In Memory of Kevin Greene, 1962-2020

BY CHARLIE BRUSCO

Kevin Greene was an NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame outside linebacker who played for the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Pittsburgh Steeler on August 6, 2016.

Sadly, our dear, dear friend Kevin Greene passed away suddenly on December 21, 2020. He was 58.

Kevin Greene was a huge STYX fan too. His favorite songs were “Crystal Ball,” “Superstars,” and, of course, “Renegade.” When players are inducted into the Hall of Fame, they choose the team they get to be inducted as a player of, and that team has a ceremony known as Ring Day. When STYX was officially invited to sing the National Anthem alongside Kevin’s wife Tara (a classically trained singer in her own right) at the Steelers home game on October 2, 2016, that led to us deciding to do a huge celebration in Pittsburgh the night before the game on October 1 at the Benedum Center, a historic local venue once known as The Stanley Theater. (Kevin Greene is pictured at the top of this column next to Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and STYX co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young.)

Our friend and promoter Rich Engler did the show for us. The fans were waiting for the show to start, and we dimmed the lights. A spotlight picked up Kevin Greene and his wife Tara as they walked down the aisle — and the crowd EXPLODED!!! It was a moment of huge pride for all of us.

The next day at Heinz Field, on October 2, we all stood in the rain on the field together, as Kevin would let nothing ruin this day. He talked to the fans directly from his heart. He was a warrior on the field, but a wonderful guy off. He will live on in all our hearts.

Tommy Shaw recalled, “So many fun nights backstage with Kevin, who made sure he visited with each of us. My favorite memory was seeing him backstage at the other end of a long hallway, in the stance of a player on the field facing his opponent, then suddenly charging toward us. He was a giant of a man with a heart of gold.”

Todd Sucherman observed, “What a great guy, and his bear hug could just crush you. I once tossed a stick to him from the stage — right to him, 15 rows back, and it was a bullseye. He came onstage with us in 2016 wearing his Hall of Fame jacket. What a lovely guy he was.”

Our sincere condolences to Tara, Gabrielle, Gavin, and the entire Greene family. You are forever in our thoughts and prayers.

Kevin Greene, RIP.

Charlie Brusco and the Entire STYX Family

To read more about the special bond Kevin Greene and STYX will have together forever, please go here for our exclusive interview with Kevin from October 2016: https://styxworld.com/blogs/news/kevin-greene-steel-city-superstar