Rick Derringer, Hitmaker Behind Wrestling and Rock Anthems, Dead at 77

Rick Derringer, the guitarist and producer best known for recording “Real American,” the entrance theme for professional wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, and for the rock hit “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo,” has died. He was 77.

Derringer died May 26 in Ormond Beach, Florida. According to family and close friends, he passed away peacefully in his sleep following a sudden health episode. He had undergone triple bypass surgery earlier in the year and was believed to be recovering.

Born Richard Dean Zehringer on Aug. 5, 1947, in Celina, Ohio, Derringer first rose to fame at age 17 with the McCoys’ No. 1 hit “Hang On Sloopy.” He later became a prominent solo artist and collaborator, working with Johnny and Edgar Winter, Alice Cooper, Cyndi Lauper, Barbra Streisand, and Kiss.

His 1973 single “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo” became a staple of classic rock radio. But it was his 1985 recording of “Real American” that gained enduring cultural recognition. Originally intended for the tag team U.S. Express, the song was later adopted by Hogan and became an iconic symbol of his patriotic wrestling persona during the height of the World Wrestling Federation's popularity in the 1980s. The track was also later used in various political campaigns and television appearances, further embedding it in American pop culture.

In addition to his work as a performer, Derringer produced several Grammy-winning albums for “Weird Al” Yankovic in the 1980s and remained active in music for decades.

Tributes from across the music world poured in following his death. Guitarist Joe Bonamassa called him a friend and an inspiration, while former Mötley Crüe frontman John Corabi described him as “a brilliant guitarist, producer, and songwriter.”

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Sources: New York Post, CT Insider, Cageside Seats, Entertainment Weekly.