With the Second Annual RTH Foyer of Fame’s Partial Lifetime Achievement Award and Chili Cookoff on the horizon (stay tuned for the announcement of a mid-March date!), The Back Office recently received an interesting letter from semi-legendary ’70s rocker Rick Derringer. It turns out music business friends of Rick had been asking him when he was going to get consideration for our partial lifetime achievement award. Rick was unaware of the Foyer of Fame, but after a few minutes of investigation and consultation with an old friend and Foyer inductee, he came to the conclusion that this was an honor suited for his diverse talents and oddly influential career. Following the jump, we share Mr. Derringer’s letter. Although the Foyer cannot promise any last-minute adjustments to this journeyman-packed event, we will take his plea into consideration.
To whom it may concern,
This is Rick Derringer, Mr. Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo to some, the teenage band leader behind The McCoys' "Hang on Sloopy" to others, and the firepower behind Edgar Winter Band's "Free Ride" to yet others. I even recorded with Steely Dan (betcha didn't know that!), which tells you something about my chops! It was with great interest that I read about Rock Town Hall's upcoming Second Annual RTH Foyer of Fame's Partial Lifetime Achievement Award and Chili Cookoff, and I am writing in hopes of consideration for induction in either this or a future class.
I was not aware of your innaugural event, but shortly after my musical associates and highly deserving peers, Bob Seger and Steve Miller, were inducted, friends in the biz started asking me, "Hey Rick, when are you gonna get the call from the Foyer of Fame?" Despite my achievements, I told them, I had no business in the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame! They explained that the RTH Foyer of Fame was something else, something more fitting to my legacy and - no offense guys - after looking into the place I couldn't agree more.
You may think that my career fizzled after the initial burst of "Sloopy" and the long-overdue highs of "Free Ride" and "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Coo." You may think that I'm bitter that my three most-popular hits were each eclipsed as archetypal go-to records of their era used by advertisers, film makers, and video game producers by "Louie Louie," "Slow Ride," and "Ballroom Blitz," but that's not the case. When most artists might have faded into the oldies circuit - or worse - I hitched onto two massive waves of innovation in entertainment in the '80s and early '90s: discovering and producing rock parodist "Weird Al" Yankovic (whom I like to refer to as "The Elvis of Rock Parodists") and performing "Real American" for the World Wrestling Federation's The Wrestling Album, a track that would later be used as Hulk Hogan's entrance music. Mix in a few years playing with Cyndi Lauper and we're talking a killer three-decade span!
I kicked back from the industry a bit in the '90s to pursue more pressing matters: the newfound love for my wife Jenda and the raising of our beautiful children as well as the undeniable call from the Man Upstairs. He requested that I mix some of His word into my mix of rock 'n roll and smooth jazz, and who was I to question. I came into this business as part of a family band, and now I've come full circle. The 2008 release of our family's live album, The Derringers' We Live, is the highlight of a long and fruitful career that never stops believing in tomorrow.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I will be happy to discuss the possibility of induction with you in greater detail at your convenience.
Rock and Roll, God Bless You,
Rick Derringer
As usual, Rick is too modest — he forgot to mention his critical role in recording (some would say *writing*) “Frankenstein” with Edgar Winter’s White Trash.
Believe it or not, I’m kinda tight with Former Derringer associate Dan Hartman. The last time we knocked back a few, he was moaning about how little respect his lilliputian colleague has received from the world of Rock. I say give the man his due!
HVB
Still uncomfortable with the back-handed compliment of the Award, but perhaps we agree that Derringer is under-rated. I remember when all that lionization of Eddie Van Halen started and I remember thinking, “He ain’t no Rick Derringer”. I’d stand by that.
One wouldn’t be ill-served by picking up some McCoy’s records, at least a greatest hits. “Say Those Magic Words” is a real gem.
Derringer actually makes a good case for his entry in the Foyer. The next time the selection committee meets I’d be willing to find a spot for him.
Although there is a backhanded nature to the honor of the Foyer of Fame, it’s what each artist – and each of us – makes of the honor that matters most. Steve Miller wrote us just last month to say thanks and to let us know how many rock fans now come up to him on the street to admit their grudging respect and admiration for his work since his induction.
I think Rick was my first guitar god man crush when I was a kid. I even liked his band Derringer quite a bit (enough that I still own their first album on cd – try finding THAT!). He used to play Cleveland all the time for some reason. I think he was on standby as an opening act and could be flown in cheap at the last minute. The last time I saw him was some big showplace bar that’s closed down now, but I can still picture him jumping and spinning on one leg while burning a killer solo and amazingly never getting caught up in his hugely long guitar cord.
I think he’s perfect for The Foyer. He’s never gonna make the HOF, and while The Foyer may be a little backhanded, I agree that it’s what you make of it. I bet the induction ceremony this year will have a pretty fun band with Rick and Steve Miller backing Seger. A medley of Get Out of Denver/Katmandu/Space Cowboy/Take the Money and Run/Teenage Love Affair/Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo will lead up to the big finale of Hang On Sloopy quite nicely.
I hear that since the HOF ceremony will actually be in Cleveland this year, The Foyer ceremony will actually be taking place in Parma. Awesome!
While I really like the song, “Free Ride,” I’m sorry to say that Rick does not satisfy a key requirement: that is, being a household name without doing much to advance beyond that title.
I don’t think he’s got the name recognition of Seger, Miller, et al.
Perhaps we could create a new honor, The Front Porch for him.
To me, this is a no-brainer (LUCKILY! BWWAAH-HAH!). Let the little big man in!
Even is his career ended with “(Hang On)Sloopy”(a song I named my cat after. Yes, I have a cat named “(Hang On)”.), & the other McCoys recordings, I think he’d still deserve some respect.
The fact that it didn’t end there, as chronicled above, screams out for his inclusion in The Foyer. He’s a shining example of the fact that, in the words of Mr. Ed Grimley, “No matter how you cut it, “wee” is always pleasant.”
HVB, you know Dan Hartman????
I love I can Dream About You! From the Rock Fable Streets of Fire, as visualized by STONY JACKSON!!!
I have to disagree with Dr. John about Derringer’s profile. This is another one of those generational gaps, most likely, but Derringer’s work in establishing the Rock ‘n Wrestling connection in the 1980s was groundbreaking stuff. Cyndi Lauper being catapaulted to fame on the back of Captain Lou Albano, people getting hit over the head with gold records, “Real American” briefly replacing the Star-Spangled Banner as the the National Anthem for a few months in 1986,* “Mean” Gene Okerlund charting with a cover of “Rock ‘n Roll Hootchie Koo”? None of this happens without Derringer.
Really, can anybody boast a more diverse line-up of people to have worked with than Derringer’s co-star roster of the Winters brothers, Lauper, Hulk Hogan, Donald Fagan and at least one of the Appice brothers? Now that would be a supergroup.
*This may not have happened.
Hey, 2000man — sorry, but the RTH Foyer of Fame is permanently located in Frankfort, KY. Mod — aren’t we expecting a press release from their Chamber of Commerce soon? I think they’re putting special bunting up or something. Nice guys, as I recall.
Funny, I thought it was going to be in Fremont, New Hampshire, right next to The Shaggs Museum. I’d heard the ribbon-cutting ceremony was going to take place in April.
I know Derringer recorded with Steely Dan. I was thinking that was his solo on Katy Lied’s Black Friday, but wikipedia says it was Chain Lightning. Also Show Biz Kids from the second album.
Late breaking news: Rick’s website lists him as playing on Gaucho too. I hope this does not disqualify him. I believe he has also been known occasionally to play pointy and even headless guitars.
Frankfort, KY is the permanent home, but in the next week or so we hope to have a rilly big announcement, invinting Townspeople worldwide to take part in the festivities – LIVE!
I was a little worried, at first, about sharing Derringer’s letter, but it’s lead to some fruitful discussion and, for Rick, it seems, a rewarding outcome.
Just to enter the irony free zone for minute here because I confuse easily: RTH has created an award for mediocre rockers and Rock Derringer has actually contacted you to be in it?
Frankfort has a lot of learning to do. Sure, they taxed their citizens smoking and drinking habits and built a Foyer of Fame, but they’ll only get the induction ceremony once in a blue moon, and certainly not when a heavy hitter like Rick Derringer is being inducted. Parma will have it at the Elks Lodge on Snow Road. The people of Frankfort can piss and moan, but they’ll learn that like Clevelanders, no one cares.
They can have the induction when the Feart sisters get inducted.