Rick Derringer, who had hit with 'Hang On Sloopy' and produced 'Weird Al,' dies at 77

Guitarist and singer Rick Derringer, who shot to fame at 17 when his band The McCoys recorded "Hang On Sloopy," had a hit with "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" and earned a Grammy Award for producing "Weird Al " Yankovic's debut album, has died.

Guitarist and singer Rick Derringer, who shot to fame at 17 when his band The McCoys recorded "Hang On Sloopy," had a hit with "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo" and earned a Grammy Award for producing "Weird Al " Yankovic's debut album, has died. He was 77.

Derringer died Monday in Ormond Beach, Florida, according to a Facebook announcement from his caregiver, Tony Wilson. No cause of death was announced.

Derringer's decades in the music industry spanned teen stardom, session work for bands like Steely Dan, supplying the guitar solo on Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and producing for Cyndi Lauper.

"Derringer's legacy extends beyond his music, entertaining fans with his signature energy and talent. His passing leaves a void in the music world, and he will be deeply missed by fans, colleagues, and loved ones," Wilson wrote.

As a teen, he formed the McCoys with his brother, Randy, and found fame singing "Hang On Sloopy," a No. 26 hit about lovers from different socioeconomic circumstances. Derringer enjoyed his first solo hit with "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo," which was used in the fourth season of "Stranger Things."