In the summer of 1965, a 17 year old named Rick Zehringer, his brother and his high school band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy." It promptly went to Number One. In the nation.
Rick changed his name to Derringer and started gigging with Johnny and Edgar Winter, producing albums for the brothers and others. He became a mainstay in the Edgar Winter Group during the "Frankenstein" era and punched out some great solo records, the first of which ("All American Boy") is one of those "desert island" CDs for me. And, maybe you too. It was then on to a band that bore his last name and some really interesting "supergroup" pairings called DNA and DBA. Then the WWF. Then some jazz. Then some blues. And now, back to rock.
Rick turns 66 next month (is THAT elderly?) and is still touring, this year with Edgar and Pat Travers. They'll be in Vegas tomorrow night, California and Arizona Sunday through next weekend. Then to Minneapolis, Chicago and Detroit before heading east to close out the summer.
On this Music Friday, it's Rick Derringer with Ringo Starr and Edgar Winter, kickin' the classic "Rock n Roll Hootchie Koo."
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