Update: On November 21, 2022 Rick Derringer provided the answer fans had been waiting for. He confirmed on his Facebook page that Lisa was the dancer in his viral online “Hang On Sloopy” video. At QZVX we knew that all along, but now it is 100% — Lisa Leonard Dalton danced in Rick’s 1975 music video.
Here’s the original information, including recent updates, that accompanied this article when it was published in May 2020:
As a kid, living in the NW corner of Washington State, I had great reception of Canadian radio stations. Those of us looking for an AM Top-40 radio station in 1965 and ’66 often heard the sound of C-FUN out of Vancouver, BC. The intro to this video harks back to those days.
“Hang On Sloopy” was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1965. Other records by The McCoys that received significant radio airplay included “Fever,” “Sorrow,” and “Come On Let’s Go.” Rick Derringer also produced records and played lead guitar with Edgar and Johnny Winter in the 1970s. He had a solo hit with “Rock and Roll Hootchie Koo” in 1974 (Billboard Hot 100 peak position #23).
Usually I post a very early rendition of a “Found Performance.” This is an exception. I have located two 1965 appearances by the original “McCoys.” But the video I chose is from 1975 and it will get your attention. It has an 80 million strong fan base.
Former McCoys’ vocalist, Rick Derringer, was filming a new music film to promote a remake of his former band’s hit single “Hang On Sloopy.” It wasn’t the new 1975 incarnation of the decade old song that got the attention of the fans. It was the blond dancing girl. The premise was that during the film shoot, a gorgeous girl would stroll by and spontaneously break into a sexy and captivating dance routine.
It didn’t take much of a detective work to debunk that theory. Girls like this don’t just wander down the street into a film set. This girl was obviously no ordinary passerby. After a decade of rumors, and one British woman, with zero connection to Derringer or the dance, trying to hint around that she had some connection to Derringer. In 2021 t was revealed that Lisa Leonard Dalton, an American, is the authentic Sloopy Girl.
The urban legend that the “Hang On Sloopy” dancer was the British party planner, or that she had been married to singer Rick Derringer, were discredited. If you’ve heard that false rumor, then you need to see “Sloopy Wives-Fact and Fiction” (Read it HERE ). The meticulously documented article answers the questions: How old are these ladies and who was actually married to Rick Derringer? At the time of her 1975 performance Lisa Leonard Dalton was 19 years old. A California girl, she came to the attention of the filmmakers when she won the 1974 dance competition at Gazzarri’s, a popular Hollywood nightclub. For anyone with any remaining interest in Brewer, the answers to some of the questions that inevitably come up about her can be found in the British Newspaper Archives. (Click HERE to view an assortment of clippings).
Several music tracks have accompanied this 1975 video in its online life. In my original video below, I had edited into the video the 1965 hit version of “Hang On Sloopy.” I later regretted doing that: It was nearly impossible to get a good lip sync with the singer, because the two versions of the song were so different. But, the bigger issue was it created confusion. A number of online videos include the old 1965 song dubbed over the 1975 dance video. Part of the mistaken identity can be traced to viewers thinking the video was filmed ten years earlier than it actually was. In fact, the 1975 version of “Hang On Sloopy” that should go with the video was a reggae cover with steel drums and a marimba. The reggae cover of “Hang On Sloopy” came out on Rick Derringer’s 1975 album “Spring Fever” and at that time the “Sloopy” track was also, once again, released as a 45 RPM single.
In researching this project, I came across a family photo of Lisa Leonard Dalton dating back to 2010. I knew that her facial expression was familiar to me. Sure enough, her expression and appearance perfectly matched the “Sloopy Girl” dancer. Nobody needs facial recognition software to realize that even 35 years later, this is the same woman. To read the story of the search for “Sloopy Girl,” check out “Deconstructing a Myth: Sloopy Girl.” You can watch it by clicking HERE.
Editorial Update (Feb. 2022)
Lisa Leonard Dalton appeared in an on-camera interview in January 2022. It is the first in a series of several short video interviews. To watch “Up-Close & Personal in Tennessee” click HERE.
When the Deconstructing a Myth video was released in summer 2021 it went viral. Shortly afterwards, YouTube Channels and entertainment websites updated their information to reflect that Lisa Leonard Dalton is the authentic “Sloopy Girl.” The narrative has certainly changed. When entering Lisa Leonard Dalton’s name in a search engine, it’s readily apparent that she now has a strong online presence as the mysterious “Hang on Sloopy” dancer. To learn more about our discovery that Lisa Leonard Dalton is the Sloopy Girl, please click HERE.
Overwhelmingly, thousands of “Sloopy Girl” fans embraced the truth. They asked Lisa to share current photos and to record a cell phone video. On November 5, 2021, Lisa accommodated those requests. While attending a Lynyrd Skynyrd concert in Knoxville, two of Lisa’s friends took some pictures and she recorded a video greeting. Two of the new photos are included below. To watch Lisa Leonard Dalton’s new video, called November Night in Tennessee, please click HERE. And check out Lisa’s “Sloopy Girl” website at https://lisasloopygirl.com/
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View Comments
Elle...I think I finally have a pretty good trail to the final answer....which is harder to come by than expected. The pieces are slowly coming together. Some of the comments here at PSM, when I was able to source them, are coming from actual family members of the three women it might be...Liz Agriss Derringer, Liz Brewer in the UK and Lisa Dalton. Yes....I now believe Lisa is a serious possibility and not somebody simply leaving comments at youtube.
https://qzvx.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/PSM-Liz-Pix.jpg
The link above includes only a few of the photos I have. All of the upper pics are stills of the dancing girl from the Sloopy video. The second row down consists of Liz "Agriss" Derringer photos. She married Rick Derringer in Manhattan in 1969, marriage license 2226...so no arguing that it is Liz Brewer in the UK. Her maiden name was Agriss..different lady all together. Liz Agriss and Rick were married about 20 years, so she was his wife during the Sloopy shoot. Most of these shots were taken in reasonably close proximity to the Sloopy video. Note the photo at the far right in row 2 is Liz Agriss Derringer with Rick, after they had split, and it was taken in the last ten years or so.
Third row down includes various shots of Liz Brewer in the UK. The wedding shots were about 5 years before the Sloopy video. But these are fairly close proximity time wise. To bring home the point she is a Brit, the far right shot in the row is what Liz Brewer looks like now....standing with Boris Johnson. Liz Brewer never was married to Rick Derringer. She was married once only to John Rendall who did a documentary film called "A Lion named Christian"...about a cub he raised in London that was eventually introduced back into the wild in Africa. The couple divorced and she never married again.
The photo at the very bottom was sent to me by Liz Brewer in the UK when I asked her if she was the dancer. She was coy...wrote a message on the order of "not telling, but this photo was me in Portugal after I first left home...what do you think?"
I have more information about Rick's wives, what happened when. but I have yet to put it all together. But all these photos should clarify that there are two different ladies named Liz. And when google and those commenting say it is Liz Brewer Derringer dancing...that is rubbish. If the dancer was Rick's wife...then it had to be Liz Agriss Derringer. If it was Liz Brewer dancing then the dancer was not his wife at all...she was the Brit Liz Brewer who was not romantically tied to Rick. Different Liz! Since so many people online are interested in this story, I thought this information and these photos might lead to more informed speculation. Because it is way off and running wild now.
So what do all of you thousands of online detectives out there think? Is the dancer one of the two different ladies named Liz...or do we need to keep looking?
I for one appreciate all of your research and effort into this. I accept Liz Agriss Derringer from all the photos I have seen of her too. I wish that man that emailed me would come back with an answer but I don't expect him to at this late date. Thanks again.
The bottom picture is the dancer in the Sloopy video. No doubts in my mind whatsoever. The way she holds her mouth open in every pic you have is consistent with Sloopy's mouth.
Your observations are mine as well. She also has a fan base of two or three people...far as I can tell in one family...who promote her claims.
Thanks (sarcastically) now I go from three potential dancers....Liz Derringer and Liz Brewer (two different women) and the ethereal Lisa Dalton to adding to the mix Grannie, Martin and Jason....so instead of limiting my suspects they just doubled,
I was the dancing lady and what a tribute that was to the make-up artist.
Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo!
when was this made because my grandma is the dancing lady. all jokes aside!!
Angelina...I am interested in the info and photos you sent but need to get answers to some questions.
1976 film...Angela,tell us more about your grandma! I would interview her. Is your grandma Lisa Dalton? Or another lady? Send me an email at steven-L-smith@comcast.net
I thought the edit had taken to correct the email address you have for the comcast one for Angela to use. It has the Kingofthehouse. I hope that is still a good one. Also, I kinda got excited today because I have reached out to a couple of people who interviewed, wrote about and knows Liz Derringer. One responded back to me today and said he would call her and get back with me on what she says in a couple of days. If it happens, I will forward that to you.
I have sent the Lisa Dalton who says she is the dancer your link so you can interview her. She says she would love to interview with you. I am looking forward to her proof and how she convinces you. I wish you would email me when and if she contacts you. Here is the text.
Ease54 6 months ago
OK...so is this the Sloopy dancer, or not?
2
lisa dalton
lisa dalton
2 months ago
No it is Not!
I am Sloopy 😁
Elle
Elle
26 minutes ago
No, Liz Brewer that was Rick's wife and the dancer on the original video is American. Here is an interview with her https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6An6546UUOo
Elle
Elle
26 minutes ago
@lisa dalton Pudget Sound Media wants to interview you. Why haven't you accepted?
1
lisa dalton
lisa dalton
10 minutes ago
@Elle it is I !! Lisa !!!
lisa dalton
Highlighted reply
lisa dalton
9 minutes ago
@Elle I would love an interview !!!
Elle..I will post a couple photos soon. Stand by,
Elle,
That is a newer video and I had never seen the interview....thanks. But a few clarifications on your intro to it. The lady in the video you linked to IS NOT British. Her maiden name is Agriss and she was married to Rick when Sloopy was filmed. They were married about 20 years, I have dates in my file and copies of marriage license info. Then and now she went by Liz Derringer. Then and now she is tight with Bebe Buell...best friends. Her name was never Brewer and she might have visited the UK but she is American from NY. Rick was married three times total. After Agriss to Dyan and now to Jenda (nickname). Never to another Liz or anyone named Brewer.
The real Liz Brewer is British and a completely different person. She was married once only, not to Rick, and her then husband was featured in a documentary about a lion cub raised in London that was successfully relocated to Africa. She lived the rock and nightclub life so there is some possibility she was the dancer in Sloopy...although she had no known connection to Rick. So we have two potential Lizzes...Derringer and Brewer. There is no such thing as the made up internet dancer Liz "Brewer" Derringer. If the Sloopy dancer truly was "married" to Rick then the only possible person was Liz Agriss Derringer. Or if the dancer really was Liz Brewer then the only option would be Liz Brewer the event planner and etiquette expert in the UK....who was never Rick's wife.
Then we hear from Lisa Dalton. Seriously, I have no clue if she even exists or if it is a person messing with us. She complains of being slighted, but otherwise cannot come up with a photo of herself when sHe was allegedly a dancer in the Hollywood nightclub Gazzaris. If you can motivate Lisa to actually communicate with us at PSM...then that would be great and appreciated.
As you can tell, I have gone to extensive work in unraveling this mystery But I am still not complete with my investigation. Just for the record, I do have correspondence from one of the two Lizzes saying she was the dancer. But I am sitting on that as I verify more of the story. I want to get this messed up story right. Google has it totally screwed up...leading to people assuming the two Lizzes are one and the same. not!
Thanks, I have never heard that maiden name of Liz. Glad you set the record straight! I look forward to what you find out.
shes not a social media person that is my grandmother. how does she even get an interview.
Angelina, She has been sent the information on how to contact Steven by me about 4 times. So, in hopes that you will help her navigate and upload information here is the email you should use. kingofthehouse@comcast.net Steven Smith has been trying to talk with her for at least a year that I have seen posts back to. He will definitely be the one to help set the record straight, which a lot of us would like to see happen. You had said in a post on YouTube you would give me your social contact but Steven is the one with the experience and connections to get her story out there. She has said that she won a contest in one post. One post said she was paid $200 to dance. Another post said she just didn't remember details that well and several months ago she made a post that she was working on posting the proof. Surely you can see why people won't just take her word for it. Not to be mean, it's just that anyone can make that claim. So, being her granddaughter, it would be awesome if you could help upload to the email address what she may have. I cannot imagine her not having photographs from the shoot back then. It had to be an exciting once in a lifetime event for her young age and to think she has Nothing as proof is odd, to say the least. Thanks for helping your grandmother set the record straight! Elle
For those who are not clear on this. Angelina stating it is her grandma dancing is NOT introducing another possibility. Her grandma is the lady called Lisa Dalton.
I don't understand. Will someone be able to respond if they want to to my email? Why or why not?
Cindy...If you ask a question we will try to answer. You can email me at.. kingofthehouse@comcast.net
I have had at least four people contact me stating they are the dancer, their neighbor is, their wife is. Two who have not contacted me to claim they are the dancer are the two women it is most likely to be....Liz Derringer in NY or Liz Brewer in the UK. Lisa Dalton did leave me a message in the last few weeks that she is looking for a photo. Most of the people leaving messages about Lisa are Lisa herself or those she has convinced she got the Sloopy gig after winning a dance contest. It sounds plausible, but since this video has been around since mid-70s and it has been viewed millions of times it seems it would have been a big enough deal she would have some sort of memorabilia of the moment....an era appropriate photo. I got a snapshot from Liz Brewer in the UK when I asked her about it. As a tease she sent a photo of herself from the era. It was like..."you asked, so what do you think? Was it me or not"?