Legendary Rock Guitarist Dead at 77

2025-05-27

A guitar image. A legendary guitarist has passed away.

A beloved rock guitarist has passed away, and he had his loved ones by his side. – Author: Cat Badra, Photo by Jefferson Santos

It’s always a sad moment to learn about a beloved rocker passing away. But, it’s happening more often as our favorite musicians are getting older, especially in the classic rock world.

Now, the music community is mourning after the death of a legendary rock guitarist who was also a singer, producer and songwriter. That musician is Rick Derringer, who passed away this week at 77 years old.

The news of Derringer’s death was shared by his longtime friend and caretaker Tony Wilson, who took to Facebook to tell fans about the sad news, via The Independent. According to the post, Derringer passed away surrounded by his wife, Jenda, and Wilson on May 26 in Ormond Beach, Florida, so he was in loving company.

So far, no cause of death has been revealed. However, an official Facebook page for Derringer and his wife had previously discussed some health issues he was dealing with over the past few months, such as an ankle bypass in March 2025.

The final post from his Facebook profile was shared April 17 with a message that states, “We’re all feeling great! Rick, Jenda and Derringer Dog, Lana Grace.”

The statement from Wilson honored Derringer and the legacy that he leaves behind. “With a career spanning six decades, The Legendary Rick Derringer left an indelible mark on the music industry as a guitarist, Singer songwriter, and producer,” the statement read. “As a member of the McCoys, he achieved fame with hits like ‘Hang On Sloopy.’ Still live and well, Derringer also worked with notable artists such as Steely Dan, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Weird Al, Cyndi Lauper, and Barbra Streisand, and penned hits like ‘Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo’ and ‘Real American.'”

The statement continued, “Derringer’s legacy extends beyond his music, entertaining fans with his signature energy and talent. His passing leaves a void in the music world, and he will be deeply missed by fans, colleagues, and loved ones.”

Derringer had quite a varied career. During the later part of his career, he worked “extensively with singer Cyndi Lauper, produced Weird Al Yankovic’s first album, and wrote and produced many popular theme songs for wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan’s ‘Real American,'” according to Variety magazine.

Derringer’s first brush with fame was with his garage band The McCoys, who released a No. 1 hit in “Hang on Sloopy.” The song hit the top of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart back in 1965. It’s wild to think about, but he was only 17 at the time of forming that band, which also began featuring the members Randy Z, Randy Hobbs, Sean Michaels and Ronnie Brandon, but went through some lineup changes. He later became a member of the Johnny Winter band and continued to make music his entire life.

Derringer was born in Celina, Ohio, in 1947, according to The Columbus Dispatch. The publication adds that later in his life, Derringer also created Christian-themed music with his wife.

Cat Badra
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Posted by Cat Badra | Music, Rock, Rock News