Who Was KISS Guitarist Ace Frehley? What to Know About the Musician

Ace Frehley had plenty of wild times throughout his career as a musician ... and we're here for all of them!

The guitarist was best known for rocking and rolling all night with KISS, the band he co-founded and performed with for years ... before taking off and embarking on his own solo career.

We're going to take a look into the performer's professional background and see what led up to his tragic death.

Ace was born Paul Daniel Frehley in 1951, and he was raised in The Bronx, New York City -- pretty far from Detroit Rock City, but he'd end up there eventually.

The performer reportedly received an electric guitar as a Christmas gift in 1964 ... and skipped  lessons, relying on the influence of guitarists like Jimi Hendrix and B.B. King, according to Variety.

His career as a musician began shortly afterward, when he dropped out of high school ... one of his bands began earning money, and another band signed with RCA Records.

Ace spoke about his early days as a musician in an interview with Guitar Player and said he'd "probably have practiced a little more" if he'd known he'd make it big one day.

Ace was one of the founding members of KISS -- alongside Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss -- which was founded in New York City all the way back in 1973.

Ace was the group's lead guitarist, and the group became pop culture icons for wearing makeup and costumes while performing, and their shows became legendary for their theatrics.

Ace didn't stay with the band forever, though ... he left the band in 1982 to focus on his solo career.

He eventually rejoined KISS, which was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, after a 14-year break, and he remained with the group until 2002, when he took off for good.

Ace started his own band, Frehley's Comet, after his first departure from KISS. He was the group's lead guitarist and one of its main vocalists.

The group only lasted for a total of four years, although they had a few reunions after the release of their final album in 1988.

Ace's solo career continued after the band dissolved, and he released several albums under his own name over the years.

The late musician's most recently released record, "10,000 Volts," was released in 2024.

Ace died at the age of 74 on Thursday, October 16, 2025, after suffering a brain bleed caused by injuries sustained in a fall.

The guitarist's injury reportedly took place in a studio several weeks prior to his death.

Ace was subsequently hospitalized, and his family ended up making the decision to remove him from life support.