Rick Derringer

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Rick Derringer
Birth name Richard Zehringer
Also known as Ricky D.
Born August 5, 1947 (1947-08-05) (age 60)
Fort Recovery, Ohio, Flag of the United States United States
Genre(s) classic rock
Years active 1965-present
Associated acts The McCoys
White Trash (band)
"Weird Al" Yankovic
Website http://www.rickderringer.com

Rick Derringer (born Richard Zehringer, 5 August 1947, in Fort Recovery, Ohio) is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer. He is perhaps best known for the songs "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" and "Real American". Derringer was also "Weird Al" Yankovic's producer and additional guitarist for five years, before rhythm guitarist Jim West became sole guitarist

Contents

[edit] Life and career

[edit] Sixties and the McCoys

When he was just seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot.

[edit] 1970s

Derringer also recorded and played with a version of Johnny Winter's band called "Johnny Winter And ..." and both Edgar Winter's White Trash and The Edgar Winter Group. Derringer also had a successful solo career, and his solo version of "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" was a hit single. He also recorded extensively with Steely Dan, playing lead guitar on songs such as "Show Biz Kids".

[edit] Eighties and early nineties

Derringer also performed a track for the World Wrestling Federation on The Wrestling Album. "Real American" would later be used as Hulk Hogan's entrance music (and was associated before with the tag team, U.S. Express).[1] Derringer also performed the entrance theme for WWF Tag Team Demolition on Piledriver:The Wrestling Album 2,[1] as well as a duet version of "Rock 'n Roll Hoochie Koo" with Gene Okerlund.[2]

See also: Music in professional wrestling

In the 1980s, Derringer expanded his producing skills, discovering "Weird Al" Yankovic as well as Mason Ruffner. He has played for "Weird Al" on many of his albums, playing guitar and mandolin.

He co-wrote and sang back-up vocals on "Calm Inside The Storm" on Cyndi Lauper's 1986 True Colors album. He served as one of her tour musicians from 1986 - 1992, prompting him to compare Cyndi to Barbra Streisand: "She's better live than Barbra."

[edit] 1993-present

Recent releases include Tend The Fire (1997), DBA-Derringer, Bogert & Appice (2001), and Free Ride Smooth Jazz (2002). He also guested on the Tom Guerra project Mambo Sons CD (1999) and Damon Fowler's Riverview Drive (2000).

Rick continues to perform and record, with varying musical line-ups, in the rock and roll, smooth jazz, and Christian rock genres.

Derringer also appears on the Les Paul album American Made World Played (2005) on the track "Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl."

Rick now proclaims his Christianity and has changed some of his old time hits' lyrics to reflect his faith.

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

[edit] Discography

[edit] Rick Derringer

[edit] Derringer

  • Derringer (1975)
  • Live In Cleveland (1976)
  • Sweet Evil (1977)
  • Derringer Live (1977)
  • If I Weren't So Romantic I'd Shoot You (1978)
  • Required Rocking - Sony Music compilation (1996)

[edit] DNA

(duo with Carmine Appice)

  • Party Tested (1983)

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b WWF/E Wrestling Theme Count and Title Names. Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-01-28.
  2. ^ Wrestling Music Albums. Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2008-01-28.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links