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KISS Guitarist Ace Frehley Passes Away
Image Credit: Entertainment One Music
Ace Frehley, the iconic guitarist for KISS, has passed away. As THR reports that Frehley passed away on Thursday in Morristown, New Jersey. His passing comes weeks after he fell in his studio in late September. Frehley was 74 years old.
Frehley’s family said in a statement:
We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”
Frehley was born Peter Frehley in 1951 in The Bronx to a musically-inclined family. He received an electric guitar as a Christmas present when he was 13 and immersed himself in learning it. His nickname of “Ace” came from high school for his ability to get dates.
After playing in a number of bands, Frehley was shown an advertisement looking for a guitarist. He answered the ad, which was from the trio of Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss. KISS was then born from the four of them.
The band’s debut and self-titled album released in 1974. Frehley played on the band’s first nine albums and become one of the 1970’s most popular guitarists with his frenetic style. He left the group in 1982, but returned in 1998 for their reunion album Psycho Circus. Frehley left the band again after finishing the “Farewell Tour” in late 2001.
In addition to his work with the band, Frehley released nine solo albums. His first album, the self-titled Ace Frehley, released in 1978 and his last was 2024’s 10,000 Volts. Frehley was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with KISS in 2014.
On behalf of 411, our condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Ace Frehley. Rock wouldn’t be the same without him.
