Singer Greg Kihn, who was known for hits 80s pop hit ‘Jeopardy’, and ‘The Break Up Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em)’, has died aged 75.
Kihn was the frontman for The Greg Kihn Band for almost 50 years, with their most successful hit from 1983 ‘Jeopardy’ reaching Number Two on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song would also go on to be parodied by ‘Weird Al Yankovic’ with ‘I Lost On Jeopardy’ in 1984, which was praised by Kihn, who said he was thankful for the spoof, for helping his original composition live on the collective memory for longer than it may have otherwise.
“I loved his version of ‘I Lost on Jeopardy’,” he once said. “It was a brilliant parody. Al is a super talented musician. He invited me to appear in his video and I had a ball. God bless that man! I still get mailbox money from Weird Al!”.
“cultural phenomenon”
The news regarding Greg Kihn’s death was confirmed in a statement on the late musician’s official website. It was confirmed that Kihn had passed away from complications caused by Alzheimer’s disease.
“Known for his magnetic stage presence and unique storytelling that captivated audiences around the globe. He was not merely a musician but a cultural phenomenon whose influence will resonate for generations to come”, they said.
Born in Baltimore in 1949, Greg Kihn said that he was inspired to pursue a career in music after seeing The Beatles’ legendary performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.
Kihn was signed by Berserkley Records in 1973. He shared this label with Jonathan Richman and The Rubnoos.
In 1976, Kihn released his self-titled debut album, enjoying huge success over the next decade.
As well as music, Kihn also enjoyed a successful career as a novelist. He wrote four horror fiction novels, the first coming in 1996 with The Horror Show.
This book received a nomination for the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel.
Greg Kihn is survived by his wife Jay Arafiles, his son Ryan, daughter Alexis, and two grandchildren.
