Greg Kihn, ‘Jeopardy’ and ‘Breakup Song’ Hitmaker, Dies at 75

Greg Kihn, the rock singer-songwriter who scored with “Jeopardy” and “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em)” and helped definite an era of power pop in the 1980s, died Tuesday at age 85, his family announced in a statement. The cause of death was complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

With the Greg Kihn Band, the singer reached No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981 with “The Breakup Song,” scaling even greater heights in 1983 with “Jeopardy,” which hit No. 2 on the national chart and became an early staple of the nascent MTV. The latter song continues to be part of the public consciousness not just because of its own enduring earworm qualities, but because of a popular parody by “Weird Al” Yankovic, “I Lost on Jeopardy.”

Kihn was part of the Beserkley Records stable of artists to come out of the Bay Area in the mid-’70s, having released his first song as a solo artist on the influential compilation “Beserkley Chartbusters Vol. 1” in 1976, coming up alongside such labelmates as Jonathan Richman, the Rubinoos and Earth Quake.

Before moving to San Francisco in 1972, Kihn grew up in Baltimore, and won a talent contest sponsored by a local radio station while still in high school. He signed with Beserkley in 1973, though it would not be till 1976 that he released his first album, “Greg Kihn.”

Eventually he established a pattern of pun-fueled titles, with album releases that included “Next of Kihn” (1978), “RocKihnRoll” (1981), “Kihntinued” (1982), “Kihntagious” 1984) and “Rekihndled” (2017).

He also published six novels. Kihn was a morning radio host for KFOX for 17 years, beginning in 1996, as well as a syndicated nighttime radio host.

A private memorial celebration for friends and family is expected to be followed by public celebration of life concert for fans and fellow musicians, with details to be announced.

Kihn is survived by Jay Arafiles-Kihn, his wife; a son, Ryan Kihn, and daughter, Alexis Harrington-Kihn; Samora Harrington, his son-in-law; grandsons Nate Harrington-Kihn and Zuri Harrington-Kihn; his sister, Laura Otremba; Lou Otremba Jr., his brother-in-law), and nephews Larry Otremba, Lou Otremba III and Matthew Otremba.

In lieu of flowers, the family requested that donations be made in Kihn’s name to the Alzheimer’s Association.