KISS cofounder and guitarist Ace Frehley has died, according to reports. He was 74 years old.

Frehley's family confirmed the sad news to Variety, sharing, "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."

Frehley had been on life support in the hospital due to brain bleed — a result of a fall he suffered at his home studio in late-September.

The singer and guitarist recently canceled his remaining 2025 tour dates due to "some ongoing medical issues." He had previously scrapped a single California gig due to what he described as a "minor fall" that forced him to make a trip to the hospital.

In his initial health update, Frehley insisted that he was "fine" after the fall, and he was only canceling the performance per his doctor's orders. He had been touring steadily all year with his solo band.

Born in the Bronx on April 27, 1951, Paul Daniel Frehley was the youngest of three children in a musical family. After receiving an electric guitar for Christmas at age 13, Frehley became obsessed with the instrument and taught himself how to play.

In 1973, Frehley cofounded KISS in New York City with Peter Criss, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. He designed and embodied the band's 'Space Man' character, in addition to playing lead guitar and writing KISS classics like "Cold Gin," "Parasite," "Shock Me" and others.

As a solo artist, Frehley's 1978 cover of "New York Grove" was by far the highest-charting single by any member of KISS.

Since leaving KISS for the final time in 2002, Frehley focused on solo work, releasing five solo albums since 2014, including two covers records in his Origins series, celebrating music that influenced him.

As a guitarist Frehley's influence is immense, with a generation of players citing his lead guitar playing in KISS as core inspiration, including 'Dimebag' Darrell Abbott, Jerry Cantrell, CC Deville, John 5, Mike McCready, Dave Mustaine, Kim Thayil and many more.

Frehley had planned to join his fellow KISS cofounders in Washington, D.C. this December to receive the Kennedy Center Honors.

Joey Brooks

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