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Rick Derringer, Guitar Journeyman Behind ‘Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo,’ Dead at 77

Rick Derringer, the celebrated guitarist and songwriter best known for writing 'Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo,' has died at the age of 77.

Rick Derringer, the guitarist and songwriter who scored hits with a cover of “Hang on Sloopy” and “Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo,” while working with everyone from Steely Dan to “Weird Al” Yankovic, died on Monday. No cause of death has been given, though an official Facebook page for Derringer and his wife had detailed several health issues in recent months, including ankle bypass surgery (which creates a new pathway for blood to get around a blocked artery). He worked extensively with Johnny and Edgar Winter, and racked up credits on albums by Barbra Streisand, Todd Rundgren, Alice Cooper, Meat Loaf, Kiss, Bonnie Tyler, and Cyndi Lauper.

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