In October 1965, a band of teenagers from Ohio went to number one in America with “Hang On Sloopy”, a week before the Beatles’ “Yesterday” took over the top spot. Their singer and guitarist was 17-year-old Rick Derringer, who went on to play with Johnny and Edgar Winter, write a classic rock radio staple and produce the first records of “Weird Al” Yankovic. Derringer died on May 26, 2025. He was 77.
The McCoys
He was born Richard Zehringer in Ohio in 1947 and formed the McCoys with his brother Randy and friends while still at school. “Hang On Sloopy” went to number one in 1965 and later became the official rock song of the state of Ohio, played at Ohio State football games to this day. The band had several more hits in the following years and then turned to heavier blues rock.
Hoochie Koo and the Winters
At the end of the 1960s Derringer joined the blues guitarist Johnny Winter, and later Johnny’s brother Edgar, playing on and producing their records. He wrote “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo”, which Johnny Winter recorded first, and his own 1973 version became a hit and a staple of classic rock radio. He also worked as a session guitarist, including on Steely Dan’s albums, where he played the solo on “Chain Lightning”.
Weird Al and later years
In the 1980s Derringer produced “Weird Al” Yankovic’s early albums, including the parodies “Eat It” and “Like a Surgeon”, and played guitar on them. He also wrote the entrance theme for the wrestler Hulk Hogan, “Real American”. In later years he toured with Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band and recorded Christian music with his wife, Jenda.
Derringer had his first number one before he was old enough to vote, and was still playing the same song on stage almost sixty years later.