One year in the early ’80’s I was playing with the Lotions at the Austin Opry house. First off, I was thrilled because I was in a major, popular band for the first time in my life!
I was also thrilled because the bill was Johnny Dee and the Rocket 88’s, a GREAT 50’s and 60’s cover band ( Austin’s Sha Na Na ), The Lotions and Stevie Ray Vaughan. I loved those 2 bands.
It turned out that Rick Derringer was there. He sang HANG ON SLOOPY with the McCoys when he was only 17 and he wrote the hit, ROCK AND ROLL HOOTCHIE COO which he had out with his band and, again, later with Edgar Winter.
That was the good news…the BAD news was that he only wanted to play my “prize” rare Gibson ES-340. a guitar that I wish, to this day, that I had never gotten rid of. I ended up playing David Roach’s Strat for the Lotions set. I gotta admit, tho…..my ES-340 sounded amazing in Rick Derringer’s hands!
Well, it was as stellar night. The highlight, for me, was Rick and Stevie Ray just playing the hell out of their guitars. WOW!!
COmment from my bass player Moe Monserrat. “When I saw Derringer standing on the stage I asked Sebastian, our road manager, “Who is that? Why does he have a guitar on? Finally I told him to throw the guy off the stage. He leaves to do that and comes back telling me “ He’s Rick Derringer and he wants to sit in.” I said “Tell him to wait his turn to take a solo.” Which he did.”
Austin music life has given me such a treasure trove on memories. Many of them right here…in my blog!
My Entertaining Life-Steve Carter 
When I saw Derringer standing on the stage I asked Sebastian “Who is that? Why does he have a guitar on? Finally I told him to throw the guy off the stage. He leaves to do that and comes back telling me “ He’s Rick Derringer and he wants to sit in.” I said “Tell him to wait his turn to take a solo.” Which he did.
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