Remembering Greg Kihn
• We are saddened to learn of the passing of Greg Kihn, best known for his 1980’s hits “Jeopardy” and “The Breakup Song” to name a few, who lost his battle with Alzheimer’s disease on August 13, 2024 at the age of 75.
Born July 10, 1949 in Baltimore, Kihn discovered a passion for music early in life. He burst onto the scene with the release of Greg Kihn, which quickly garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base. With a unique songwriting style that blended folk, classic rock, blues and pop, his sound helped define a rich musical legacy in the San Francisco Bay Area music scene. As a pioneer with the legendary Beserkley Records, Kihn won awards for his hit songs “Jeopardy,” “The Breakup Song,” “Remember,” and “Lucky.” His early ’80s albums were also cleverly titled — Rockihnroll (1981), Kihntinued (1982) and Kihnspiracy (1983).
Kihn went on to do mornings on KFOX/San Jose for 17 years, and was also a syndicated night-time radio host across the country. Beyond the world of music and radio, Kihn was renowned as a great storyteller and novelist with six published novels and a multitude of short stories. He also had a unique hobby of breeding rare praying mantis and raised money for Operation Care and Comfort.
Kihn is survived by his wife, Jay Arafiles-Kihn, son Ryan Kihn, daughter Alexis Harrington-Kihn, son-in-law Samora Harrington, sister Laura Otremba, brother-in-law Lou Otremba Jr., two grandchildren and three nephews.
A private memorial celebration will take place with friends and family, and a public celebration of life concert for fans and fellow musicians will be announced in the near future. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Greg Kihn’s name to The Alzheimer’s Association. [Photo by Jay Gilbert]
