Renowned rock guitarist and songwriter Rick Derringer died on May 26, 2025, at age 77 in his Ormond Beach, Florida, home. Surrounded by his wife, Jenda Derringer, and his longtime friend and caretaker Tony Wilson, he passed away peacefully at 8:09 p.m.
Reports state that Derringer’s heart failed unexpectedly after he suffered a sudden shock while getting ready for bed on Monday evening. He was quickly taken to the hospital but was removed from life support soon afterward. Wilson shared that Derringer had a triple bypass earlier in 2025, though he had been recovering well until his death.
Born in Celina, Ohio, in 1947 as Rick Zehringer, Derringer found fame at just 17 when his band, the McCoys, recorded “Hang on Sloopy” in 1965. That track hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, replacing the Beatles’ “Yesterday” at the top of the charts. Widely celebrated, “Hang on Sloopy” became Ohio’s official rock song and is still hailed as a classic of the garage rock era.
Derringer enjoyed a prolific career that spanned 60 years and reached many facets of the music world. He released his first solo album, “All American Boy,” in 1973, featuring the iconic anthem “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo.” That song became a staple of its time and recently reentered the spotlight after being featured in the fourth season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things.”
A Grammy-winning artist, Derringer collaborated with countless music legends, including Ringo Starr, Alice Cooper, Richie Havens, Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, Barbra Streisand, and Kiss. In the 1980s, he discovered Weird Al Yankovic and produced Yankovic’s first six albums, even overseeing the production of the famous Michael Jackson parody “Eat It.” His work with Yankovic led to Grammy wins for Best Comedy Recording in 1984 and Best Concept Music Video in 1988.
Derringer also left his mark on professional wrestling, writing and performing “Real American,” the signature entrance theme for Hulk Hogan in 1985. The song became synonymous with the “Hulkamania” era and was later used by politicians like Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump for campaign events. He also composed the theme for WWE’s Demolition tag team.
His wide-ranging career included producing the Edgar Winter Group’s 1972 chart-topping single “Frankenstein” and serving as guitarist for the band for several years. Derringer maintained close ties with both Johnny and Edgar Winter throughout the 1970s, aiding Johnny Winter’s entry into the rock scene while remaining connected to the blues genre. He also contributed guitar solos to major power ballads by Bonnie Tyler and Air Supply in the early 1980s.
In later years, Derringer’s focus shifted toward Christian music following a personal spiritual awakening in the late 1990s. He was baptized in a river in 1998 and later released several faith-driven albums with his family. He and Jenda managed nine investment properties in Southwest Florida, and in 2006, Derringer worked as a real estate agent for McKenna and Associates Realty in Sarasota.
Despite his wife’s concerns, Derringer continued touring, performing around 30 shows each year and earning between $5,000 and $10,000 per appearance, depending on the location. In 2012, he toured with Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band, playing about 100 dates on that run. He also helped launch the career of Florida blues musician Damon Fowler in the 1990s, producing Fowler’s debut album “Riverview Drive” in 1999.
After news of his death, musicians across social media shared their respects. Yankovic expressed on Instagram that Derringer had been a huge influence and would be greatly missed. Joe Bonamassa wrote that knowing, collaborating with, and befriending Derringer was an honor. John Corabi, former Motley Crüe frontman, called him a brilliant guitarist, producer, and songwriter.
Wilson commented that Derringer’s absence would leave a significant gap in the music world. Over his career, Derringer released more than two dozen albums, both as a solo artist and in collaboration with Edgar and Johnny Winter, as well as with groups like the McCoys and The Derringers. Records show he co-owned a residence in the Latitude Margaritaville community for those 55 and older in Daytona Beach.
Derringer is survived by his wife Jenda, whom he married in 1998, and one child from his previous marriage to Diane Derringer. His legacy includes contributions as a guitarist, singer-songwriter, and producer across rock, blues, pop, and Christian music. Guitar Player magazine praised his broad stylistic range, from rock to fusion to pop, and called his 1973 album “All American Boy” an essential piece of rock and roll history.