Greg Kihn, Pop Star Who Had a Big Hit With “Jeopardy,” Dies at 75

Greg Kihn, the singer, songwriter, guitarist and West Coast pop star best known for his bouncy hit “Jeopardy,” which made it to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 before being parodied by “Weird Al” Yankovic, has died. He was 75.

Kihn died Tuesday after a battle with Alzheimer’s, publicist Michael Brandvold announced. His family did not want to disclose the location of his death.

Kihn blended folk, classic rock, blues and melodic pop in a style that helped define the Bay Area music scene in the 1980s. His first hit was “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em),” which got to No. 15 on the Hot 100 in May 1981.

The Greg Kihn Band released the danceable “Jeopardy” in January 1983, and only Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” kept from nabbing the No. 1 spot. A huge MTV favorite, it was quickly spoofed by Yankovic as “I Lost on Jeopardy,” which even featured the host of the game show, Art Fleming, and its announcer, Don Pardo. (Kihn’s song was about a relationship going bad.)

Kihn gave Weird Al permission to make his song and was seen at the end of Yankovic’s music video as the driver of a convertible.

Gregory Stanley Kihn was born in Baltimore on July 10, 1949. His father, Stanley, was an inspector for the city health department. Watching The Beatles perform on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 for the first time was “a life-altering event,” he said.

When he was 17, his mother, Jane, submitted a tape of one of his songs to local radio station WCAO, and from that he won a Vox electric guitar. He moved in San Francisco in 1974, signed with Matthew Kaufman’s Beserkley Records and released his first album, fronting his own ensemble, in 1976.

His LPs also included 1981’s Rockihnroll, 1982’s Kihntinued, 1983’s Kihnspiracy, 1984’s Kihntageous, 1985’s Citizen Kihn, 1986’s Love & Rock & Roll, 1994’s Mutiny, 1996’s Horror Show and 2017’s Rekihndled.

Kihn was a popular morning host on the San Jose, California-based station KUFX-FM (known as KFOX) for 17 years through 2018. He also published several horror novels and edited a collection of short stories written by the likes of Ray Davies, Pete Townshend and Joan Jett.

He had an interesting hobby — breeding rare praying mantises — and donated time and money to Operation Care and Comfort.

Survivors include his wife, Jay; children Ryan and Alexis; son-in-law Samora; grandsons Nate and Zuri; sister Laura; brother-in-law Lou; and nephews Larry, Lou and Matthew.

A private memorial celebration is planned, as is a public celebration of life concert. Donations in his honor can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.