coming in just behind Michael Jackson’s legendary “Beat It.” The song quickly became a staple of early MTV, and its popularity was cemented with a parody by Weird Al Yankovic titled “I Lost on Jeopardy,” for which Kihn graciously granted permission and even made a cameo appearance in the music video.

Born in Baltimore, Kihn moved to the Bay Area in the 1970s and developed a unique sound that blended folk, classic rock, blues, and catchy pop melodies. He signed with the local independent label Beserkley Records and released his debut album in 1976. Kihn’s first entry into the Hot 100 was “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em)” which climbed to No. 15 in May 1981. Throughout his career, he released numerous cleverly titled albums like “Next of Kihn” and “Citizen Kihn,” with his final album “Rekihndled” coming out in 2017.

Aside from his musical career, Kihn was a beloved morning host on the San Jose-based radio station KUFX-FM (KFOX), holding the position for 17 years until his retirement in 2018. A devoted fan of horror, Kihn authored several genre novels and edited a short story collection featuring contributions from fellow rock legends Ray Davies, Pete Townshend, and Joan Jett. Additionally, he had a unique hobby of raising rare praying mantises, which he was quite passionate about.

Greg Kihn is survived by his wife Jay; his children, Ryan and Alexis; son-in-law Samora; grandsons Nate and Zuri; his sister Laura; brother-in-law Lou; and nephews Larry, Lou, and Matthew.

This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

Source: Los Angeles Times