Rick Derringer
AMG AllMusic Guide: Pop Artists:
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Rick Derringer
- Genres: Rock
Biography
It seems like Rick Derringer has been on the rock & roll scene forever -- actually, it's only been since 1965, which makes him one of the more enduring veterans of his generation. Derringer's work with his band the McCoys in his midteens, highlighted by the bubblegum anthem "Hang On Sloopy," gave him a claim to low-level rock & roll immortality, and his subsequent playing with Johnny (and later Edgar) Winter provided him with a degree of credibility that a lot of guitar players can only envy, especially after the release of the Edgar Winter live double album Roadwork.Derringer began getting production experience with the McCoys, but they were never able to overcome their bubblegum rock image, and by the end of the 1960s, Derringer and his brother Randy were recruited by Johnny Winter into his band, with Derringer playing guitar and also producing. He emerged as a solo artist in the wake of his playing with Edgar Winter's White Trash. Derringer first became popular in his own right during the early/mid-'70s, beginning with a new version of his own "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo" (which Johnny Winter had covered for him a few years earlier) off Derringer's heavy metal-influenced debut album, All American Boy. Derringer soon had his own band, called Derringer, on the road -- although his guitarist and bassist, Danny Johnson and Kenny Aaronson, left in 1977 to form Axis -- and within a couple of years had established himself as a popular favorite. Derringer's recorded history was somewhat spotty, however, as his record sales never matched his favor with concert audiences -- a huge gap also existed between releases, which didn't bother him; even in the late '90s, Derringer played close to 200 shows a year. He spent most of the late '70s and 1980s, however, as a producer, working with artists as diverse as Bette Midler, Kiss, Meat Loaf, Cyndi Lauper, Barbra Streisand, and Weird Al Yankovic.
Derringer is known for his hard-rocking live shows, which don't necessarily translate well to recordings, or lend themselves to much originality. As he neared age 50 in the 1990s, however, he had mellowed, and this showed when he began recording again for Shrapnel Records in 1993 with the albums Back to the Blues and Electra Blues. Years of fair to average rock and adult contemporary albums followed, but in 2002 Derringer did an about-face and tried his hands at jazz with the adventurous Free Ride. ~ Bruce Eder, Rovi
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Rick Derringer
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| Rick Derringer | |
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 Derringer in 1974 |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard Zehringer |
| Born | August 5, 1947 Fort Recovery, Ohio, United States |
| Genres | Hard rock, blues-rock, pop, Christian rock, blues, jazz fusion |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter, producer |
| Instruments | Guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1965–present |
| Associated acts | The McCoys, Edgar Winter, Johnny Winter, Steely Dan, Todd Rundgren, "Weird Al" Yankovic, Ringo Starr's 11th All-Starr Band |
| Website | www.rickderringer.com |
Rick Derringer (born Richard Zehringer, August 5, 1947) is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.
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Contents
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Life and career
1960s
When he was 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. The song was issued by Bang Records. He adopted the Derringer stage name which was inspired by the Bang Records logo which featured a derringer pistol.[1]
After starting The McCoys, Rick changed the band's name to "The Rick Z Combo", and then "Rick and the Raiders". After recording "Hang On Sloopy", it was decided that the original name was best, and The McCoys were reborn.
One of the first opportunities for everyone to see them play 'live' came when they opened for The Rolling Stones on the entire 1966 American Tour.
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 slide guitar on songs such as "Show Biz Kids" and "Chain Lightning".
Derringer appeared on Alice Cooper's Killer album in 1971, playing the solo on "Under My Wheels." Derringer opened for Led Zeppelin on their last American tour.[2] Derringer was also a featured guitarist on several Todd Rundgren albums in the 1970s, including Something/Anything? (1972), A Wizard, a True Star (1973), Initiation (1975) and the live album Back to the Bars (1978).
1980s-1990s
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).[3] Derringer also performed the entrance theme for WWF Tag Team Demolition on Piledriver:The Wrestling Album 2,[3] as well as a duet version of "Rock 'n Roll Hoochie Koo" with Gene Okerlund.[4]
See also: Music in professional wrestling
In the 1980s, Derringer expanded his producing skills, working with "Weird Al" Yankovic as well as Mason Ruffner. He also played on the second Silver Condor album on the track "Thank God For Rock and Roll", produced and sung by Joe Cerisano. He has played for "Weird Al" on many of his albums, playing guitar and mandolin; on the track "Eat It", Derringer played the guitar solo, an homage/parody to Eddie Van Halen's solo on the Michael Jackson song "Beat It".
In the summer of 1983, at Right Tracks studio in NYC, Derringer guested on the KISS album "Lick It Up" (their first record without make-up and first Platinum seller in four years), playing the solo on the opening track, "Exciter". Derringer was not credited, per KISS' usual practice of masking guest musicians appearing on their albums over the years. Derringer commented about KISS' Paul Stanley, "Paul's a much better guitarist than I would have thought."
In 1986, he co-wrote and sang back-up vocals on "Calm Inside The Storm" on Cyndi Lauper's 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."
Derringer was once again sought after by Edgar Winter and in 1990, performed for the LP, Edgar Winter and Rick Derringer Live in Japan. Then in 1999 Rick and Edgar were back together again for their collaboration on his Winter Blues CD.
Derringer also recorded four blues CD's starting in '93 with Back To the Blues followed by Electra Blues, Blues Deluxe and his 2000 release Jackhammer Blues. At about that same period Derringer, who seems to be constantly in motion, released his destined-to-be-classic Tend the Fire in Europe to rave reviews and is eagerly expected by his loyal fans here in the US.
2000s
Rick Derringer's Tend The Fire was released in Europe and England (1997), DBA-Derringer, Bogert & Appice (2001).
Free Ride Smooth Jazz (2002) with Jenda Derringer Hall, Rick's wife, singing the title song "Free Ride" and writing the Top Twenty Hit "Hot & Cool", which charted at #16. "Hot & Cool was written by Jenda in 1998.
"Aiming 4 Heaven" launched Derringer's gospel rock career, with wife Brenda, her eight year old son Marn and Rick's nine year old daughter Loving. The Derringers We Live CD was released in fall of 2008.
Derringer guested on the Tom Guerra project Mambo Sons (1999) and Damon Fowler's Riverview Drive (2000). He also appears on the Les Paul album American Made World Played (2005), on the track "Good Morning, Little Schoolgirl".
Derringer strongly proclaimed his Christianity during this period. Mild success followed Derringer, as always. The old lyric of "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo" was rewritten into "Read the Word Live It Too" and his new life was breathed into "Still Alive And Well". Both lyrics were written by Rick's co-writer wife, Jenda Derringer.
In 2006, he appeared in a Fidelity Investments television commercial.
In May 2009, he released the album Knighted by the Blues and its single, "Sometimes", also written by Jenda.
His current band consists of drummer Tom Curiale and bassist Charlie Torres.
Rick Derringer was touring with Ringo Starr's 11th All-Starr Band in summer 2010 and 2011 a band that included long time friend and partner Edgar Winter.
In other media
"Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" is featured in the 1993 film Dazed and Confused, as well as in the Xbox 360 version of Guitar Hero II in 2007.
"Real American" is featured in the episode "Gumball Special" of Jackass. The song is featured in an episode of Eastbound & Down (Chapter 8) as Kenny Powers' entrance song to his return to baseball playing for The Charros (a Mexican baseball team). The song is also featured on Episode 20 of TeamFourStar's Dragonball Z Abridged as Goku's arrival to Namek music, and was used to comedic effect by President Barack Obama at the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner.
Discography
Rick Derringer
- All American Boy (1973)
- Spring Fever (1975)
- Guitars and Women (1979)
- Face To Face (1980)
- Good Dirty Fun (1983) When Love Attacks duet with Bonnie Tyler
- Exciter (1983) Lick It Up guest solo with KISS
- Back to the Blues (1993)
- Electra Blues (1994)
- Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo, The Best of Rick Derringer (1996)
- Tend the Fire (Europe only release) (1997)
- King Biscuit Flower Hour (1998)
- Blues Deluxe (1998)
- Live In Japan (1998) (With Edgar Winter)
- Guitars And Women (1998) - CD release with bonus tracks
- Rick Derringer & Friends - Live with Edgar Winter, Ian Hunter (singer), Dr. John, Lorna Luft, Hall & Oates (1998)
- Jackhammer Blues (2000)
- Free Ride (2002)
- Live at Cheney Hall (2006) (also released on DVD)
- Rockin' American (2007)
- Knighted by the Blues (2009)
- The Three Kings of the Blues (2010)
- Rock spectacular. Live at the Ritz 1982 (2010) (also released on DVD)
Derringer
- Derringer (1976)
- 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)
DNA
(duo with Carmine Appice)
- Party Tested (1983)
DBA
(trio with Tim Bogert and Carmine Appice)
- Doin' Business As Derringer Bogert Appice (2001)
See also
References
- ^ "Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo: The Best of Rick Derringer by Rick Derringer : Reviews and Ratings". Rateyourmusic.com. 2008-05-02. http://rateyourmusic.com/release/comp/rick_derringer/rock_and_roll_hoochie_koo__the_best_of_rick_derringer/. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- ^ "Concert Dates :: Led Zeppelin". Ledzepconcerts.com. http://www.ledzepconcerts.com/concertdates/cd.php?id=lz19770723. Retrieved 2011-11-02.
- ^ a b "WWF/E Wrestling Theme Count and Title Names". Wrestling Information Archive. http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wwf/wwethemecount.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
- ^ "Wrestling Music Albums". Wrestling Information Archive. http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/other/wresalbums.htm. Retrieved 2008-01-28.
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Mentioned in
Guitar Speak
(1988 Album by Various Artists)
Johnny Winter And
(1970 Album by Johnny Winter)
Edgar Winter & Rick Derringer: Live in Japan
(1990 Music Film)
Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo: The Best of Rick Derringer
(1996 Album by Rick Derringer)
All American Boy/Spring Fever
(2002 Album by Rick Derringer)
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