Rick Derringer, the iconic American rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter best known for the No. 1 hit “Hang on Sloopy” and the wrestling anthem “Real American”, has died at the age of 77 in Ormond Beach, Florida.
The news was confirmed by his caretaker Tony Wilson and Guitar Player magazine. A cause of death was not revealed, but Derringer had been in poor health in recent months.
Born Richard Dean Zehringer in Ohio, Derringer rose to fame in 1965 with the McCoys' chart-topping single “Hang on Sloopy”. He later found solo success with “Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo”, a classic that re-entered pop culture through Stranger Things. He also produced Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein”, which hit No. 1 on Billboard in 1973.
Derringer was a session guitarist for major acts like Steely Dan, Kiss, Barbra Streisand, and Bonnie Tyler. His powerful guitar solos featured on “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and Air Supply’s “Making Love Out of Nothing at All.”
In the mid-1980s, Derringer became a key figure in pro wrestling music, co-writing and producing “Real American” for Hulk Hogan. The track became a political anthem, used by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump.
Derringer toured with Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band, collaborated with Cyndi Lauper, and later embraced Christian music alongside his wife, Jenda. His lasting influence on rock, wrestling, and American pop culture remains unmatched.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ