The McCoys - Hang On Sloopy

The McCoys were a pop group that started in Union City, Indiana, United States, in 1962.
The original members, all from Union City were guitarist Ricky Zehringer (later known as Rick Derringer), his brother Randy on drums, and bassist Dennis Kelly. This first line-up was known as The Rick Z Combo, and later known as Rick and the Raiders. When Kelly left for college, the Zehringers were joined by bassist Randy Jo Hobbs, saxophonist Sean Michaels, and keyboardist Ronnie Brandon. This was the line-up that took the name of The McCoys. Brandon left the group in 1965 and was replaced by Bobby Peterson on keyboards.

One of their best-known songs is "Hang on Sloopy", which was #1 in America in the Billboard Hot 100 chart in October 1965 and is the official rock song of the state of Ohio.
The two Zehringer brothers (then known as Rick Derringer and Randy Z) and Hobbs became Johnny Winter's band for the albums Johnny Winter And and Live Johnny Winter And in the 1970 and 1971 respectively. As backing musicians, both Derringer and Hobbs contributed to Winter's later releases, Still Alive and Well (1973), Saints & Sinners (1974) and John Dawson Winter III (1974). Derringer and Hobbs later played with Edgar Winter, as well as appearing on the Together: Edgar Winter and Johnny Winter Live album (1976). Hobbs later toured with Winter, but without Derringer, resulting in Winter's Captured Live! album (1976). Derringer also played with Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, among others, in addition to forming later bands, such as DNA, with drummer Carmine Appice.

Hobbs died of drug-related heart failure on 5 August 1993, (Rick Derringer's birthday), at the age of 45.


Hang On Sloopy