Overview
- Rick Derringer died on May 26 in Ormond Beach, Florida, at age 77 with his wife, Jenda, and caretaker Tony Wilson by his side.
- No official cause of death has been announced; Derringer had faced health challenges in recent months, including an ankle bypass surgery.
- He first rose to fame at 17 as lead singer of The McCoys on the No. 1 hit “Hang On Sloopy” and later scored a solo hit with “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo.”
- Derringer earned a Grammy for producing “Weird Al Yankovic’s” debut album and shaped multiple top parody records.
- His session work included guitar solos and production for Steely Dan, Barbra Streisand and Bonnie Tyler, and he toured with Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band.