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About Rick Derringer
The Legend
From The McCoys to Solo, Rick Derringer's sound resonates through the decades
A brief history
Did You Know?
Entertainer Rick Derringer was just 17 when his band The McCoys TM recorded the No.1 hit "Hang On Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, knocking "Yesterday" by The Beatles out of the top spot.
The McCoys had enjoyed four years of successful touring, when Rick merged his talents with Johnny Winter in 1969, forming Johnny Winter And (And referring to the McCoys).
Rick was the only producer of all gold and platinum Winter Brothers recordings. In '71 Rick was featured on three records, "Johnny Winter And", "Johnny Winter And-Live" and "Edgar Winter's White Trash". "And" featured the first version of Derringer's "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo" which was also released as a single, then selected again for "And - Live."
Eventually, the busy Derringer joined Edgar Winter's White Trash full-time and produced the gold LP, "Roadwork." Derringer's solo album, All American Boy was released in '73 with the now already popular "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" this time as a 'hit' single.
Rick was writer/producer of the Still Alive And Well album and player/producer of the hit album, They Only Come Out At Night. The latter featured the No. 1, Grammy nominated monster hit, "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride." In 1976 Rick created the Derringer. He released four albums and in '83 returned to his solo career with the LP, Good Dirty Fun
Throughout the '70s and '80s the popular Derringer appeared on numerous albums with artists Alice Cooper, Richie Havens, Todd Rundgren and Steely Dan. The list also includes Cyndi Lauper, Barbra Streisand, Kiss, Mason Ruffner and Madam X. In the mid-80s, Derringer discovered Weird Al Yankovic, producing music for Grammy-winning albums and videos. Derringer's productions of the Michael Jackson parodies, the No. 1 hit "Eat It", and "Who's Fat", have been Yankovic's most successful recordings.
In the '90s, Rick was selected to be producer/writer/performer of the World Wrestling Federation LP Hulk Hogan's theme song, "I Am A Real American" was written and performed by Rick as a part of these projects. 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. Rick 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 was eagerly expected and welcomed by his loyal fans here in the US.
The year 2001 was another busy one for Rick. His venture back into Rock & Roll with Vanilla Fudge superstars Carmine Appice and Tim Bogert produced a recording of intense synergy - DBA (for Derringer, Bogert & Appice) with vocals, writing and instrumentals shared by all three. 2004 promised a reprise for Derringer and Appice, with the release of D-N-A.
After DBA the next project was truly a work from the heart and soul of Rick and his wife Brenda Jean (Jenda Hall). Entitled Aiming 4 Heaven, it brought forth their devotion to God and put it into song with help from their children, Lory & Martin. That project opened the doors for a worldwide release on Reborn Records.
We can't forget the Winter of 2002, where Rick ventured into a whole new musical world - Smooth Jazz. Interest in Rick Derringer - Free Ride grew quickly at radio, and the second single "Hot And Cool" (in the 'Radio and Records' top 20 for 5 months, and number 42 for the year) showed Derringer right at home in the format. It might come as a surprise, but as he explains, it's the kind of music he's been waiting to do his whole life. His wife Brenda is featured as co-writer on three songs, and arranger/singer on the title cut.
In 2007, Rick released Rockin' America, featuring the patriotic song Real American, which has been used by The President, during political campaigns, and on the hit FX series, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". In 2009, Rick released yet another display of blues talent on Knighted by the Blues, again featuring wife Jenda as co-writer on several songs. In 2010, Rick released an amazing compilation of Freddie, Albert and B.B. King on The Three Kings of the Blues. And finally, the year 2013 marks the 40th anniversary of Rick Derringer's All American Boy debut solo album and his long journey of successes as producer, songwriter, and player throughout the years.
It seems like almost too much story to take in at one sitting, but the most surprising part is...... after more than four decades he's still going strong!
Rick Derringer
In May 2009, he self-released the album Knighted by the Blues and its popular song, "Sometimes", once again, co-written with Jenda. Derringer followed up with the release of The Three Kings of the Blues (Freddie King, B.B. King, Albert King) on Mike Varney's Blues Bureau International Records. Derringer playing with Ringo Starr's All Starr Band in Paris.
On June 26, 2011 Derringer and a range of hitmakers are part of Voices, a company that finds private events many times a year. Some of the artists involved with Voices are Tone-Loc, Wally Palmer, Kim Carnes, Belinda Carlisle, Tommy Toutone, Mark McGrath, Fastball, Skip Martin, Jakob Dylan, Natasha Bedingfield, Coolio, John Reznick, Martha Davis, Silverchair, Steve Augeri, John Elefante, Alex Ligertwood, Jeff Lyons and The Rembrandts.
Derringer went on three world tours with Ringo Starr and The All Starr Band. Rehearsals started in June 2010. He toured with Starr from 2011 to 2014. They traveled in Europe, Russia, South America, Mexico and the USA. The tour featured Wally Palmer, Edgar Winter, Gary Wright, Richard Page and Greg Bissonette.
Derringer has long been fascinated by Asian music. In the 1980s, he produced the Kodomo Band. He has toured in Asia, including with Edgar Winter, the 1990 White Lightning Tour in both Japan and Germany.
In 2013, he and Jenda created the Asia Project after she discovered that the two largest-selling songs in history are Chinese. As Ricky Wu and Jenda Tu, the Derringers recorded and released their versions after taking great pains to make sure the English translation was what the Chinese writers were trying to convey. The songs are Wang Qiwen and Tang Chengang’s 2004 song "Mouse Loves Rice", and the actress Lui Shi Shi's "Season of Waiting".
In 2014, Derringer performed on Peter Frampton's Guitar Circus tour with other notable guitarists, including B.B. King, Ridger McGuinn (ex-The Byrds), Don Felder (ex-Eagles), Leslie West (ex-Mountain), Cheap Trick's Rick Neilson, Toto's Steve Lukather, Los Lobos' David Hidalgo, and Pearl Jam's Mike McCready.
A re-recording of 1985's The Wrestling Album's "Real American" with updated lyrics was released on May 28, 2017, debuting on Alex Jone's radio show."I gotta be a man, I can't let it slide" was changed to "I gotta lend a hand, I can't let it slide" and "fight for the right of every man" became "fight for the rights of everyone". "Best not mess with my US" is added before the second verse, and a new line says, "Ours is a cause that's right and just, we're built on truth, in God we trust." The same year, Derringer appeared on Alex Jones' show where he was interviewed by the political consultant Rodger Stone about Derringer's support for Donald Trump.
In 2017, Derringer collaborated with the Baseball players Tom Seaver and Gary Redus to release a version of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame", honoring his lifelong love of baseball.
In 2018, Derringer embarked on a tour with Vanilla Fudge, Mitch Ryder and Badfinger under the name "HippieFest".
Recently he played the guitar solo to an anti-bullying campaign version of "Hang on Sloopy" by The Love Love
Testimony
I went to Catholic school through the eighth grade. They taught me many good things. They told me I could go to confession and ask for forgiveness. Most often, the priest would tell me to say six "Our Fathers" and six "Hail Marys" for the repentance of my sins. However, he did not stress that I should not sin in the first place and he did not encourage me to say thank you to the Lord!
In 1962, I began secular public high school and started a "garage band" called The McCoys. That is the year I started thinking less about the Lord.
The McCoys got better musically and in 1965, the year of my graduation, I recorded a song called "Hang On Sloopy." That period was called Beatlemania and it was also remembered as the summer of love - but it wasn't the love of Jesus that they were talking about. The world had discovered psychedelic drugs and people had fallen in love with marijuana and LSD.
It took me a little while, but playing music at pop festivals and love-ins eventually encouraged me to begin taking drugs myself. I was overwhelmed with success in the music business and getting farther and farther away from the Lord. I had forgotten where ny talent came from in the first place and had forgotten who it was that blessed me with all that success. So, once again, I didn't say thank you to the Lord.
By all earthly standards, I was very successful. My records were selling like hot cakes! I played on the entire 1966 American tour of the Rolling Stones. I played music with John Lennon and became friends with Jimi Hendrix and later Stevie Ray Vaughn. I played on most of the records of Steely Dan, recorded with Barbara Streisand, and began writing and touring with Cyndi Lauper. Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers Band told me that my guitar playing influenced him to play slide guitar. I have to admit, some people I worked with seemed pretty ungodly - people like KISS and Alice Cooper. I was getting farther and farther from the Lord.
Because I had forgotten the Lord.
It all came to a head in 1997; and even though my troubles at the time seemed overwhelming, I finally remembered there is someone to turn to - Our Savior, the Lord, Jesus Christ. I got down on my knees and started to praying. I asked for forgiveness. I asked for advice. I asked for Divine guidance and help. The Lord keeps His promises. Ask and you shall receive. He gave me the answers I needed and the strength to do what I had to do. But you know what? Although I still had not said thank you, the Lord did not give up on me. He had a plan for me. He has a plan for all of us.
It was time the Lord sent someone to help me right here on Earth, for the rest of my life. Her name was Jenda and she became my wife. Jenda reminded me, finally, to say thank you to the Lord. Jenda said, "Rick, you've got to be reborn,' and she took me to the river to be baptized. I was washed of my sins and began a relationship with Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior. I have come to realize that the Lord allowed me to survive drugs, alcohol and sins of the flesh so that I can stand here today as an example. A living, breathing example for all of you who think there is no way out; or all of you who think you are trapped in your addictions. The Lord can fix it all! He can bless you with the strength to beat any addiction. He died on the cross for your sins and gave you the opportunity to spend eternity in Heaven.
Now you and I have a debt to repay. Say thank you to the Lord. Ask Him for His forgiveness and ask Him to come into your life. Share your life with Him so that you too can be a Christ filled example for others.
Rick