Guitarist Rick Derringer, known for legendary classic rock tunes like “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo” and “Hang On Sloopy” as well as the iconic “Real American” entrance theme for Hulk Hogan, has reportedly passed away. Derringer was 77.
No cause of death was given, but Derringer’s longtime friend and caretaker Tony Wilson said on Facebook: “Renowned guitarist and entertainer Rick Derringer passed away at 8:09 PM on May 26th at Advent Health ICU, surrounded by his loving wife Jenda Derringer, his caretaker, and close friend Tony Wilson (aka Young James Brown).”
“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. As a member of the McCoys, he achieved fame with hits like “Hang On Sloopy.” Derringer also worked with notable artists such as Steely Dan, Johnny & Edgar Winter, Alice Cooper, Kiss, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Cyndi Lauper, and Barbra Streisand, and penned hits like ‘Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo,’ ‘Still Alive and Well’ and ‘Real American.’”
“In recent years he toured worldwide with Ringo Starr’s band, continuing to entertain fans with his signature energy and talent. Derringer’s legacy extends beyond his music but into pop culture—his passing leaves a void in the music world, and he will be deeply missed by fans, colleagues, and loved ones.”
Derringer previously spoke about “Real American” in an interview with Mel Magazine. The song was originally slated for the WWF tag team the U.S. Express, but the team left the company shortly after and the song went to Hogan.
“Hulk used it everywhere,” Derringer said. “Every time he went in the ring he used it as his theme song. Every time he did a television appearance he played the song. He created videos. In fact, when we made the original music video with Hulk, he was playing the bass guitar — he’s a bass player. I showed him, ‘This is kinda the bass part we play,’ and I remember him saying, ‘Hey, that’s not the bass part you play, come on, show me the real bass part.’ So I showed him what we really played.. But in the video we see Hulk playing that little Fender Stratocaster guitar, and it looks really small on him. We were really happy about all that. But still somewhere in the back of my mind I thought, ‘Man, this song should be somehow more legit than just a wrestler’s theme song’. We had wanted to write this fabulous patriotic song for all Americans. We saw it somehow on a different level than a wrestler’s theme song, so in some ways I was a little let down.”
