Loping and easy to learn, The McCoys’ “Hang On Sloopy” was a three-chord singalong pop masterpiece recorded by a group of teenagers in Ohio then adopted by garage bands across America. In October of 1965, it hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. For lead guitarist Rick Derringer (nee Zehringer), it springboarded a career in popular music that lasted six decades.
Derringer was 77 when he died May 26 at ...
Rick Derringer’s career exemplifies the resilience and adaptability required to thrive in the ever-evolving music industry. His journey from a teenage garage band sensation to a respected session musician and producer highlights the importance of versatility and reinvention. The article presents Derringer as a figure who transcended genre boundaries, yet it also subtly acknowledges the challenges of being pigeonholed—such as his frustration with being labeled a "novelty producer" after working w...