Rick Derringer Dies: “Real American” & Wrestling Theme Song Legacy
Rick Derringer, ‘real American’ Composer, Dies
Updated May 27, 2025
Rick Derringer, the musician who crafted the iconic “Real American” theme song for Hulk Hogan and the WWF, has died.News of his passing was shared by Quiet riot guitarist Alex Grossi.
derringer’s “Real American” became synonymous with Hulk Hogan’s wrestling persona after it was reassigned from Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham in 1985. He also contributed the Demolition theme to the WWF Piledriver album in 1988 and a new version of his hit,”Rock & Roll Hoochie Koo,” complete with a memorable music video.
The “Real american” music video gained important airplay on MTV in the 1980s and even received the Beavis and Butthead treatment in the 1990s, solidifying it’s place in pop culture.
Hogan continues to leverage the “Real american” brand, recently announcing “Real American Freestyle Wrestling” and an attempt to acquire Hooters.
Alex Grossi shared the news on Facebook.
What’s next
The future of the “Real American” brand remains to be seen as Hogan explores new ventures.