Rick Derringer

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Rick Derringer


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Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Richard Zehringer
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1947|8|5
Fort Recovery, Ohio, United States
Died =
Instrument = Guitar, Vocals
Genre = Hard rock, Blues-rock, Psychedelic rock, Pop
Occupation = Musician, Songwriter
Years_active = 1965-present
Label =
Associated_acts = The McCoys, Edgar Winter, "Weird Al" Yankovic
URL = http://www.rickderringer.com
Notable_instruments =

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.

Life and career

ixties and the McCoys

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.

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".

Along with Judas Priest, Derringer opened for Led Zeppelin on their last American tour.Fact|date=June 2008

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).cite web|title=WWF/E Wrestling Theme Count and Title Names|work=Wrestling Information Archive|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/wwf/wwethemecount.htm|accessdate=2008-01-28] Derringer also performed the entrance theme for WWF Tag Team Demolition on "", as well as a duet version of "Rock 'n Roll Hoochie Koo" with Gene Okerlund. [cite web|title=Wrestling Music Albums|work=Wrestling Information Archive|url=http://www.100megsfree4.com/wiawrestling/pages/other/wresalbums.htm|accessdate=2008-01-28]

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. Rick Derringer played guitar on "Exciter" on the album "Lick It Up" by KISS.Fact|date=June 2008 There is speculation that he played on other tracks as well.

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."

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. In 2006, he appeared in a Fidelity Investments TV commercial.

Trivia

*The Steely Dan song "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" is supposedly based on a conversation with Rick.
*The song "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.
*Derringer appears on Alice Cooper's Killer album, playing the solo on Under My Wheels.

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
*"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 and Oates (1998)
*"Jackhammer Blues" (2000)
*"DBA-Derringer, Bogert & Appice- doin' business as..." (2001)
*"Free Ride " (2002)
*"Live at Cheney Hall" (2006)
*"Rockin' American" (undated)

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)

References

ee also

*derringer

External links

* [http://www.rickderringer.com The Official Rick Derringer site]
*myspace|rickderringer|Rick Derringer