RICK DERRINGER

Rick Derringer. Photos by Kip Lott.

Chet Atkins, Doc Watson, Leo Kottke, and yrs tly, Josh Alan

Rick Derringer, one of my personal top five guitarists, passed away at 77. The greatest one-two-punch guitar duo I ever saw was Rick with Johnny Winter at the Fillmore East in 1970. In 1988, I wrote a cover story for American Way, the American Airlines in-flight magazine, called “Stars & Their Guitars.” A short interview with Rick finished off the piece, reprinted below.

Rick Derringer adapted a funky style toward hard rock years before anyone else. He spawned hits of his own (“Hang On Sloopy,” with the McCoys, “Rock ‘n’ Roll Hoochie Coo,” solo). But he specializes  in making others sound good. He has been the leader of the McCoys, Johnny Winter And, Edgar Winter’s White Trash and Derringer. His solos have highlighted Steely Dan tunes and most recently, he toured as Cyndi Lauper’s guitarist.  Derringer says:

“I use guitars that are replaceable—not guitars that are irreplaceable. I used to have expensive, old guitars. You could build a shrine to a ’58 Les Paul or Strat. They become personal and close. You develop a style that’s dependent on that special guitar.

“The more I traveled, the more I found that other people like those old guitars, too—people who steal guitars. I’ve had several guitars literally stolen off the stage while I was looking out at the audience! Some guy ran out of the building with it. What this taught me was, if you develop a style based on a special old instrument and that instrument goes, then you are stuck. Until you find another that feels exactly the same.

 “So I decided to develop a style based on a new guitar. A guitar that can be replaced. The Steinbergers I use. . . are state of the art, and every one is the same. When you find a model that you like, every guitar of that model is identical—or even better when it comes out of the factory than when it gets old Steinbergers are made of several different plastic composites. If it gets stolen, you go back to the store and say,  ‘Gimme another of those,’ and it’s gonna feel the same as the one you loved.

 “It’s a sad commentary on society, but not for a musician. Because if you find a beautiful, state-of-the-art instrument than can be replaced, that gives you more freedom.

 “I still have my old ’58 Les Paul, and a couple of B.C. Rich’s I like. But once you experience a few stolen instruments, you realize people can steal your guitar, but they can’t steal your music, thank God! They can’t get what’s inside your head, your heart or soul.

 “My favorite bands were (Edgar Winter’s) White Trash, when it got really hot with the horns. And one of the Derringer bands, when we used to exchange guitars with a mid-air toss across the stage. I recently recorded a live tape with Les Paul at Fat Tuesdays in New York City. Usually when people jam there, Les leaves the stage and they jam with his little trio. That night he said, ‘You take this guitar,’ and we played ‘Singing Shepherd Blues’ and a few other tunes.

 “There was a time with Johnny Winter when we were a hot rock ‘n’ roll band. I travelled extensively with Johnny. We did Royal Albert Hall, all the typical shows of the early 70’s. England has a particular fascination with blues. The blues seem to be such an unstudied American form, and they’re so proper and conservative. It almost seems like something they’re jealous of, since it’s inherent in our roots and not theirs. So they study it, and they make blues artists legendary.

 “One night, Duane Allman joined me and Johnny Winter in our hotel room. He told me I was responsible for him taking up slide. He’d always played electric, but thought of slide as some kind of ethnic blues sound that wasn’t his. He said he used to hang out at the Image, in Miami, when he wasn’t playing. The McCoys came through, around 1966. In the middle of the set, I pulled out this old Supro guitar in an open tuning and played slide. Duane told me my using the slide in that kind of rock ’n’ roll context gave him the inspiration to make it work for him.

 “I’d like to work with credible jazz musicians. Play things people don’t think I’m qualified to play, like Brazilian music, I’d love to produce a record with Les Paul or Frank Sinatra.