Greg Kihn, Bay Area rocker and former radio host, dies
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Classic rock fans are mourning the death of a Bay Area singer and writer from Baltimore who planted roots in the Bay and its music scene, on stage and on the airwaves.
San Jose Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, singer-songwriter Greg Kihn, a cornerstone of Bay Area music and radio since 1974, died at age 75. His creative mind conjured up the 1980s hits "The Breakup Song", "Lucky" and "Remember," as well as four novels. He succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease.
His mega hit, "Jeopardy", charted at number two in the spring of 1983. The number one song then was Michael Jackson's super hit, "Beat It". "People like Huey Lewis and others actually opened for him," said Peter Berliner, President of San Francisco-based Innovative Entertainment.
Berliner booked Kihn to many performances with his band. "Greg was a great personality, a great, intelligent gentlemen. I used to book the entertainment at Great America. I used him many times as a headliner back there in the early '80s," said Berliner. Kihn's music was even used in the epic mob series, "The Sopranos."
Chris Jackson, now 32 years at KFOX, is still going strong was its first DJ. For almost half of it with his co-host, and friend. "Fifteen with Greg Kihn as my partner on the show," said Jackson.
We interviewed Chris in the studio playing the same guitar he and Greg often played. "Very energetic and very creative and smiling all the time. Good guy, family guy and just loved people," said Jackson.
The rock star never took rock star fame to heart. "He never acted like it. He loved people too much and he was like a kid in a candy store," said the DJ.
He was a sharing, caring musician who used his fame and fortune for good. "Always, give care packages for the troops. Anything for the troops, law enforcement, kids, toys. He loved them all, and he loved to do charity events. He'd say yes to everything, said the KFOX host.
His legacy? Jackson put it this way, "Like his song title, like the one everyone knows, 'They Don't Write 'Em Like That Anymore.' They won't make 'em like Greg Kihn anymore. I miss him."