Upon hearing the name Rick Derringer, one may immediately recognize him as the American Rock guitarist and songwriter best known for his classic hit song, “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” in 1973. However, there is much more to Rick Derringer’s illustrious music career than one Rock anthem. Some fans might connect Derringer with the band The McCoys, with whom he had a #1 hit in 1965 at the young age of seventeen with “Hang On Sloopy.”
Still, some may identify Derringer’s extensive work with brothers Johnny Winter and Edgar Winter, and Edgar’s massive hits, such as “Frankenstein” or “Free Ride,” in the 1970s. Alternatively, some may recall Derringer’s 1980s entrance theme song, “Real American,” for Hulk Hogan, or his production work on “Weird Al” Yankovic’s Grammy Award-winning song, “Eat It.” And then, there is his various session work and collaborations with such top artists as Steely Dan, Todd Rundgren, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Cyndi Lauper, and Barbra Streisand to consider. But no matter how you remember Rick Derringer’s work over the past five decades, it is indisputable that he had a long, extensive, and highly successful recording career.
Sadly, Rick Derringer died on Monday, May 26, 2025, in Ormond Beach, Florida, at the age of 77. In ill health in recent months, he reportedly passed on peacefully after life support was removed. Born Richard Dean Zehringer on August 5, 1947, in Celina, Ohio, Rick Derringer’s parents gave him his first electric guitar for his ninth birthday. Inspired by the British Invasion of the 1960s, he and his brother began playing music together.
Then, in eighth grade, Derringer formed the band the McCoys with his brother Randy. The group consisted of guitarist Rick Zehringer (Derringer), Randy on drums, and bass player Dennis Kelly. Derringer and the McCoys then joined Johnny Winter in a group called Johnny Winter And, with the “And” referring to the McCoys. After the McCoys split up, Derringer played guitar on multiple albums by various artists, including Edgar Winter. In 1973, Derringer released his first solo album, All American Boy, which featured his hit song, “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo.” The song had previously appeared on the albums Johnny Winter And (1970) and Roadwork (1972). However, Derringer’s version reached the Top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and became his highest-charting single ever.
Throughout his career, Derringer would go on to release a total of fifteen studio albums, with his last, High City, in 2014, as well as two live albums and numerous collaborations with multiple artists. To date, Rick Derringer’s song “Hang On Sloopy,” with its sing-along chorus, remains a mainstay of Ohio State University football games and sporting events. “Hang On Sloopy” was also declared the official Rock song of the state of Ohio.
In his later years, Derringer continued to tour and record, often working in Christian Rock after becoming a born-again Christian. More recently, from 2011 to 2014, Derringer went on three world tours with Ringo Starr and The All Starr Band. In 2013, Derringer and his wife Jenda created the Asia Project after she discovered that the two largest-selling songs in history are Chinese. A year later, in 2014, Derringer performed on Peter Frampton’s Guitar Circus tour. In 2018, Derringer embarked on a tour with Vanilla Fudge, Mitch Ryder, and Badfinger under the name HippieFest. Keeping busy, as late as 2024, Derringer released two albums, Rock the Yacht and My Double Gold Life, featuring new material alongside original hits spanning from the 1960s to the present, marking the culmination of an impressive recording career that spanned five decades of music.
Derringer had an immense passion for music and was involved with it until his death. Despite being best known as a premier Rock guitarist, Derringer was also an acclaimed performer, songwriter, and producer who remained a prominent figure in the music industry for decades.
Throughout Rick Derringer’s recording career, he was considered a talented and versatile musician. His unique blend of Rock guitar virtuosity combined with his chart-topping songwriting ability has undoubtedly earned him a lasting and secure place in Rock-n-Roll music history.
No comment