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https://apnews.com/article/rick-derr...2f306628413924
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McCoys and the Winters brothers.
A talent, for sure.
Johnny Winter And...and Johnny Winter And, live. Several tunes from the studio album still get spins on my platter including Hootchie Koo. And Jumpin Jack Flash from And live showed how the twin leads could rock that Jagger Richards right out of the arena. As good a twin lead attack from any band that didn't have Duane Allman.
You nailed the summary, Pappy.
He had a bigger career as a producer, or at least as big, as his career as a guitar player. Produced for Edgar Winter beyond also of course playing with him and Johnny Winter, produced for Cindi Lauper and others. Watched a short thing on him some years ago. Played and produced with Ringo Starr, Donald Fagan, a host of people. Very broad career in the industry.
Trivia question: He did win one Grammy, any guesses without peeking what it was for? I happen to know this b/c it's tied to another artist I really like. :)
I am pretty sure he won the award and they were in collaboration with another artist on 2 songs. 2 songs, one award.
One clue, it was for producing a song, not one he sang or wrote.Quote:
Originally Posted by dan_bgblue
I'll circle back this evening. I did just double check and I believe I am correct.
I really never placed the McCoys and Hang on Sloopy until I saw the documentary, and that only scratched the surface of all the behind the scenes work he did, like working with Fagan and Steely Dan, etc.
Sorry, but I grew up in the 80s and the first thing Rick Derringer brings to mind is this:
https://youtu.be/eX_k5_egUAo?si=C79e9crzmtzKlfwE
BTW the answer is his only Grammy was for producing Weird Al Yankovic's "Eat it" album.
Kid you not. He produced six albums for Weird Al, but here's a guy who had hit songs, did session work with Steely Dan, produced Cindi Lauper and numerous others, played with Ringo Starr and a host of others, and his only grammy was with Weird Al. I found that interesting at the time.
He also worked with Todd Rundgren, who is another artist with some hits but a vast career in the industry beyond his work as a musician.
I found this on Wiki. If the info is correct he did win 2 grammys, both for remakes of of MJ's Beat It song. "Eat It" and "Fat." were the parody songs and showcased Derringer's guitar skills.
"Rick Derringer won two Grammy Awards for his work with "Weird Al" Yankovic, specifically for the songs "Eat It" and "Fat." These "songs were parodies of Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and showcased Derringer's guitar skills."
I dug in a bit, and there seems to be some different info out there. He definitely produced Eat It, which won a grammy for the album, so that one is his. I see some info that he played guitar on early albums with Weird Al, and I know he produced I think his first 6 albums, but I see contradictory info on whether he played guitar on them.
Wiki does say that Rick Derringer played the solo for Eat it as well as producing the album, so that seems correct. I'm a bit surprised b/c Jim West had joined Al by that time and Al is pretty consistent in having his guys play all the songs. He really has a lot of faith in them, but if you have Rick Derringer just sitting there I could see how you'd really want him playing on your song too, just for the sake of saying you played with Rick Derringer if nothing else.
I'm dubious about the grammy for "Fat" going to Derringer, b/c from what I can tell that grammy was for the video. Rick Derringer did produce Fat, but not sure if that counts as a grammy for him or not given that it was for the video. That seems like splitting hairs, but I don't know how that works in the music world.
Either way my broader point was just to look at Derringer's career and how varied it was and how much he was involved in so much music and you'd never have known it if you didn't really dig in. Especially as a producer and session artist. He's one of those guys who you'd think was more of a one hit wonder, but actually had several "hits" and then did a whole lot more.
Probably similar to Bobby Whitlock's experience when he played on George Harrison's "All things must pass" album when he played lead keyboard on the entire album but Gary Wright got credit for some of the organ work . He also played all lead keyboard on the studio work tor he recording of the Beatles "My Sweet Lord" and got zero credit,
Back in those days musicians and singers were just trying to get their voice of instrument work heard on the radio and they did not care abut who got credit as no one was making much money for the work done and they just wanted to make music.
I heard a nugget today, Rick changed his name from Zarringer to Derringer
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