Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz) is a rock musician, songwriter and businessman best known as the cofounder and bassist of the rock band Kiss. Born in Haifa, Israel, Simmons immigrated to the United States with his mother at age 8 and changed his name to Eugene Klein. He was raised in New York City and attended Sullivan County Community College, graduating in 1970.

Simmons formed Kiss in 1973 with Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, developing the band’s signature makeup, costumes and theatrical performances. Kiss rose to fame with hit albums like Alive! (1975), Destroyer (1976) and Love Gun (1977), becoming one of the most successful rock bands in history. Known for his stage persona, Simmons also handled much of the band’s business, helping turn Kiss into a global brand with merchandise, comics and films.

Outside of music, Simmons starred in the A&E reality series Gene Simmons Family Jewels, which aired from 2006 to 2012 and offered a look at his personal life. He has also published multiple books, including Kiss and Make-Up (2001) and Kiss: The Early Years (2002), which he coauthored with Stanley.

Simmons was previously romantically linked to stars including Cher and Diana Ross in the ’70s and ’80s. He married Shannon Tweed in 2011 after 28 years together. The couple share children Nick Simmons (born in 1989) and Sophie Simmons (born in 1992).