He was a founding member of the iconic rock band Kiss, and will long be remembered through his music and performances.
Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley’s cause of death confirmed by Morris County Medical Examiner
Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of Kiss, died last month at the age of 74. The musician, known to millions as “Space Ace,” passed away peacefully Thursday surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, following complications from a fall.
An official report released the cause of death as blunt trauma injuries to his head due to a fall as reported by TMZ and People.
We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. 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. Our thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and… pic.twitter.com/y19anvZXbz
— KISS (@kiss) October 17, 2025
In a statement, Frehley’s relatives said they were “completely devastated and heartbroken,” remembering him for his laughter and generosity.
Who was Ace Frehley?
Frehley helped define the band’s sound and spectacle through the 1970s, wielding his signature smoking guitar as part of Kiss’s explosive stage shows. With hits like“Rock and Roll All Nite”and“I Was Made for Lovin’ You,”the group became one of the biggest acts in rock history, selling tens of millions of albums and pioneering modern music merchandising.
Born Paul Daniel Frehley in the Bronx, he joined Kiss in 1973 and inspired a generation of guitarists with his flashy solos and space-themed persona. After leaving the band in the early ’80s, he found solo success before reuniting with Kiss for their celebrated mid-1990s comeback tour.
How many of Kiss’ founders are still alive?
His death marks the first among Kiss’s four founding members, a lineup that included Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss.
“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” Simmons and Stanley said in a joint statement. “He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during the most formative years of Kiss. He will always be part of our legacy.”
Did Ace Frehley have a wife and children?
Frehley is survived by his wife, Jeanette; his daughter, Monique; his brother, Charles; his sister, Nancy; his nieces, Suncere and Julie; his nephews, Sky and Andrew; his sister-in-law, Michelanne; and his brother-in-law, Ron.
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