Renowned guitarist and producer Rick Derringer passed away last Monday, May 26th, at the age of 77. The news was confirmed by his close friend and caregiver, Tony Wilson , and by the TMZ .
Derringer was in the ICU at AdventHealth in Ormond Beach, Florida, accompanied by his wife, Jenda Derringer, and Wilson.
According to Jenda , Rick passed away "peacefully" after being taken off life support. He had undergone triple bypass surgery two months prior but was recovering well. On Monday night, he suffered a shock while preparing for bed and died in the hospital.
Musicians mourn the death of Rick Derringer.
Derringer's death caused a stir in the rock world. Vinny Appice ( Black Sabbath , Dio ), who played in Derringer's in 1976, lamented the loss:
"I woke up to sad news. My mentor and friend Rick Derringer passed away. Rick was a great guitarist and, even more, a teacher to me… I recorded 3 albums with him and we toured extensively… I will never forget him, he was an incredible composer, guitarist, and friend."
Dennis Dunaway , Alice Cooper , also remembered the musician:
“The Alice Cooper Group’s first show in New York was with The McCoys … Rick showed us Times Square… He played the guitar solo on “Under My Wheels.” Rick will be remembered for his pioneering talent and his great stories.”
Rick Derringer rose to fame at age 17 with The McCoys and their number 1 hit “Hang On Sloopy” in 1965. He played with Johnny Winter and Edgar Winter , producing the platinum album They Only Come Out At Night (featuring the hits “Frankenstein” and “Free Ride”).
He formed the band Derringer in the 70s and had a prolific solo career and as a collaborator, working with artists such as Alice Cooper, Steely Dan , Kiss , Cyndi Lauper and producing award-winning albums by “Weird Al” Yankovic . His solo in “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” is a rock landmark.
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