Who Was Ace Frehley? 7 Things to Know About the KISS Founding Member After His Death at 74

Before becoming a KISS legend, Ace Frehley was an ordinary child from The Bronx, N.Y., where he was born and raised alongside his two siblings.

"Music was always an important part of our household and our lives. We were always a church going family. Both Mother and Father were very involved in our church," Ace's brother Charles said. "One wonderful part of that experience for Nancy, Paul and me was all the beautiful music and singing we were exposed to from the time we were born. I truly believe that very early exposure to music directly affects an individual's ability to understand music later on in life."

He added that their destiny was "to pick up the guitar...and never put it down!"

Frehley embraced his love for music by performing in local bands starting in the 1960s. Among his earliest groups was a cover band called Honey.

"I will say that Ace was a super guitarist even then. Very innovative and he would hear something once and play it perfectly," the band's lead singer, Rich Circell, shared. "Even then he marched to his own drum. He showed no interest in singing back then. He was certainly the best guitar player I ever had the privilege of playing with. He was very fluid, clean and melodic."

He also played with The Outrage, Cathedral and Molimo while juggling different jobs, including working as a messenger, mail carrier, liquor store delivery boy and furniture delivery boy.

In 1972, Frehley auditioned for KISS and successfully scored the lead guitarist position.

Together with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss, they formally formed the band and released their debut album in February 1974. They dropped more studio albums in the years thereafter, including Dressed to Kill in 1975, Destroyer in 1976, Love Gun in 1977 and Dynasty in 1979.

In 1982, Frehley left KISS and formed the group Frehley's Comet, which put out two successful albums.

He rejoined KISS for a reunion tour in 1996 and continued playing with his bandmates until 2002.

As KISS rose to fame, the "New York Groove" rocker also launched his solo career. He released a self-titled album in 1978 and continued sharing solo projects afterward: Trouble Walkin', Anomaly, Space Invader, Origins Vol. 1, Spaceman, Origins Vol. 2 and 10,000 Volts.

Frehley had also been working on his most recent solo studio album, Origins Vol. 3, which he planned to release this year.

"Origins Vol. 3 will probably be out before the end of 2025," he told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station in December 2024. "I usually put out a record every year, year and a half, two years now. I have two more albums on my record deal with MNRK Music. And everything's great."

Frehley married his wife, Jeanette Trerotola, during a New York City ceremony in May 1978. They welcomed their daughter, Monique, in 1980 before they parted ways.

"A fresh start was in order and part of the process involved legally separating from my wife," he wrote about their marriage in his book No Regrets. "Jeanette had decided to move on, and was involved in a relationship with a local guy."

The "Rock Soldiers" hitmaker moved on with Rachael Gordon and proposed to her in 2010. However, they called it quits in 2019 after 11 years together.

Following his breakup with Gordon, Frehley began dating school teacher Lara Cove, whom he met in 2018. They were together for six years before ending their relationship.

"After much thought and heartfelt conversations, Ace and I have decided to part ways," Cove revealed on her Facebook page. "This decision is a step we are taking as we both embark on new paths in our lives. I refuse to say one bad word about him and will not be discussing our breakup further. This statement is the only comment I will make on the matter, out of respect for him and my own integrity."

Meanwhile, Frehley addressed the split during a June 2024 concert.

"I still care about her. Wonderful girl, beautiful girl. We decided to part our own ways, and she's happy, I'm happy," he told his fans. "It was just time. Things go south, right? Three out of four marriages end after five years in this country, statistically. I don't wanna be a bearer of bad news, but that's reality."

Frehley's family released a statement on October 16, confirming the "Into the Night" singer died in Morristown, N.J., weeks after suffering a fall. He was 74.

"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," the statement read. "We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace's memory will continue to live on forever!"

A September 25 statement on his Instagram page announced the cancelation of Frehley's scheduled performance in Lancaster, Calif., due to a "minor fall." His team canceled the remainder of his 2025 tour dates on October 6 because of "ongoing medical issues."

According to a news outlet, the fall left Frehley on life support due to a brain bleed. His family also revealed his condition had "not improved" before his death.