Rick Derringer dead at 77

Guitarist Rick Derringer performing onstage in the 1970s — (Image credit: Ed Perlstein/Redferns/Getty Images)

Rick Derringer, the legendary guitarist and singer behind Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo, has died aged 77.

The guitarist’s associate, Tony Wilson, confirmed the news on Facebook, writing: “Ormond Beach, FL - Renowned guitarist and entertainer Rick Derringer passed on at 8:09 PM on May 26th, surrounded by his loving wife’ Singer-songwriter and band of 28 years Jenda Derringer, his caretaker and close friend Tony Wilson.(AKA) Young James Brown.”

The news was confirmed by Derringer’s wife, Jenda, who told TMZ that the guitarist passed away “peacefully” in his sleep on Monday May 26. He had reportedly undergone a triple bypass two months ago,

Derringer was born Richard Dean Zehringer in Celina, Ohio in 1947. After moving to New York in his late teens, he rose to fame with the McCoys, who scored a hit with Hang On Sloopy., which reached Number 1 on the Billboard chart in 1965.

"I opened for the Rolling Stones on their very first American tour," Derring told Guitar Player. "And, of course, we received the same adulation that the Stones would get. People ask me, 'Did you see what it was like to be a Beatle?' Well, I already knew what it was like to be a Beatle. I had the number one record in the world while Yesterday by The Beatles was number two. Did I know what it was like to be The Beatles? I was The Beatles in some form. I grew up like that."

Derringer and the McCoys went on to become Johnny Winter’s backing band, before the guitarist joined Winter’s brother Edgar in Edgar Winter’s White Trash (later the Edgar Winter Group), playing guitar, singing on and producing four albums between 1971 and 1974.

After launching a solo career, Derringer scored another big hit with 1973’s Rock And Roll, Hoochie Koo, taken from his debut solo album All American Boy. He would go on to release 18 solo albums, as well as three albums by the band Derringer. He also played on records by the likes of Steely Dan, Kiss, Richie Havens, Joe Bonamassa and more.

Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo - Rick Derringer & The Edgar Winter Group | The Midnight Special - YouTube

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