b. Richard Zehringer, 5 August 1947, Fort Recovery, Ohio, USA. Originally a member of the chart-topping McCoys (‘Hang On Sloopy’), Derringer went on to produce two of their later albums, paving the way for his new career. Along with his brother Randy, Rick formed the nucleus of Johnny Winter’s backing group. After producing four of Winter’s albums, he joined the Edgar Winter Group and produced their bestselling 1972 album, They Only Come Out At Night. Meanwhile, Derringer recorded his first solo album, 1973’s heavy metal-tinged All American Boy. Vinnie Appice (later of Black Sabbath) joined in 1976. Appice, plus band colleagues Danny Johnson (guitar) and Kenny Aaronson (bass), eventually departed to form Axis after the release of Derringer Live in 1977.
After several albums under the band name Derringer, Rick reverted to solo billing and appeared as guest guitarist on albums by Steely Dan (he had been the subject of their classic mid-70s hit ‘Rikki Don’t Lose That Number’), Bette Midler, Todd Rundgren, Donald Fagen, Kiss, Cyndi Lauper, Meat Loaf, Barbra Streisand and ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic. Afterwards, he turned his attention to production and soundtrack work, although in 1983 he teamed up with drummer Carmine Appice in the ill-fated DNA.
In the 90s Derringer returned to solo recording, having turned down several previous attempts to lure him: ‘They all saw me as some kind of screaming, sweating rock ‘n’ roller, but I’ve grown out of that now’. It was Mike Varney at Shrapnel Records who finally won the day, signing Derringer to his Blues Bureau label and teaming him with bass player and co-producer Kevin Russell for Back To The Blues (1993) and Electra Blues (1994). Several further blues-orientated releases followed for Blues Bureau in the late 90s. Derringer also formed the DBA project with Appice and bass player Tim Bogert, and in 2002 made a foray into contemporary jazz on Free Ride. After making this bold leap he returned to his traditional style on a series of dispiritingly retro albums, that featured tired reworkings of some of his classic material.
