Kyle Gass
The stoic, classically trained foil in Tenacious D whose musical prowess is the serious engine behind the comedy rock.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American musician·Birthday: July 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Kyle Gass is the other half—the quieter, often bewildered half—of the greatest acoustic metal comedy duo in the world. A classically trained guitarist who studied at the University of Florida, Gass met a hyper-ambitious Jack Black in Tim Robbins's acting troupe, The Actors' Gang. Together, they formed Tenacious D, with Gass's impeccable fingerpicking and deadpan delivery providing the perfect straight-man foundation for Black's volcanic energy. While the D's songs are absurd, Gass's musicianship is utterly genuine, a fact celebrated by their Grammy win for Best Metal Performance. Beyond the D, he leads the Kyle Gass Band and performed with Trainwreck, showcasing his versatility across rock and folk. On screen, his persona is an extension of his stage presence: a man of few words, often clad in a headband, whose serene competence makes the chaos around him funnier.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Kyle was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kyle Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Kyle's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance with Tenacious D for the song "The Last in Line" in 2015.
- Co-created and starred in the HBO series 'Tenacious D,' which launched the duo to cult fame.
- Co-wrote and performed on Tenacious D's multi-platinum self-titled debut album.
- Starred with Tenacious D in the feature film 'The Pick of Destiny.'
Did You Know?
He is a skilled fingerstyle guitarist and studied music in college.
Gass is a founding member of the comedy rock band Trainwreck.
He frequently appears in films and TV shows directed by his Tenacious D bandmate Jack Black, such as 'The School of Rock.'
His character in Tenacious D is often referred to as 'KG' or 'Kage' (short for 'Kyle Gass').
“We're here to melt your face with acoustic fury.”
