Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo

Or, Rick Derringer Dancing Energetically in the Eternal Now

Welcome to the end of May, dear friends. Before I type another word, let me frontload this event into the post. Please join us on 6.18.25 as Amy and friends gather for this FREE and unique evening of music and speakers as we focus on actionable ways to help with global health—actual work of cosmic betterment. Note: I highlighted the US health initiative PEPFAR in Chapter 15 of Roots & Rhythm, “The Academy of the Observant Life.” Nashvillians and eager travelers—see you there!

Today’s Post

When Andi and I were kids, a punchy aphorism popped up everywhere—especially as a poster on the bedroom walls of 1970s teenagers.

"Today is the first day of the rest of your life."

Common attribution goes to one Chuck Dederich, the founder of the infamous Synanon organization. Apparently, Dederich coined it through the group’s therapeutic and recovery culture, and somehow, it leaked into all of life. The phrase became as ubiquitous as any we know today. It represented fresh starts, personal agency, and the ethos of self-actualization. You can see its influence in this lyric from the songwriter John Denver:

Welcome to my morning, welcome to my day

Yes, I'm the one responsible, I made it just this way

You never see, Today is the last day of the rest of your life. Or, Today is the first day of the last of your life. One’s thanatology and metaphysics determine what to make of these untapped sayings. Here’s another 20th century aphorism.

Hang On Sloopy, Sloopy Hang On

Sadly, on Monday of this week, guitarist, songwriter, and boy pop star Rick Derringer let go and had his last day as a musical human, present and accessible (August 5, 1947— May 26, 2025, age 77).

I knew him as the teen lead singer of the Ohio-based garage band, The McCoys, or at least I knew his voice. I was only nine when Rick and his band had a national hit with the song “Hang On Sloopy." And like so many songs of that era, even now, I can see and hear my teenage aunt Karoly singing along to this earworm smash (Happy Birthday AK). Ask any Ohio State football fan about this song, and you'll get an earworm earful.

Rick Derringer, Grown-Ass, Bad-Ass Guitarist

A few years later, devouring record album credits, I quickly learned that Rick was far more than a teenage one-hit wonder. He’d become a solo artist, collaborator, and much-sought-after lead guitarist. He played on Todd Rundgren's Something/Anything album and several Steely Dan records. For this teenager, there were no greater bona fides.

One of the comments I receive most after people read my memoir is, There are so many names and connections to people—I had no idea!

I want to say, you are correct. Most people don’t have any idea. And so, the book.

As people read Rick’s obituaries and visit AllMusic and Wikipedia this week, I imagine many will say, There are so many names and connections to people—I had no idea!

Rick Derringer had a remarkable, true Rock & Roll journeyman/studio legend career (from Edgar Winter to Barbra Streisand). And, it makes sense why his biggest solo artist hit was called “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo”—a nod to Muddy Waters’ 1954 blues masterpiece, “Hoochie Coochie Man.” A simple three-note riff for the ages. From Mr. Waters’ three notes, you can go anywhere—do the energetic dance of a million steps. And Rick did, including Bellevue, Tennessee.

If you have a sixty-year career like Rick's or the fifty years I've had, it doesn't all fit in one book. So here’s a story that didn’t make Roots & Rhythm: A Life in Music.

Producer Severely Troubled While At Italian Restaurant

In 2000 or so, I was contacted by Rick's wife, Jenda. She wondered if they might book some time with me, pick my brain, and get some counsel. Jenda sent me some music before our meeting. We visited at The Art House for a bit. Then, along with Andi, we headed to our local "nice" restaurant, Antonio's, on Old Harding Road.

The dinner was, and is, right up there in the Top 5 most uncomfortable meetings I’ve ever had.

Rick was a humble, soft-spoken character content to let Jenda represent their interests. The couple were looking to get into the business of Christian music—find an influential producer, get signed to a record label, all that. Oh my, I thought, they have not read my book At the Crossroads. They were looking for proximity. I was trying to distance myself from restrictive genre labeling.

I had listened to the music they'd created with Jenda as the primary vocalist. I didn't see a spot for them in the imagination of Nashville's A & R talent scouts (many of whom I knew personally).

What I did see was Rick Derringer, a man of small stature (5’4”) but a giant of a talent who had contributed significantly to the American pop and rock music canon. The notion that Rick, having committed to follow Jesus, would now artistically abandon the trajectory of his vocation made no sense to me. In fact, it really troubled me.

I told him so.

As I remember, something like this.

“Rick, you’re getting in a long line of people who have tried to navigate what it means to be a follower of Jesus and an artist. Many have shipwrecked their artistic calling for fear that they are not giving all they are to what they perceive as God’s concerns—such as musical worship, evangelism, and moralism. If there is a God, and I believe there is, then God's concerns are so great and infinite that they cannot be exhaustively listed. We do the work and play each day, praying to discern these concerns and a way forward in a whole range of things. But unless you feel directly called to serve Christ’s church through music, I strongly recommend that you stay your course, but with a greatly expanded meaning and mission—which naturally includes being open to creating music for a variety of uses and enjoyment yet to be revealed.”

"So, make these records with Jenda, but with the caveat that they don't fit the social or commercial criteria of the times (at least as related to commercial Christian music). Put them out yourself—do it for love. But keep playing guitar, and keep creating everywhere and in everything, as you're skilled and able. That's the path you've been on all these years. Now, it's about expanding the path further, telling an even bigger story than Rock and Roll. Yet, it is a story that includes Rock and Roll. God is not calling you to choose between secular music and Christian. It's already sorted. If you are a sincere follower of Jesus, then whatever you do, do it in the Name of Love as one who is greatly loved. If your conscience won't allow you to do something in Jesus’ name. There you have it. Turn it down. It’s not for you. Everything else is on the table.”

The Moment I Found Out Who You Were, I Found Out Who I Was

As we walked out of the restaurant, I had very little confidence that anything I'd offered had been understood or well-received. Navigating through the tables, we passed the two-top where I'd once enjoyed dinner with songwriter and music executive Wes Farrell.

Along with Bang Records founder Bert Berns, Wes wrote “Hang on Sloopy” in 1964. Before Rick and The McCoys took it to the top of the charts, a young English band called The Yardbirds featuring Jeff Beck recorded it.

As for Rick, he went on to make records with Jenda and their children for indie release, created blues and smooth jazz records, did three world tours with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, hit the road with Peter Frampton and a load of other iconic guitar-slingers, and in 2018, toured with ‘60s acts, Vanilla Fudge, Mitch Ryder, and Badfinger under the name "HippieFest.”

RIP RD.

No more hanging on. All letting go. No first or last days. All eternal now.

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Artologists Needed—Help Me Clean Out My Studio

I have (7) original paintings left from my last series of small abstract works (largest is 9x12). I love them all but it’s time for these children to fly the nest. I thought I would deep discount them in order to make it a no-brainer purchase. Each one is $100+shipping. How’s that? Eligible to USA (48 continuous States only). Contact me directly at charliepeacockmusic@icloud.com if you’re keen.

Aqua Adobe

Invitation Ad Infinitum

That Was Some Conversation

There are these four in the same creative family. In order of appearance: All of Life Electric, Gary Snyder at San Juan Ridge, Spirit and Pony at Play, and Beating Heart.