Recollections Of Meeting Rick Derringer And Loretta Swit: EDITORIAL

ENFIELD, CT ? About two years ago, I penned a rare editorial piece about the myth of it being a bad idea to meet your favorite celebrities, with the most common reason being finding out in many instances the person is really just a human being like you and me may no longer make them seem justified in being high on that pedestal.

The time I got to spend with my all-time favorite baseball player, former Red Sox shortstop Rick Burleson, are moments I will cherish forever. I got to thinking about it late last week when I was jolted by news of the sudden passings of two more of my most-admired entertainers from the 1970s, both of whom I had the opportunity to meet personally.

As a teenager, I was fascinated by the cover of Rick Derringer's album "All American Boy," with a painting of the guitar wizard really standing out to me. As cool as the artwork was, the sounds inside were absolutely blazing, particularly the leadoff track, "Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo." It didn't take long to wear out that vinyl.

After I reached adulthood and became a DJ, I learned more about the musician from the Midwest. As a teenager, he had reached the top of the Billboard chart with "Hang On Sloopy" by his band, the McCoys - an early example of the "garage rock" genre. In fact, that song's ascension to the top knocked an all-time classic out of the No. 1 position - "Yesterday" by the Beatles.

I also found out he had become a top-flight record producer, working on hit songs with brothers Edgar and Johnny Winter, and playing in studio and/or in concert with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Todd Rundgren, Steely Dan, Cyndi Lauper, Ringo Starr and Peter Frampton.

In 2007, I was working as editor-in-chief of The Enfield Press when I got word that Derringer and Edgar Winter would be performing at the annual 4th of July Celebration on the town green. Anticipation was high for these two outstanding musicians, and they certainly did not disappoint.

The best part was being backstage for the entire show, and getting to engage in conversation with Derringer and his bandmates, particularly bassist Charlie Torres. The guitar legend did not come across as having any ego whatsoever - he wore everyday clothes as opposed to a flashy costume, and played straight ahead rock and roll that sounded as good as his studio material from 35 years prior.

It was that low-key, non-egotist persona that I thought of when I got word on May 26 that Derringer had passed away. A truly humble man, my hope is that he will someday be enshrined in the Hall of Fame alongside all those other great performers who were influenced by his work.

The other sad news came Friday with the sudden passing of Emmy Award-winning actress Loretta Swit. She was 87, but looked nowhere near that age; in fact, she had made an appearance at a fan convention just two weeks ago.

I met her at Chiller Theatre Fest in Parsippany, New Jersey (her native state) in 2021. As is the norm in this day and age, all the celebrities appearing at the convention charged a fee for autographs and/or selfies. Some of them were outrageously high prices ($75 for some second-string actor I never heard of?), and some of the stars signed people's items and barely looked up at them, never mind engage in conversation or even answer a question (but I will not mention Ronny Cox or Morgan Fairchild by name).

Loretta Swit was the exact opposite. Not only were the M*A*S*H star's prices lower than most others, but she made sure every fan got their money's worth. Despite having one of the longest lines of the nearly 100 guests, she took a few minutes to speak with everyone who approached her. She talked about the show of course, but also her other acting roles, and particularly the volunteer work she does to help needy animals.

Despite being 83 at the time, Loretta also stood up to pose for pictures with every admirer who asked. It seemed as though she was doing calisthenics - up, down, up, down - but not once did the smile leave her face. When it was turn and I asked her why she does that, she replied, "They paid their hard-earned money to meet me, and therefore they're going to get all I can give."

The humility and grace of stars such as Rick Derringer and Loretta Swit should serve as a lesson to the "stars" of today. Unfortunately, society is totally different now, so I am deeply grateful that I had the chance to meet two more of my heroes and find out how down to earth they really were. RIP Rick and Loretta.