Rock guitarist and songwriter Rick Derringer passed away on May 26, 2025, at age 77 at his home in Ormond Beach, Florida. The legendary musician died peacefully at 8:09 p.m., surrounded by his wife Jenda Derringer and longtime friend and caretaker Tony Wilson.
According to reports, Derringer’s heart suddenly gave out after he suffered some sort of shock while preparing for bed Monday night. His wife told media outlets that he was rushed to a hospital in Ormond Beach and was taken off life support shortly after. Wilson indicated that Derringer had undergone triple bypass surgery two months prior but had been doing well until his sudden passing.
Born Rick Zehringer in Celina, Ohio, in 1947, Derringer achieved early fame at age 17 when his band the McCoys recorded “Hang on Sloopy” in 1965. The song reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and displaced “Yesterday” by the Beatles at the top of the pop charts. The track has since become Ohio’s official rock song and remains widely considered one of the classics of the garage rock era.
Derringer’s solo career took off in 1973 with the release of his debut album “All American Boy,” which featured his signature hit “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo.” The song became a defining track of the era and gained renewed popularity after being featured on the soundtrack of the Netflix series “Stranger Things” during its fourth season. The track also appeared on the soundtrack of the 1993 cult classic “Dazed and Confused.”
Throughout his six-decade career, Derringer worked as a guitarist, producer, and songwriter with numerous music icons including Johnny Winter, Edgar Winter, Steely Dan, Alice Cooper, Cyndi Lauper, Barbra Streisand, Kiss, and Ringo Starr. He produced Edgar Winter Group’s 1972 number one single “Frankenstein” and played guitar for the band for several years during the 1970s.
In the 1980s, Derringer discovered and produced “Weird Al” Yankovic’s first six albums, earning Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Recording in 1984 and Best Concept Music Video in 1988. He helped produce Yankovic’s infamous Michael Jackson parody song “Eat It” and played guitar on many of the comedian’s earliest recordings. Yankovic stated on Instagram that, “He had an enormous impact on my life, and will be missed greatly.”
Derringer’s work extended into professional wrestling during the 1980s when he collaborated with WWE Hall of Famer Jimmy Hart to create Hulk Hogan’s iconic “Real American” entrance theme. The song became a cultural staple during the height of “Hulkamania” and was later used as campaign music by politicians including Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump. He also worked on the theme song for the legendary tag team Demolition.
The musician had strong connections to the Sarasota-Manatee area in Florida, where he lived for approximately two decades. In 2006, he worked as a sales agent for McKenna and Associates Realty in Sarasota and appeared as a pitchman for Fidelity Investments in television commercials aimed at baby boomer retirees. During this period, he owned nine investment properties scattered throughout Southwest Florida.
Derringer experienced a spiritual transformation in the late 1990s following a river baptism in 1998. He and his wife Jenda, whom he married that same year, became born-again Christians and attended various evangelical churches across Sarasota and Manatee counties, where he sometimes performed. In his later years, he shifted focus toward Christian music and released several faith-based albums with his family.
Derringer continued performing live shows, playing approximately 30 concerts annually and earning between $5,000 and $10,000 per gig depending on the venue. He toured extensively with Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band in 2012, performing about 100 shows during that tour.
In the 1990s, Derringer discovered teenage guitar prodigy Damon Fowler from Brandon, Florida, and produced Fowler’s 1999 debut album “Riverview Drive.” Fowler later became a national blues star, with his 2021 album “Alafia Moon” debuting at number one on the Billboard Blues Albums chart.
Fellow musicians paid tribute to Derringer following news of his death. Former Mötley Crüe frontman John Corabi described him as a brilliant guitarist, producer, and songwriter. Guitarist Joe Bonamassa expressed that it was an honor to know, work with, and call Derringer a friend. Wilson concluded that Derringer’s legacy extends beyond his music and that his passing leaves a void in the music world.