Rick Derringer Caricature

Rick Derringer Caricature shown here on stage at Shaboo Inn, Willimantic, Connecticut, USA on June 1, 1976, age 29 with his 1958 Gibson Split Headstock Explorer.

Of the 1958 Explorers made, it’s estimated that one batch (35-40) were produced and few had the split headstock, so his guitar is a very rare model.

Ricky Dean Zehringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, Grammy Award-winning producer and entertainer. He came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the McCoys, when he was brought in to record lead vocals for the number-one hit single with “Hang On Sloopy”. He then turned to blues rock, scoring a 1974 hit with “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo”. He has worked extensively with brothers Edgar and Johnny Winter, and with the group Steely Dan.

In 1965 at age 17, he recorded the lead vocals for the song “Hang On Sloopy”. It became the number one song in America for a week; “Yesterday” by the Beatles knocked it out of the top spot and remained no. 1 for a month. The single was issued by Bang Records. Derringer adopted his stage name at this time, inspired by the Bang Records logo which featured a derringer pistol, foreshadowing Derringer’s obsession with firearms.

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.

In 1973, Derringer released his first solo album “All-American Boy”. As a first single from the album, Derringer released the re-recording of his song “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo,” which had previously been recorded on the Johnny Winter And album. Derringer’s version rose to #23 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, becoming his highest-charting single.

Derringer contributed guitar to “Show Biz Kids” on Steely Dan’s Countdown to Ecstasy (1973) and “Chain Lightning” on Steely Dan’s Katy Lied (1975).
Derringer contributed guitar to “My Rival” on Steely Dan’s Gaucho (1980). In 1983, he played guitar on two songs written and produced by Jim Steinman: Air Supply’s hit power ballad “Making Love Out of Nothing at All” and Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart”.

In 1997, Derringer became an evangelical Christian. Since that point, he has consistently aligned himself with conservative causes in the United States. Derringer describes himself as a “Jesus freak.”

In 2018, Derringer embarked on a tour with Vanilla Fudge, Mitch Ryder, and Badfinger under the moniker “Hippiefest”.