A Bronx native, Frehley is considered one of the greatest metal guitarists of all time.
He joined Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss to form Kiss in New York City in 1973. The group, known for their bold black-and-white makeup, costumes and electrifying guitar solos, took the world by storm, sparking a metal fever with hits such as “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Black Diamond,” “Rock and Roll.” All Nite” and “Lick It Up.”
What began as a rock band became a cultural phenomenon and legacy, widely considered one of the most influential musical groups of all time.
Kiss changed its lineup over the years, with Frehley first leaving in 1982 to form his own band, Frehley’s Comet.
He followed a solo career that included hits such as “New York Groove”, released in 1978, and “Rock Soldiers” in 1987.
The Spaceman later returned to Kiss’s orbit, rejoining the band in 1996 for a highly acclaimed reunion tour and leaving again in 2002, closing out their reunion run by performing at the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.
All four original members of Kiss were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
The music never stopped for Frehley. Last year, he released his solo album “10,000 Volts,” which topped Billboard’s rock and hard music album charts.
Born Paul Daniel Frehley into a family of musicians, he was self-taught and went on to inspire millions with his guitar prowess.
“I’ve never taken a lesson, and my sense of melody came from singing in the church choir. So whatever you have, you can’t teach it. You have to have it inside you. You either have it, or you don’t have anything at all,” Frehley told Guitar World last year.
Frehley was married once, to Jeanette Trerotola in 1976, with whom he shares a daughter, Monique, according to People magazine.
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