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Music Legends Share Heartfelt Memories of Iconic Guitarist Who Died at 77
Music Legends Share Heartfelt Memories of Iconic Guitarist Who Died at 77 originally appeared on Parade.
Guitarist , known for his work with The McCoy's and hit song 'Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo,' died in Ormond Beach Florida on Monday, May 26.
Shooting to fame at just 17 years old when The McCoy's dropped 'Hang On Sloopy" in 1965, the legendary rocker collected a Grammy Award for producing 'Weird Al ' Yankovic's debut album over his decades long career. Derringer worked with several other iconic artists in various capacities serving as a producer for Cyndi Lauper, rocked the solo on 'Total Eclipse of the Heart' by Bonnie Tyler, and even did session work for Steely Dan.
Fellow artist and alleged caretaker Tony Wilson made the heartbreaking announcement on Facebook the morning after his passing."To my rocking best friend Rick Derringer it was my pleasure to be with your caretaker was a natural thing..."
Derringer had a remarkable "behind the scenes" resume. He had a hand in several beloved albums playing guitar with artists spanning genres from Barbera Streisand to Kiss. Derringer even left a mark on the World Wrestling Federation, producing their 'The Wrestling Album,' comprised of wrestler's theme songs that he also happened to work on. In fact, his hit "Real American" served as Hulk Hogan's iconic song.
Many artists flooded social media with adoring memories of the late artist amid the news of his passing. In a heartfelt Instagram post, Cyndi Lauper recalled some of the incredible work they did together:
"He was one of the great guitarists," she stated. "I co-wrote with him on my Blue Angel album. And we did wrestling music together which was so much fun. He played for me when I sang with Patti LaBelle on her special. He was in the band when I toured for True Colors in 86. And he's is also in the live at Le Zénith Paris video. We shared a lot of special moments together. Rest easy my friend."
Beatles legend Ringo Starr also paid a beautiful homage to his fallen friend.
"God bless Rick Derringer," he wrote on Instagram. "It was great playing with him in the All Starrs. I send peace and love to his family."
And the love for Derringer doesn't stop there. In a recent Facebook post, Wilson noted his intention to honor the late artist on his birthday, August 5th, with a tribute show in Florida. Nothing has officially been scheduled as of yet.
Music Legends Share Heartfelt Memories of Iconic Guitarist Who Died at 77 first appeared on Parade on May 30, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on May 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
