Rick Derringer, Rock Legend Known for “Hang on Sloopy” and “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo,” Dead at 77

Rick Derringer, the rock legend known for iconic songs including “Hang on Sloopy” and “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo,” among others, died yesterday (May 26). He was 77 at the time of his death.

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Derringer’s friend and caretaker, Tony Wilson, shared the news on his Facebook page. “Renowned guitarist and entertainer Rick Derringer passed on at 8:09 PM on May 26,” the post read. His wife, Jenda Derringer, and Wilson were at his side when he left this world.

[RELATED: The Often Overshadowed Meaning Behind “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” by Rick Derringer]

The post also highlighted some of Derringer’s accomplishments. “With a career spanning six decades, the legendary Rick Derringer left an indelible mark on the music industry as a guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer,” Wilson wrote. “As a member of the McCoys, he achieved fame with hits like ‘Hang on Sloopy.’ Still alive and well, Derringer also worked with notable artists such as Steely Dan, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Weird Al, Cyndi Lauper, and Barbara Streisand.”

Beyond his major radio hits, Derringer had a hand in creating some of the most iconic entrance music in professional wrestling history. That list includes Hulk Hogan’s longtime walkout theme “Real American.” According to Variety, Derringer also provided guitar work on iconic hits like Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” and Air Supply’s “Making Love Out of Nothing at All.”

Rick Derringer on His Fame

More than a decade ago, Rick Derringer sat down with Living Legends Music to discuss his rise to fame and how he dealt with it.

During the interview, Derringer revealed that he never imagined he would rise to fame. Instead, he took up music because he loved it. “We were just kids from the Midwest, and our folks told us, ‘You better get a job because you’re not going to be able to make any money in the music business.’ So, I was enrolled in an art school. I had no visions of becoming famous. We did this because it was fun. We never thought anything was going to come of it,” he explained.

Later in life, Derringer said he let the fame and acclaim go to his head. “I figure that I probably became a pretty obnoxious, egocentric, selfish guy for a while,” he admitted. “As time went on, I started realizing that I’m no different than anybody else. As a matter of fact, when you get older, you start to realize it doesn’t matter how many records you sell,” he added. “You start to realize it’s all kind of meaningless. You’d better have something to build your life on, some kind of substance. That’s when I really became a stronger Christian.”

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