Ace Frehley, the founding member and original lead guitarist of the band Kiss, died Thursday in Morristown, New Jersey, at age 74.
His agent said Frehley passed away peacefully while surrounded by family after suffering a recent fall. In a statement, family members said they are “completely devastated and heartbroken” but determined to remember his laughter and celebrate his kindness.
Frehley’s influence on rock music traces back to the early days of Kiss, a band he helped establish alongside Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss.
Kiss sold tens of millions of records, and the group’s licensing strategy helped extend its reach far beyond music. Their single “Beth” peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1976.
Kiss’s original lineup was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. Frehley’s passing is the first among the four founding members.
Stanley and Simmons, longtime Kiss bandmates, honored Frehley’s central role in the group’s evolution. “We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” they said in a joint statement. “He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy”.
Frehley first left Kiss in 1982, missing the less theatrical years of the band when they removed their makeup and faced mixed success. He maintained an active musical career, releasing records both as a solo artist and with his own band, Frehley’s Comet. The mid-1990s reunion with Kiss returned the band to its roots, bringing back its original style.
Frehley’s powerful riffs and memorable solos earned him a place in Guitar World’s Top 15 of the “100 Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarists of All Time,” while his performance on “Shock Me” ranked among the “50 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time.” Foo Fighters paid homage to him with a cover of “Ozone,” and Tom Morello lauded him as “My first guitar hero.”
His solo career also had notable releases, including the platinum-certified Ace Frehley, the highest-selling Kiss solo album during the Soundscan era, as well as Frehley’s Comet and Space Invader. His 2016 album Origins Vol. 1 debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Hard Rock Albums Chart. Frehley’s influence resonated with musicians such as Mike McCready, Slash, and Lita Ford, all of whom collaborated with him.
Frehley continued to create new music until recently, with his tenth solo project, 10,000 Volts, upholding his legacy and passion for electrifying rock. The album’s energy is epitomized by tracks like “Walkin’ On The Moon” and “Stratosphere”.
President Donald Trump recognized the achievements of Kiss by naming the band as one of the Kennedy Center honorees during his tenure.