The guitarist and singer Rick Derringer dies at 77

The guitarist and singer Rick Derringer, who took on glory at 17 when his group The McCoys recorded “Hang On Sloopy”, was successful with “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” and won a Grammy Award to have produced “Weird al “” Yankovic First album, died. He was 77 years old.

Derringer died on Monday in Ormond Beach, Florida, according to a Facebook announcement Of his caregiver, Tony Wilson. No cause of death has been announced.

The decades of Derringer in the music industry lasted the celebrity of adolescents, session works for groups like Steely Dan, providing guitar solo on “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler and producing for Cyndi Lauper.

“Derringer’s heritage extends beyond his music, entertaining fans with his energy and his signature talent. His death leaves a void in the world of music, and he will be deep by fans, colleagues and relatives,” Wilson wrote.

As an adolescent, he formed the McCoys with his brother, Randy, and found the renown singing “Hang to Sloopy”, a success n ° 26 on lovers of different socio-economic circumstances. Derringer appreciated his first solo success with “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo”, which was used in the fourth season of “Stranger Things.”

His most square album was “All American Boy” in 1973, which included the instrumental “Joy Ride” and “Time Warp”. His only Grammy was for “Eat It” by Yankovic, who made parodies Michael Jackson “Eat It” and “Who’s Fat”.

“I am very sad to say that my friend, the legend of the Rock Rick Derringer guitar, has died”, ” Yankovic said in an Instagram post With a photo of him and behind in the studio. “Rick produced my first six albums and played guitar on my first recordings, including solo on” Eat It “. He had a huge impact on my life and we will miss greatly. »»

Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Derringer worked a lot as a session musician, playing on Evely Dan albums – including “Countdown to Ecstasy”, “Katy Lied” and “Gaucho” – Todd Rundgren, Kiss and Barbra Streisand. He played on “making the love of Air Supply from nothing”.

In the mid -1980s, he started working with Lauper, on tour in his group and playing on three of his albums, including the tube “True Colors”. He did a tour with Ringo Starr and the All-Starr group.

In 1985, he produced “The Wrestling Album” of the World Wrestling Federation, which was mainly made up of theme songs from Pro Wrestlers, many of which co-written, including what was going to become the theme of Hulk Hogan “Real American”.