ALPHA-BLOG.RICKDERRINGER.COM

The Chicken or the Egg?

Rick Derringer — 2010-07-23T12:01:00Z

I've been seeing that some of my Reviews from our very successful Ringo Starr tour, have characterized my guitar solo, that I've been creating for over 40 years, as ERUPTION, an Eddie Van Halen solo that he has mutated from seeing me in concert many, many times. I've also seen his name dropped saying that I am doing a good job on 'HIS' solo."

What do you guys think about it?

Rick Derringer
www.rickderringer.com

To the Derringer Family

Rick Derringer — 2010-06-27T22:20:00Z

Rick,

I love the rendition you did with "Still Alive and Well" live at Cheney Hall - 2005 with Johnny Winter - Jesus is My Savior and I'm Still Alive and Well !! Praise God Man !!

Sorry I didn't get any pictures of you Rick for your movie project; I remembered I saw you playing guitar with with Weird Al Yankovic in the early 90's in Orlando Florida.

Orlando is where I met my wife at a church where she was needing some help with her book Sunshine Daughter of Sacrifice.

Now we just revised this for a second printing. Sunshine said - "If we meet and you forget me, you've lost nothing. But if you meet Jesus and forget Him, you've lost everything."

This true story not only lets you see the unfailing devotion of a 19 year old girl who even through hours of torture, gave her life for our heavenly Father, it is also a look into the world in which we live. Specifically, it gives insight into how occult influence has made inroads even into our government, law enforcement and judicial systems. The message is, if we are putting our trust in anything or anyone other than God, we will be in for a rude awakening.
http://mysunshine.vpweb.com/default.html

God bless and keep you Rick and your family !!
Harry

Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band 2010

Rick Derringer — 2010-06-22T14:29:00Z

By Randy Patterson

This month will witness the latest tour and incarnation (the 11^th, to be exact) of Ringo and His All Starr Band. This will be one of those special and rare opportunities to see the “lovable Beatle” performing many of the hits from his impressive solo work as well as from the Beatles’ extensive catalog. Ringo also will be sharing the spotlight with each of All Starr band mates as they sing some of their hits, as well.

Ringo kicked off his first All Starr band back in the summer of 1989. The band consisted of Clarence Clemons (Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, the Jerry Garcia Band and the Grateful Dead), the late Rick Danko (The Band), Levon Helm (also of The Band), Dr. John, legendary session drummer, Jim Keltner (who worked on many of the greatest classic rock albums ever recorded), Nils Lofgren (Neil Young, E Street Band), the late Billy Preston and the incomparable Joe Walsh.

Over the next twenty years, other big names such as Burton Cummings, Dave Edmunds, Randy Bachman, the late John Entwistle, Peter Frampton, Todd Rundgren, Billy Squier, Greg Lake and Eric Carmen, to name just a few, joined Ringo band of merry men, delighting audiences everywhere. Who wouldn’t want to see Ringo perform not only the great Beatles tunes but his many great songs from his long solo career? I mean, really! Who wouldn’t?

The eleventh All Starr Band is made up of another impressive group of some of the best artists in rock and roll history. The multi-talented Edgar Winter returns for his third tour of duty with Ringo as well as Gary Wright for his second stint. On their maiden voyage with Ringo are Rick Derringer (Hang On Sloopy, Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo), Richard Page (Mr. Mister), Wally Palmar (the Romantics) and Gregg Bissonette (Maynard Ferguson, David Lee Roth, Carlos Santana, Toto).

This tour is, in part, in support of Starr’s 15^th solo album entitled Y Not that features ten great new tunes crafted, sung in the signature Ringo Starr style.

To find out more about the latest All Starr Band tour, I tracked down Rick Derringer and Gary Wright. I chatted by with Derringer first, as he was in route to a sound check before a show with Pat Travers. Derringer shares that, “ . . .basically, Ringo’s agent has been a big fan and he tried to do it a couple of years ago but, for whatever reason, it didn’t happen. This year, they had the slot to fill and I was the perfect guy to do it.”

After breaking my heart by telling me that Dallas isn’t on the tour’s list of stops, I asked Rick what he thought can people expect from a show from the tour?

“Well, they get to hear all the songs that Ringo sang with the Beatles and all of his solo hits. And then, everybody in the band is required to have had at least two hits that they’ve sung. So, you get to hear two songs from Gary Wright and two from Edgar Winter; two from Wally and the Romantics and two from the guy who sang lead from Mr. Mister and two from me! It’s a big show.”

Having watched Derringer perform several times, I can personally tell you that you’re in for a real treat that you’ll not want to miss.

Read more......

Five More Enter the Hall.......

Rick Derringer — 2009-12-16T15:39:00Z

I must admit I was a bit surprised when I saw the list of artists elected for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (the ceremony will take place March 15, 2010)

Abba – on their second nomination in ten years of eligibility
Jimmy Cliff – first nomination, though eligible for twenty-one years
Genesis – also their first nomination, eligible for sixteen years
The Hollies – another first nomination after twenty-one years
The Stooges – finally, after eight nominations in sixteen years

Amazing to see that three of the artists were eligible for between sixteen and twenty-one years prior to even getting nominated, and then they get elected on the first try. That’s just odd. How do these bands never even get to the nomination stage and then make it all the way to the podium in one move? And what does that say about the rest of the talent pool still hanging by the telephone?

Alice Cooper is still waiting. So are Cheap Trick, Deep Purple, Todd Rundgren…and KISS, of course. I could name dozens more who made bigger marks than some of the current inductees – Rick Derringer, The Faces, Lou Reed, Mott The Hoople – but I’d just get pissed off again, even though I know in my heart that it just doesn’t matter.

But it’s great to see The Stooges finally beat the door down – one would expect that a band that had been nominated so many times would eventually break through. And maybe the election of The Hollies opens the door for The Turtles or Herman’s Hermits, and Abba legitimizes the induction of The Monkees. Outside of Guns’N'Roses, there aren’t many newly eligible bands in the next two or three years to provide fresh competition. (Want to feel old? Julian Lennon became eligible for induction in 2009.)

And I certainly can’t argue with any of the songwriter nominations except to say…what the hell took you so long? Mort Shuman (Doc Pomus’ partner), Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Otis Blackwell, Jesse Stone…the real crime here is that Ellie won’t get to take that bow since she passed away earlier this year. Of course, the Songwriters Hall of Fame was on the ball and elected them way back in the 80s and 90s (only Stone is not yet inducted).

Source: drbristol.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/five-more-enter-the-hall/#comments

Climate Change, Shplimate Change

Rick Derringer — 2009-12-11T14:34:00Z

I only pray that by adding my two-cents worth, it may have just a little impact.

First: 31,000 very intelligent scientists have all signed a petition saying that man DOES not effect change in the weather. And also the 17% change in CO2 emissions, that our President endorses is - next to impossible, and will not effect change, except once again, taking a lot of change from our pockets and putting it in the pockets of people who will NOT help fix the climate of the Earth in ANY way!!

Second: Can't anyone else see that this "Cap And Trade" bill will only take money from us, then put in people's pockets who have NO ability to effect ANY change in the weather - positive or negative. AND: the man who is making, and has made the most money from this stuff is: AL GORE. How can anyone believe anything he has to say about climate change?

I don't know for sure, but if you're like me, you cannot afford more taxes, higher fuel costs, or home values falling one more dollar.

Rick Derringer
www.rickderringer.com

Vintage Guitar Hall Of Fame

Rick Derringer — 2009-11-22T16:21:00Z

I want to sincerely thank all my supporters who've voted for my induction into the VG Hall Of Fame. It was your prompting that encouraged VG to nominate me in the first place...so...you are directly responsible.

It was quite an experience, and appears that I've won two times.

As everyone who subscribes, buys at the news-stand or has seen VG online, may have noticed the voting ended Nov. 15th with me ahead of Buddy Guy, by more than 6 percentage points. I was very happy to have won. I received many calls and emails on Monday, congratulating me on my victory.

Then on Tues. morning, the 17th, I opened my email to find one from VG that said, "LAST CHANCE TO VOTE". All of sudden Buddy Guy's votes shot forward at an amazing (some have said impossible) speed. The next email I opened read, "It looks like the 'fix' is in for Buddy Guy". I forwarded it to the editor of VG, who assured me that none of the votes after the 15th would be valid. None the less, the voting was going on.

I later found that the web master for VG had extended the voting until the 20th. All I could do was pray.

The good news is that last night, at the close of the new voting, I was again in the lead by more that 4 percentage points.

Now, all we can do is wait for the official announcement in February.
I can hardly wait!

Rick Derringer
www.rickderringer.com

Orange County Choppers Rocks Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo

Rick Derringer — 2009-10-28T13:25:00Z

by Lance D Ziegler

Orange County Choppers (OCC) is doing more than building custom brand motorcycles these days. The elite bike building entity has cast its eyes on the making of a new Classic Rock album, OCC Rocks. Forged from the same quality hands that make OCC custom motorcycles, OCC The Band are employees of the company who have been playing together as a cover tune band for about five years. Band members include Steve Moreau (Guitar), Christian Welter (Drums), Tom Schimpf (Vocals, Bass) and Jon Randazzo (Vocals, Harmonica). In the past, The Band has performed as an opening act for Lynyrd Skynyrd and when asked if there are any other future developments or scheduled appearances, OCC responded by simply stating not just yet.

The album has an impressive line-up of 14 Classic Rock songs, which were hand-picked by OCC founder Paul Teutul, Sr., and is sure to capture the audience of OCC followers, motorcycle riders and Classic Rock enthusiasts alike. The compilation features some of the greatest all time classic tunes to ever hit the air waves and three additional original tracks, with Paul Sr. singing vocals on The Band's "Summertime Blues."

Despite all the great music they have chosen, one particular song picked by Paul Sr., was "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo." A sure-fire song that has held the "Rock Classic" title for over 3 decades; and, no matter how old it gets, it still has an empowering effect that makes you move to the beat the minute it starts playing. Literally, one of those songs that never looses that "Funky Sound!"

I asked the guys from OCC what inspired them to choose the classic rocker and they responded, "The song is one of those Classic Rock songs that they just had to include and is one of Paul Sr.'s favorites."

The song "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" was written and composed by Rick Derringer. "It was originally released on Johnny Winter, And in 1969, but the big version came out in 1973 on my first solo album, All American Boy", stated Derringer. Shortly after its release, Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo remained a hit single for 14 weeks straight on Billboard Magazine.

More recently, Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo was featured as the #1 soundtrack for the 1993 hit movie, Dazed and Confused. In 2001, Rick was awarded by BMI for 1 million broadcasts and in 2007, the mega hit was inducted into Xbox 360's Guitar Hero 2.

Derringer, who is well known for his many contributions to the music and entertainment business, has always been one to give inspiring and positive support for young artists. From Rick's perspective, "This album is perfect for our demographic. People still love my music, and bikers in particular. I am very grateful that they have chosen 'Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo' for their very special release."

It comes as no suprise that Derringer supports the success of OCC Rocks. Throughout his entire career, Derringer has produced, collaborated with and promoted many entertainers into the spotlight of success and fame. From his early years with Johnny Winter, And (And referring to Rick's already world famous band, The McCoys), to founding Weird Al Yankovic and Cyndi Lauper, to playing with countless famous Musicians from Rock, Blues and Jazz genre, Derringer has brought so much to the entertainment industry. It's a wonder why he hasn't been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame yet.

The album, OCC Rocks, which is signed under the Sony Red label, is due to be released in stores October 27. In addition, the second episode of the new season American Chopper, airing on TLC Thursday, October 29 at 9:00 PM E/PT, will be focusing on the making of the album and unveiling a custom theme bike to include on the album artwork.

www.rickderringer.com

Rick Derringer Retrospective Life and Career Film

Rick Derringer — 2009-09-21T17:27:00Z

With nearly 5 decades of entertaining and the release of his 40th album, Rick Derringer has become an American icon in the music industry and has influenced so many to seek out their dreams to become a musician, songwriter or producer. Besides being one of the greatest guitarist of all time with a style of playing and discipline unmatched by anyone, Rick has also helped many young artists like Danny Johnson, Cyndi Lauper, Weird Al Yankovic and countless others fulfill their dream of achieving a successful career in the music industry. He has accomplished what most artists only dream of. Most of us know Rick by his association with the Winter Brothers and the huge amount of success he created for them by producing the only gold and platinum records to achieve such status. Yet few realize and are unaware of the numerous artists he has collaborated with. Artists like Steely Dan, Bette Midler, Todd Rundgren, Meatloaf and a list that spans four and a half decades. Here is a man that has dedicated his whole life to the industry as a multi-talented player, songwriter and producer with hit albums in Rock & Roll, Jazz, Blues and Christian genre.

With all that said, Rick needs your help with his latest project. A retrospective film of his life and career is currently in the works and Rick wants you to be a part of it. He is asking you to donate any video footage, still photography or sound recordings to help in the making of this exciting film. You can become part of Rock & Roll history by donating your media to the production of this once-in-a-lifetime film making event and have your name included in the credits as contributors. The retrospective film of Rick is being produced with the utmost quality and professionalism.

Rick's project is headed by Gary Mayes of PopCultureToday.Com, Inc, an award winning, multi-faceted and state-of-the-art entertainment company specializing in full length broadcasting quality productions. Gary has been writing, producing and directing for the entertainment industry since the early 80's and has an impressive list of high profile clientele that includes: Phyllis Diller, Pete Best, Dick Van Patton, Sonny West of the Memphis Mafia and Ted Nugent to mention a few. Gary also has an extensive background in buying and selling rare to find Rock & Roll memorabilia and has one of the largest Beatles collections in the US.

When complete, Rick's retrospective film is going to be one to add to your collection of Rock & Roll memorabilia.

According to Gary, "There is still a lot of work to be done and we are trying to get as much media as we can. Once we feel we have enough material we will be able to sit down with Rick and decide on the final content." He also added that additional financing is always welcomed to help achieve some tough goals in the production.

If you have any type of media from as early as 1960's to present day and you would like to donate it to Rick's film production, you can contact Gary Mayes by going to www.popculturetoday.com or contact Gary directly by email at
gary@popculturetoday.com.

Rick Derringer - Finalist for Vintage Guitar Magazine HOF

Rick Derringer — 2009-09-15T12:56:00Z

Rick Derringer is now a finalist of Vintage Guitar Magazine Hall of Fame. Thanks to all Rick's friends and fans, an overwhelming amount of support was able to help Rick achieve four nominations in all three Vintage Guitar categories, which included Players, Innovators and Instruments. Well, your voice was heard and the finalist have come in with Rick's name at the top of the list under the players category.

The contest is open to all registered VGM members. New inductees and contest winners will be announced in the March '10 issue. Deadline for entries is November 15, 2009. By registering and voting, you will have a chance to win a set of Keeley guitar pedals valued at more than $1,100.

When Rick was asked about how the nomination as a finalist made him feel, he simply said, "I feel blessed to be in the same category as these legendary guitarist. What I wish I could do is thank everyone responsible for my nomination, personally."

You can cast your vote for Rick Derringer by clicking on this link - http://vintageguitar.com/features/halloffame/ and if you need to register first click here.

Rick Derringer was also featured in the October issue of Vintage Guitar Magazine, which is available at your local news stand and book stores. The article, written by John Heidt, labels Rick as the "Six-String Knight." With over four decades of producing, playing and songwriting and the numerous contributions he's made to various artist's albums, it is a title well deserved for a legendary musician who has influenced many and has definitely changed the way we look at Rock and Roll history as a culture. With his 40th album released in early May, Rick shows no signs of letting up.

www.rickderringer.com

We're Off to a Santa Fe Teaparty

Rick Derringer — 2009-09-12T23:40:00Z

As you already know, I'm a "God, Family, Country" kinda guy. We've all got to do our part, so Jenda and I are going to the Teaparty here in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We'll report on the progress to take our country back as soon as we return. Check in for latest Teaparty news right here.

Rock Star & Meteorite with wife Jenda

RD
www.rickderringer.com