Rick Derringer, a rock 'n' roll journeyman who had a long and fascinating career, has died. As Variety reports, Derringer passed away on Monday night in Ormond Beach, Florida. No cause of death has been reported, but Derringer reportedly faced health struggles in recent years and underwent a triple bypass surgery a few months ago according to TMZ. He was 77.
Rick Derringer was born Richard Dean Zehringer in a working-class family in Celina, Ohio, outside Dayton. Derringer started playing guitar at the age of nine. When Derringer was in high school, his family moved to Union City, Indiana, and he formed a teenage band that was first known as Rick And The Raiders and then as the McCoys. One day, the Strangeloves, the New York hitmakers behind "I Want Candy," were coming through town, and the McCoys backed them up. The Strangeloves thought that they looked like the Beatles, and they got the group to come with them to New York. Derringer sang over a backing track that the Strangeloves had already written and recorded. That song was called "Hang On Sloopy." It was released as a McCoys single, and it became a #1 hit in 1965.
The McCoys stuck around for a few years, but they never had another song anywhere near as big as "Hang On Sloopy." Eventually, Derringer fell in with blues-rock brothers Johnny and Edgar Winter. He played with the groups Johnny Winter And, Edgar Winter's White Trash, and the Edgar Winter Band. In 1973, Derringer produced and played guitar on "Frankenstein," an instrumental that became a #1 hit for the Edgar Winter Group. That same year, Derringer released his solo debut All American Boy. It included the Derringer-written song "Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo," first released by Johnny Winter And in 1970. Derringer's take on the song became a top 40 hit and a classic-rock radio staple. Derringer also did session work on '70s records from people like Steely Dan and Todd Rundgren.
Rick Derringer kept doing session work in the '80s, playing on big hits like Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" and Air Supply's "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All." He produced 1985's The Wrestling Album, which was credited to the wrestlers of the WWF, and he co-wrote and recorded Hulk Hogan's famous theme song "Real American." He also produced and played on the "Weird Al" Yankovic's first six albums. Derringer became a born again Christian in the '90s, and his right wing views became louder and more public in the later years of his life.
Winter shared the following eulogy:
I write this with a heavy heart, yet one filled with so many memories. Yesterday (on May 26th) I lost a dear friend and bandmate, and the world lost one of the greatest guitarists and writers in Rock ‘n’ Roll. Rick Derringer!
Rick was one of the most gifted, versatile, and adaptable guitarists I ever had the honor and pleasure of working with. He was a kindred spirit who Loved and understood all music, but especially Johnny’s and mine.
Whatever style I chose to write in (blues, rock, R&B, country, or jazz) Rick always found something cool to contribute and relevant to say.A true artist and creative collaborator.
His positive energy both on and offstage with our bands—“Johnny Winter And”, “White Trash”, and “The Edgar Winter Group” gave us (and the world) moments to treasure for all time.
Rick is now up there with Johnny—in Rock ‘n ‘ Roll Blue Heaven! I look up to them both with undying Love and admiration. Monique and I say farewell for now, but never forever.
Check out some of Derringer's work below.
