Greg Kihn - 70’s & 80’s singer/songwriter whose best-known tune was 1981’s “The Break-Up Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em Like That Anymore)” - passed away last week from complications related to Alzheimer’s Disease.

I first heard Greg Kihn in 1975 on the Beserkley label’s Chartbuster’s Volume 1 release. I fell in love with all four of Beserkely’s main acts - Jonathan Richman (with & without The Modern Lovers), Earthquake (a slightly more melodic than Aerosmith hard-rock band), The Rubinoos (power-poppers I saw open for Elvis Costello & the Attractions at the Columbus Agora in 1979) and Kihn - from that album.

Kihn’s 1978 release - Next Of Kihn - was the highlight of his songwriting for me. Below are three songs from that release and a couple more gems from Kihn’s career. I’m gonna miss him. Let’s let the music do the talking.

Kihn’s version of “Rendevous,” a tune handed off to him by Bruce Springsteen.

Pretend this is the encore; a cool cover of a classic gene Pitney tune.

Ricki C. turned 72 years old this summer. His first favorite rock & roll song was Buddy Holly’s “Peggy Sue” when he was five years old, riding in his sainted Italian father’s Oldsmobile. He figures his last favorite rock & roll song will be by either Elliott Murphy or Ian Hunter, sometime in the future.