August 05

 Rick Derringer

August 5, 1947 – May 26, 2025

The heavy rock scene gained a massive boost of energy when guitar player Richard Dean Zehringer, known to fans as Rick Derringer, traded his early pop style for a harder edge. He locked in with Johnny Winter And to revitalize the blues legend's sound before transitioning into the Edgar Winter Group as an official member. He fueled their massive radio staples, producing iconic tracks and laying down fiery guitar parts that defined the early part of the decade.

He launched a major solo career with the smash hit Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo on his debut album. He fronted his own power trio and released a steady string of high-energy solo albums through 1979. He also served as a vital session player during these years, adding his signature licks to records by artists like Steely Dan and Alice Cooper. He spent the next several decades working closely with other major rock and pop acts in both the studio and on tour until 2025.

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David Hungate

August 5, 1948

David Hungate provided the steady low-end grooves that helped define the slick sound of late-seventies radio. He played bass guitar and trombone on countless studio sessions in Los Angeles before locking in with a legendary group of players.

In 1976, his precise rhythms anchored the multi-platinum Silk Degrees album by Boz Scaggs. That massive success prompted the core group of studio players to form their own band called Toto. The self-titled debut album arrived in 1978 and became an instant smash. It featured massive hits like Hold the Line and showed off his tight connection with the rhythm section. He powered the band through their first four studio albums, wrapping up his initial run with the landmark Toto IV album in 1982. He later returned to the lineup from 2014 to 2015.

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Eddie Ojeda

August 5, 1955

Eddie Ojeda brought a fierce dual-guitar attack to the exploding New York club scene. He played guitar in a popular local group called SPX before joining a band that would define heavy metal showmanship.

In 1975, he stepped into Twisted Sister and teamed up with Jay Jay French to create a massive wall of sound. He anchored the band through years of grueling club tours from 1975 to 2016, building a reputation for loud, driving rhythms. His heavy riffs fueled their rise from underground legends to international stars. He played on all of their classic studio albums, unleashing unforgettable solos that energized millions of fans.

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