Local rock icon, deejay and novelist Greg Kihn died Tuesday, Aug. 16 at the age of 75, according to an announcement on his web site.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Greg Kihn, an iconic figure in the realm of rock music. Greg lost his battle with Alzheimer’s disease,” the announcement written by Skyler Turtle said.
“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.”
Kihn was an accessible figure locally. He delivered a hilarious talk to the San Jose Rotary Club, supported the nonprofit San Jose Rocks and played Music in the Park. He was consistently voted as best deejay in Metro’s Best of Silicon Valley issue, and showed up at a South San Jose bowling alley for Metro’s Best of party one year.
He also posed for the cover of Metro’s 2011 Best of Silicon Valley.
Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Kihn achieved recognition with the release of the self-titled LP Greg Kihn on Beserkley records in 1976. He was a key part of the San Francisco Bay Area musical scene in the late 1970s and rose to worldwide fame in the 1980s with a string of hits.
He toured the world and won a number of awards for his hit songs “Jeopardy,” “The Breakup Song,” “Remember” and “Lucky.”
He was well known to Bay Area audiences as the morning radio host for KFOX for 17 years. Kihn was also a storyteller and novelist with six published novels in addition to short stories.
Greg is survived by wife Jay Arafiles-Kihn, son Ryan Kihn, daughter Alexis Harrington-Kihn, son-in-law Samora Harrington, grandsons Nate Harrington-Kihn and Zuri Harrington-Kihn and sister Laura Otremba.
