Sha Na Na was an American

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm ...

doo-wop Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...

group. Formed in 1969, but performing a song-and-dance repertoire based on 1950s hit songs, it simultaneously revived and parodied the music and the New York street culture of the 1950s. After gaining initial fame for their performance at

Woodstock Woodstock Music and Art Fair, commonly referred to as Woodstock, was a music festival held during August 15–18, 1969, on Max Yasgur's dairy farm in Bethel, New York, United States, southwest of the town of Woodstock. Billed as "an Aq ...

, made possible with the help of their friend

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...

, the group hosted ''Sha Na Na'', a syndicated

variety series Variety show, also known as variety arts or variety entertainment, is entertainment made up of a variety of acts including musical performances, sketch comedy, magic, acrobatics, juggling, and ventriloquism. It is normally introduced by a compère ...

that ran from 1977 to 1981. Billing themselves as "from the streets of New York", members were frequently outfitted in gold lamé or leather jackets and sported pompadour or

ducktail The ducktail is a men's haircut style popular during the 1950s. It is also called the duck's tail, duck's ass, duck's arse, or simply D.A. and is also described as slicked back hair. The hair is pomaded (greased), combed back around the sides, a ...

hairdos. The group's name was taken from a series of nonsense syllables ("Sha Na Na Na Sha Na Na Na Na") in the song " Get a Job", originally recorded by

the Silhouettes The Silhouettes were an American doo wop/ R&B group, whose single " Get a Job" was a number 1 hit on the ''Billboard'' R&B singles chart and pop singles chart in 1958. The doo-wop revival group Sha Na Na derived their name from the song's lyri ...

. The final lineup featured original members Donny York and Jocko Marcellino, and longtime member Screamin' Scott Simon, who joined in 1970. Everyone else from the original band and TV show had since departed. Final band members included bassist Tim Butler, guitarist Randy Hill, drummer Ty Cox, and saxophone player Michael Brown. , Sha Na Na announced that the would no longer tour. Sha Na Na released their last regular album in 2006, although they subsequently released compilation albums.

Career

Conceived by George Leonard, then a humanities graduate student, who also became the group's original choreographer, Sha Na Na began performing in 1969 at the height of the

hippie A hippie, also spelled hippy, especially in British English, is someone associated with the counterculture of the 1960s, originally a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread to different countries around ...

counterculture. Only five months after Leonard had explained his concept to the group, on the basis of excitement their performances had generated in a New York City club frequented by famous rock musicians and others from the music business, and with the help of Jimi Hendrix, a friend they had met at the club, they obtained a slot at the Woodstock festival. Their performance immediately preceded that of Hendrix, whose own performance closed the festival.Robert Rubsam
"Rock 'n Roll's Sha Na Na Remembers the Golden Days of Woodstock"
Hudson Valley, May 30, 2019 As with most of their other early performances, Sha Na Na's performance at Woodstock was a "show stopper" that left the audience simultaneously "delighted and bewildered."Wade Lawrence & Scott Parker
"Sha Na Na: 50 Years of Peace and Music"
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, retrieved June 30, 2021 Their set-closing song, the 1957–58 number-one hit " At the Hop", got the group a standing ovation, and they were brought back for an encore. Subsequently, the inclusion of their performance of "At the Hop" in Michael Wadleigh's award-winning documentary film of the festival made Sha Na Na nationally famous and helped spark a 1950s nostalgia craze that inspired similar groups ( Flash Cadillac, Showaddywaddy, Big Daddy), as well as the Broadway musical '' Grease'' (and its feature film adaptation), the feature film '' American Graffiti'' and the TV show ''

Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most su ...

.'' Before 1969, the group had been singing as part of the long-standing Columbia University ''

a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...

'' group called the Columbia Kingsmen. But when, based on Leonard's advice, they transformed their show and became a commercial act, they changed their name to Sha Na Na, due to the Pacific Northwest group also called

The Kingsmen The Kingsmen are a 1960s rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States. They are best known for their 1963 recording of R&B singer Richard Berry's " Louie Louie", which held the No. 2 spot on the '' Billboard'' charts for six weeks an ...

that had become famous for recording the 1963 hit "

Louie Louie "Louie Louie" is a rhythm and blues song written and composed by American musician Richard Berry in 1955, recorded in 1956, and released in 1957. It is best known for the 1963 hit version by the Kingsmen and has become a standard in pop and ...

". At the time when the group was being transformed from the Columbia Kingsmen into Sha Na Na, George Leonard's brother, Rob Leonard, was one of the group's bass singers and its official leader. Rob Leonard's performance at Woodstock of "Teen Angel", a teen-tragedy classic from 1959 to 1960, was later included in the 2009 Director's Cut of the Woodstock movie. The group's first manager, Ed Goodgold, had codified

trivia Trivia is information and data that are considered to be of little value. It can be contrasted with general knowledge and common sense. Latin Etymology The ancient Romans used the word ''triviae'' to describe where one road split or forke ...

as a nostalgic quiz game and conducted the nation's first trivia contests with Dan Carlinsky in 1965. The future Sha Na Na/Kingsmen were featured singers at these contests. Four years later, he co-authored "Rock 'n' Roll Trivia" just as he and the

William Morris Agency The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent ag ...

began steering Sha Na Na's career. From 1969 until 1971, the band played at, among other places, the

Fillmore East The Fillmore East was rock promoter Bill Graham's rock venue on Second Avenue near East 6th Street in the (at the time) Lower East Side neighborhood, now called the East Village neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan of New York City. I ...

and

Fillmore West The Fillmore West was a historic rock and roll music venue in San Francisco, California, US which became famous under the direction of concert promoter Bill Graham from 1968 to 1971. Named after The Fillmore at the intersection of Fillmore Str ...

, opening for such bands as

the Grateful Dead The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in Palo Alto, California. The band is known for its eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, country, jazz, bluegrass, blues, rock and roll, gospel, reggae, world music, ...

the Mothers of Invention The Mothers of Invention (also known as The Mothers) was an American rock band from California. Formed in 1964, their work is marked by the use of sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Originally an R&B ban ...

, and

the Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhyt ...

. When Sha Na Na began headlining at other venues, one of their opening acts was

Bruce Springsteen Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen (born September 23, 1949) is an American singer and songwriter. He has released 21 studio albums, most of which feature his backing band, the E Street Band. Originally from the Jersey Shore, he is an originato ...

. In 1972, Sha Na Na was one of just four acts invited by

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...

and

Yoko Ono Yoko Ono ( ; ja, 小野洋子, Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese multimedia artist, singer, songwriter, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono grew up i ...

to perform with them at their One-to-One benefit concert at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylv ...

. Subsequently, the group appeared in the 1978 movie '' Grease,'' and, from 1977 to 1982, the group reached perhaps the height of its success with its own hit syndicated television show '' Sha Na Na,'' featuring guest musicians such as

James Brown James Joseph Brown (May 3, 1933 – December 25, 2006) was an American singer, dancer, musician, record producer and bandleader. The central progenitor of funk music and a major figure of 20th century music, he is often referred to by the hono ...

, the punk rock band the

Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United St ...

Chuck Berry Charles Edward Anderson Berry (October 18, 1926 – March 18, 2017) was an American singer, songwriter and guitarist who pioneered rock and roll. Nicknamed the " Father of Rock and Roll", he refined and developed rhythm and blues into th ...

Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the " ...

Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, inc ...

the Ronettes The Ronettes were an American girl group from Washington Heights, Manhattan, New York City. The group consisted of lead singer Veronica Bennett (later known as Ronnie Spector), her older sister Estelle Bennett, and their cousin Nedra Talley. ...

, and

Chubby Checker Chubby Checker (born Ernest Evans; October 3, 1941) is an American rock and roll singer and dancer. He is widely known for popularizing many dance styles, including The Twist dance style, with his 1960 hit cover of Hank Ballard & The Midnight ...

. The original band line-up featured 12 performers: Robert A. Leonard (Rob Leonard) (bass vocals),

Alan Cooper Alan Cooper (born June 3, 1952) is an American software designer and programmer. Widely recognized as the "Father of Visual Basic", Cooper is also known for his books ''About Face: The Essentials of Interaction Design'' and ''The Inmates Are R ...

(bass vocals), Frederick "Dennis" Greene (Denny) (vocals),

Henry Gross Henry Gross (born April 1, 1951) is an American singer-songwriter best known for his association with the group Sha Na Na and for his hit song, " Shannon". Gross is considered a one-hit wonder artist; none of his other songs reached the Top ...

(guitar), Jocko Marcellino (drums), Joe Witkin (piano), Scott Powell (also known as Captain Outrageous and Tony Santini) (vocals), Donald "Donny" York (vocals), Elliot "Gino" Cahn (rhythm guitar), Rich Joffe (vocals), Dave Garrett (vocals), and Bruce "Bruno" Clarke (electric bass). The initial act had three up-front performers in gold lamé and the other nine in " greaser" attire (rolled up T-shirt sleeves, leather jackets, tank tops). On their album ''The Golden Age of Rock and Roll'', the lead singer taunts the audience on one of the live tracks by announcing, "We've got just one thing to say to you fuckin' hippies, and that is that rock and roll is here to stay!" The act usually ended after several encores, and closed with "Lovers Never Say Goodbye". The closing song was changed to "Goodnight Sweetheart" for the TV series. In concert, they often returned for up to seven encores, and this included when performing in

Toronto Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...

, at Ontario Place and performing " Hound Dog" after announcing

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...

's death earlier that same day (August 16, 1977).

East Timorese East Timor (), also known as Timor-Leste (), officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, is an island country in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the exclave of Oecusse on the island's north-wester ...

militant and state leader Xanana Gusmão took his nickname from the band.

TV series

Sha Na Na hosted the ''Sha Na Na'' syndicated variety series that ran from 1977 to 1981. It was among the most watched programs in syndication during its run. The show was produced by Pierre Cossette and originally distributed by LBS Communications. The show featured the group performing hits from the 1950s and 1960s, along with comedy skits. The "tough guys" road act from their original road shows was adapted for TV and the group moved to a comedy and self-deprecating routine. The mainstay continued to be the 1950s song-and-dance routines. The show opened in a typical concert scene, and then moved through various street and

ice cream parlor Ice cream parlors (American English) or ice cream parlours (British English) are places that sell ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and/or frozen yogurt to consumers. Ice cream is typically sold as regular ice cream (also called hard-packed or hard se ...

scenes, where their guests and they performed several songs. That was followed by a comedy-oriented song (" Alley Oop", " Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah"), and closed with a slow song, again in their concert format. Among the supporting members featured in the series were Avery Schreiber, Kenneth Mars, and

Philip Roth Philip Milton Roth (March 19, 1933 – May 22, 2018) was an American novelist and short story writer. Roth's fiction—often set in his birthplace of Newark, New Jersey—is known for its intensely autobiographical character, for philosophicall ...

(all of them in the first season); both Pamela Myers and actress Jane Dulo (the crabby Lady in the window, who watched over the street scenes from her apartment with undisguised disdain) throughout the show's run, June Gable and Soupy Sales (seasons two to four); Michael Sklar (season two); and Karen Hartman (season four). Guests included Jan & Dean, Fabian,

, Chubby Checker,

The Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United St ...

, Ethel Merman,

Frank Gorshin Frank John Gorshin Jr. (April 5, 1933 – May 17, 2005) was an American actor, comedian and impressionist. He made many guest appearances on '' The Ed Sullivan Show'' and '' Tonight Starring Steve Allen''. As an actor, he played the Riddler on ...

Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, pop and dram ...

Barbara Mandrell Barbara Ann Mandrell (born December 25, 1948) is an American country music singer and musician. She is also credited as an actress and author. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, she was considered among country's most successful music artis ...

Stephanie Mills Stephanie Dorthea Mills (born March 22, 1957) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to stardom as " Dorothy" in the original seven-time Tony Award winning Broadway run of the musical '' The Wiz'' from 1974 to 1979. The song "Home" from ...

Billy Crystal William Edward Crystal (born March 14, 1948)On page 17 of his book ''700 Sundays'', Crystal displays his birth announcement, which gives his first two names as "William Edward", not "William Jacob" is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. ...

Kim Carnes Kim Carnes (; born July 20, 1945) is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, she began her career as a songwriter in the 1960s, writing for other artists while performing in local clubs and working as a sess ...

Danny and the Juniors Danny & the Juniors are an American doo-wop and rock and roll vocal group from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania originally consisting of Danny Rapp, Dave White, Frank Maffei and Joe Terranova. Formed in 1955, they are most widely recognized for the ...

Connie Stevens Connie Stevens (born Concetta Rosalie Ann Ingolia; August 8, 1938) is an American actress and singer. Born in Brooklyn, New York City to musician parents, Stevens was raised there until age 12, when she was sent to live with family friends in r ...

Isaac Hayes Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, actor, songwriter, and composer. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songw ...

Rita Moreno Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Noted for her work across different areas of the entertainment industry, she has appeared in numerous film, television, and thea ...

, Del Shannon, Andy Gibb,

Barbi Benton Barbi Benton (born Barbara Lynn Klein; January 28, 1950) is an American retired model, actress, television personality, and singer. She is known for appearing in ''Playboy'' magazine, as a four-season regular on the comedy series ''Hee Haw'', an ...

and others. The members of Sha Na Na during the TV series were

Jon "Bowzer" Bauman Jon "Bowzer" Bauman (born September 14, 1947) is an American singer, best known as a member of the band Sha Na Na, and game show host. Bauman's Sha Na Na character, "Bowzer", was a greaser in a muscle shirt. Biography and career Bauman was ...

(vocals), Lennie Baker (sax/vocals), Johnny Contardo (vocals), Denny Greene (vocals), Danny "Dirty Dan" McBride (guitar/vocals) (left after third season), Jocko Marcellino (drums/vocals), Dave "Chico" Ryan (bass/vocals), Screamin' Scott Simon (piano/vocals), Scott "Santini" Powell (vocals), and Donald "Donny" York (vocals). Every member was featured with a solo vocal spot during the course of the series. Each was introduced only by his nickname or his first name in a voice-over by Myers at the beginning of each show.

Film

The group appeared as itself in the documentaries ''

'' (1970) and '' Festival Express'' (2003). Sha Na Na also appeared in the 1978 film ''Grease'' (an adaptation of the 1971 Broadway musical of the same name) as a 1950s band called Johnny Casino and the Gamblers. Their tracks on the film and ''Grease'' soundtrack include two songs from the original 1971 musical: "

Those Magic Changes ''Grease'' is a musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Named after the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as greasers, the musical is set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School (based on ...

" and "

Born to Hand Jive ''Grease'' is a musical with music, lyrics, and a book by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Named after the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as greasers, the musical is set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School (based on ...

", and four songs from the early rock-and-roll era: versions of Elvis Presley's covers of " Hound Dog" (1956) and "

Blue Moon A blue moon is an additional full moon that appears in a subdivision of a year: the third of four full moons in a season. The phrase in modern usage has nothing to do with the actual color of the Moon, although a visually blue Moon (the Moon ...

" (1956), a cover of the Imperials' "

Tears on My Pillow "Tears on My Pillow" is a doo-wop song written by Sylvester Bradford and Al Lewis in 1958. The composition was first recorded by Little Anthony and the Imperials on End Records and was that group's debut recording under that name. Their origin ...

" (1958), and a cover of Danny & the Juniors' "

Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay "Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay" is a song written by David White and first recorded by his group, Danny & the Juniors. Released in January 1958 by ABC-Paramount Records as the follow-up to the group's #1 hit " At the Hop", it reached #19 on t ...

" (1958). The song "

Sandy Sandy may refer to: People and fictional characters *Sandy (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Sandy (surname), a list of people * Sandy (singer), Brazilian singer and actress Sandy Leah Lima (born 1983) * (Sandy) ...

", sung by

John Travolta John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor. He came to public attention during the 1970s, appearing on the television sitcom '' Welcome Back, Kotter'' (1975–1979) and starring in the box office successes '' Carrie'' ( ...

in the film, was co-written specifically for the film by Sha Na Na's Screamin' Scott Simon.

Members

''In alphabetical order'' ;Current members * Donald York, "Donny" (1969–present): original vocalist * Gene Jaramillo (2006–present): guitarist; replaced Buzz Campbell * John Marcellino, "Jocko" (1969–present): original drummer, vocalist * Michael Brown, "Downtown Michael Brown" (2005–present): saxophonist and vocalist, replaced Frankie Adell * Randy Hill, "Rockin' Randy" (2008–present): lead guitarist * Screamin' Scott Simon (1970–present): pianist, vocalist; replaced Joe Witkin * Tim Butler (2006, 2009, 2011–present): bass guitarist * Ty Cox (2013–present): drummer ;Former members: *

(1969–1970, 1971): original bass singer; brief return in 1971 due to Bowzer's illness * Billy Schwartz (1971): guitarist on Canadian tour in 1971 due to Chris Donald's inability to enter Canada * Bruce C. Clarke, "Bruno" (1969–1973): original bass guitarist * Bryan Cumming, "Mighty Joe" (1987–1989): guitarist; replaced guitarist Glenn Jordan * Buzz Campbell (2002–2006): guitarist; replaced Rob Mackenzie * Chris Donald, "Vinnie Taylor", (1971–1974): lead guitarist, replaced Larry Packer * Danny McBride, "Dirty Dan" (1975–1980): replaced Elliot Randall * David Garrett (1969–1970): original vocalist * David Ryan, "Chico" (1973–1998), replaced Bruce Clarke * Dora Pearson (1984–1988): original female vocalist * Elliot Cahn, "Gino" (1969–1973): original rhythm guitarist * Elliott Randall, "Enrico Ronzoni" (1974–1975): replaced Chris Donald * Frankie Adell (1999–2005): saxophonist and vocalist; replaced Lennie Baker * Frederick "Dennis" Greene, "Denny" (1969–1984): original vocalist * George Paulos (1989–1990): guitarist, bass guitarist and vocalist * George Sluppick (1999–2000): drummer * George Leonard: conception and choreography * Glenn Jordan, "Guitar Glenn" (1980–1986): guitarist; replaced Danny McBride * Grover Kemble (1970): briefly replaced Rob Leonard, replaced by vocalist Johnny Contardo * Guerin Barry, "Tito Mambo" (1984–1988): bass singer; replaced Jon Bauman *

(1969–1970): original lead guitarist * Jim Waldbillig, "Billy" (1990–2011): guitarist * Jimmy Hun, "June" (1987) briefly played keyboards * Joe Witkin (1969–1970): original pianist * Johnny "Kid" Contardo (1971–1983): vocalist and dancer; replaced Grover Kemble *

Jon Bauman Jon "Bowzer" Bauman (born September 14, 1947) is an American singer, best known as a member of the band Sha Na Na, and game show host. Bauman's Sha Na Na character, "Bowzer", was a greaser in a muscle shirt. Biography and career Bauman was ...

, "Bowzer" (1970–1983): bass singer; replaced Alan Cooper * Kal David, "Casual Kal" (1984): interim replacement for Jon Bauman (filling in for Guerin Barry) * Larry Packer (1970): lead guitarist, briefly replaced Henry Gross and was subsequently replaced by Chris Donald * Lennie Baker (1970–1999): saxophonist and vocalist * Lisa Sunstedt (1993–1995): third female vocalist * Louie King (1995): bass guitarist * Pamela Day (1989–1991): second female vocalist * Paul Kimbarow, "Paulie" (2002–2013): drummer * Reggie Battise, "Reggie de Leon" (1989–2010): bass singer; replaced Guerin Barry * Richard Joffe, "Joff" (1969–1973): original vocalist * Robert A. Leonard (1969–1971): original vocalist * Rob Mackenzie (1990–2001): guitarist; replaced by Buzz * Scott Powell, "Captain Outrageous", "Tony Santini" (1969–1981): original vocalist

Member information

Vinnie Taylor (1949–1974) (born Chris Donald), who replaced Larry Packer as the lead guitarist in 1970, died of a drug overdose in 1974. Escaped child killer

Elmer Edward Solly Elmer Edward Solly (September 5, 1945 – November 30, 2007) was convicted of manslaughter in 1970 for the death of two-year-old Christopher Welsh. Solly escaped from custody in 1974 and spent the next 27 years living under numerous pseudonyms ...

assumed Taylor's identity and performed as him, though not with Sha Na Na, which eventually led to his discovery and capture. Bass player Dave "Chico" Ryan died in 1998. While remaining in Sha Na Na, he joined

Bill Haley & His Comets Bill Haley & His Comets were an American rock and roll band founded in 1947 that continued until Haley's death in 1981. The band was also known as Bill Haley and the Comets and Bill Haley's Comets. From late 1954 to late 1956, the group record ...

for the group's fall 1979 tour of Europe (Haley's last major tour before his death). Guitarist Danny "Dirty Dan" McBride (born Daniel Hatton, 1945) died of cardiovascular disease in 2009. Bass guitarist Reggie Battise was a dancer in the feature film '' Staying Alive'' (1983) and '' White Men Can't Jump'' (1992), as well as the TV series ''

Moonlighting Moonlighting may refer to: * Side job, a job taken in addition to one's primary employment Entertainment * ''Moonlighting'' (film), a 1982 drama film by Jerzy Skolimowski * ''Moonlighting'' (TV series), 1985–1989 American television series, s ...

''. He succumbed to prostate cancer on October 8, 2010. Founding member Rob Leonard is a professor of

linguistics Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Ling ...

Hofstra University Hofstra University is a private university in Hempstead, New York. It is Long Island's largest private university. Hofstra originated in 1935 as an extension of New York University (NYU) under the name Nassau College – Hofstra Memorial of New ...

. He had an appearance as a qualified expert in linguistics for the murder case of Charlene Hummert in the episode "A Tight Leash" of the TV medical detectives series '' Forensic Files'' in 2004, as well as for the

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 36th-largest by ...

"Facebook Murders" on the

Investigation Discovery Investigation Discovery (stylized and branded on-air as ID since 2008) is an American multinational pay television network dedicated to true crime documentaries owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. As of February 2015, approximately 86 million Amer ...

crime show ''Too Pretty to Live'' in 2016. The group's first guitarist,

, became a solo performer. He scored a number-six ''Billboard'' hit single, " Shannon", in 1976. Alan Cooper, the lead singer in the group's performance of "At the Hop" in the ''Woodstock'' film, went on to pursue an academic career. He taught religious studies at

McMaster University McMaster University (McMaster or Mac) is a public research university in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main McMaster campus is on of land near the residential neighbourhoods of Ainslie Wood and Westdale, adjacent to the Royal Botanical Ga ...

Hamilton, Ontario Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Hamilton has a population of 569,353, and its census metropolitan area, which includes Burlington and Grimsby, has a population of 785,184. The city is approximately southwest of ...

, for 10 years, then became a professor of Bible studies at

Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Hebrew (; ; ) is a Northwest Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Historically, it is one of the spoken languages of the Israelites and their longest-surviving descendants, the Jews and Samaritans. It was largely preserved ...

Cincinnati Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line w ...

, and now serves as the Elaine Ravich Professor of Jewish Studies and provost at the

Jewish Theological Seminary of America The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) is a Conservative Jewish education organization in New York City, New York. It is one of the academic and spiritual centers of Conservative Judaism and a major center for academic scholarship in Jewish studie ...

. Jon "Bowzer" Bauman replaced Alan Cooper and became a recognizable member of the group as he taunted audiences while he flexed his muscles, burped, and spat in the direction of the bass player. In the 1980s, he had a brief career as a

game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or demonstrative and are typically directed by a host, ...

master of ceremonies. He continues to tour. Elliot Cahn, the group's original

rhythm guitar In music performances, rhythm guitar is a technique and role that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with other instruments from the rhythm section (e.g., drum kit, bass guitar ...

player and musical arranger, later became the first manager of

Green Day Green Day is an American rock band formed in the East Bay of California in 1987 by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, together with bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt. For most of the band's career, they have been a ...

. Joe Witkin, who was replaced by Screamin' Scott Simon, was the original keyboard player and singer of "

Teenager in Love "A Teenager in Love" is a song written by Doc Pomus and partner Mort Shuman. It was originally recorded by Dion and the Belmonts, and released in March 1959. It appeared on their album ''Presenting Dion and the Belmonts'' (1959). It reached numb ...

" on their first album. Witkin left the band in 1970 to finish medical school, and subsequently moved to

San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United States ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, in 1975 to do his internship and residency at the University of California in San Diego. He worked at Scripps Hospital East County from 1978 to 2000 as an ER physician, and held the same position at Sharp Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa until retiring in 2013. Witkin lives with his family in San Diego. He played with a 1950s/1960s show band The Corvettes in San Diego for 23 years. Scott Powell is a specialist in

orthopedic surgery Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics ( alternatively spelt orthopaedics), is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal ...

and sports medicine. He performed on the TV show under the stage name "Santini" (another alias was "Captain Outrageous"). Powell left the band in 1980 and returned to Columbia to take premedical courses. He has been a member of the medical staff of US national soccer teams, and was the team physician for the Federation Women's National Team from 2005 to 2015. He is a clinical professor at the

University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $8.1 ...

. While Powell was with Sha Na Na, he sang the bulk of the Elvis Presley revival songs. Frederick "Denny" Greene left the group to pursue studies in law. After graduating from

Yale Law School Yale Law School (Yale Law or YLS) is the law school of Yale University, a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. It was established in 1824 and has been ranked as the best law school in the United States by '' U.S. News & World ...

, he became the vice president of production and features at

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

. He was a professor at the

University of Dayton The University of Dayton (UD) is a private, Catholic research university in Dayton, Ohio. Founded in 1850 by the Society of Mary, it is one of three Marianist universities in the nation and the second-largest private university in Ohio. The univ ...

. Greene was known for his skilled dancing and sang the lead on "

", "

Duke of Earl "Duke of Earl" is a 1962 US number-one song, originally recorded by Gene Chandler. It is the best known of Chandler's songs, and he subsequently dubbed himself "The Duke of Earl". The song was penned by Chandler, Bernice Williams, and Earl Edwar ...

", and others. He died on September 5, 2015, after a brief illness. Bruce "Bruno" Clarke became a professor of English at

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas. Established on , and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the main institution of the five-institution Texas Tech University Sy ...

Lubbock, Texas Lubbock ( ) is the 10th-most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of government of Lubbock County. With a population of 260,993 in 2021, the city is also the 85th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the nort ...

. Richard Joffe became a

class action A class action, also known as a class-action lawsuit, class suit, or representative action, is a type of lawsuit where one of the parties is a group of people who are represented collectively by a member or members of that group. The class actio ...

litigator for a law firm in New York City. Dave Garrett ran the

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...

-based musical instrument amplifier company Earth Sound Research during the 1970s. A businessman, he resides in New York City.

Discography

Albums

Studio and live albums

* ''Rock and Roll Is Here to Stay'' 969, US ''Billboard'' Album Chart 183(re-released in 1973 with different cover) * ''Sha Na Na'' 971, US ''Billboard'' Album Chart 122 (Side A: Recorded live at Columbia University, New York and Side B: Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York) * ''The Night Is Still Young'' 972, US ''Billboard ''Album Chart 156 certain releases omitted one of the songs ("Sleepin' on a Song") * ''The Golden Age of Rock ’n’ Roll'' 973, US ''Billboard'' Album Chart 38, RIAA Certification: Gold(Double LP, sides 2, 3 & 4 live recordings probably from 1972) * ''From the Streets of New York'' (live) 973, US ''Billboard'' Album Chart 140* ''Hot Sox'' 974, US ''Billboard'' Album Chart 165* ''Sha Na Now'' 975, US ''Billboard'' Album Chart 162* ''Rock 'n Roll Graffiti – Live in Japan'' 975(released in Japan in 1977, re-released in 1981) * ''Rockin' in the 1980s''

980 Year 980 ( CMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Peace is concluded between Emperor Otto II (the Red) and King Lothair III (or Lothair IV) a ...

* ''Silly Songs''

981 Year 981 ( CMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events Births * Abu'l-Qasim al-Husayn ibn Ali al-Maghribi, Arab statesman (d. 1027) * Giovanni Orseolo, Venetian ...

* ''34th & Vine'' (1990) ight songs* ''Live in Concert'' (late 1980s and early 1990s concerts) 99? (one CD, two cassettes, or one DVD) * ''Rock 'n Roll Dance Party'' (20 tracks in 1996; re-released with only 16 tracks in 1999) * ''Then He Kissed Me'' (with Conny) 999 Japan * ''Live in Japan'' (with Conny) 000 recorded in November 1999, Japan * ''Rockin' Christmas'' 002(re-released in 2003 with different cover and one additional track: "Bad Christmas Eve") * ''One More Saturday Night'' 006

Compilation albums

* ''Yeah, Yeah, Yeah (Vol I, II, III, IV)'' 985(cassette) compilation series that includes two previously unreleased songs, "Da Doo Ron Ron" and "Mr. Bass Man" * ''Rockin' and a Rollin 986compilation (CD) that includes one previously unreleased song, "My Prayer" * ''Havin' an Oldies Party with Sha Na Na''

991 Year 991 ( CMXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events * March 1: In Rouen, Pope John XV ratifies the first Truce of God, between Æthelred the Unready and Richard I of ...

compilation that includes one previously unreleased song, "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" * ''The Sha Na Na 25th Anniversary Collection'' 993(20 songs including the eight tracks from ''34th & Vine'') * ''20 Classics Of Rock 'N' Roll'' (mid-1990s) (compilation cassette including a few previously unreleased recordings) * ''Blue Moo: 17 Jukebox Hits from Way Back Never'' – various artist release (book and CD) containing one song ("Gorilla Song") by Sha Na Na 008* ''40th Anniversary – Collector's Edition'' (includes at least six previously unreleased performances) 009* ''Rockin' Christmas: The Classic Christmas Collection'' (includes six new Christmas songs) 011* ''Grease High School Hop – 25 Dance Songs of the '50s & '60s'' (compilation) 013* ''Grease High School Hop Karaoke – 10 Sing-Along Favorites of the '50s & '60s'' (digital release) 013* ''Rockin' Christmas: The Classic Christmas Collection'' (re-release that includes one new Christmas song: "Ugly Christmas Sweater")

017 Seventeen or 17 may refer to: *17 (number), the natural number following 16 and preceding 18 * one of the years 17 BC, AD 17, 1917, 2017 Literature Magazines * ''Seventeen'' (American magazine), an American magazine * ''Seventeen'' (Japanese ...

* ''50th Anniversary – Commemorative Edition'' – CD and LP – 12 never-before-released live concert cuts, three original bonus studio cuts, and expanded 16-page behind-the-scenes story 019

Soundtrack appearances

* ''Woodstock'' soundtrack 970, US ''Billboard'' Album Chart 1(includes "At the Hop" by Sha Na Na) **Sha Na Na also appears on the festival compilation albums '' Woodstock: Three Days of Peace and Music'' ("At the Hop"); '' Woodstock 40 Years On: Back To Yasgur's Farm'' ("Get a Job", "At the Hop", "Get a Job (reprise)"); '' Woodstock – Back to the Garden: 50th Anniversary Collection'' ("At the Hop"); '' Woodstock – Back to the Garden: 50th Anniversary Experience'' ("Get a Job", "Come Go with Me", "Silhouettes", "At the Hop", "Duke of Earl", "Get a Job (reprise)"); and '' Woodstock – Back to the Garden: The Definitive 50th Anniversary Archive'' * ''Grease'' soundtrack 978, US ''Billboard'' Album Chart 1(includes six songs by Sha Na Na)

Singles

* "Remember Then" / "Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay" 969, US ''Cash Box'' Singles Chart 114* "Payday" / "Portnoy"

970 Year 970 ( CMLXX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar, the 970th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' designations, the 970th year of the 1st millennium, the 70th year ...

* "Only One Song" / "Jail House Rock" 971, US ''Billboard'' Singles Chart 110* "Top Forty" / "Great Balls Of Fire" 971, US ''Billboard'' Singles Chart 84* "Eddie and the Evergreens" / "In the Still of the Night" (from ''The Night Is Still Young'' album) 972* "Bounce in Your Buggy" / "Bless My Soul" 972, US ''Cash Box'' Singles Chart 124* "Maybe I'm Old Fashioned" / "Stroll All Night" (longer version) 974* "(Just Like) Romeo And Juliet" / "Circles Of Love" 975, US ''Billboard'' Singles Chart 55* ''The Sha-Na-Netts – (Just Like) Romeo And Juliet'' (No Lead Vocals) / Flint-Niks – The Flint-Nik Rock 975* "Smokin' Boogie" / "We're Still Smokin'" 975

Videos

* ''Sha Na Na Live in Germany'' (TV: Musikladen), 1973 (DVD, CD+VCD) * ''Rock 'n Roll Concert & Party'' 987(VHS)

Other appearances

* ''Grunt: The Wrestling Movie'' (1985) -- includes "Wrestling Tonight" by Sha Na Na * ''

The Fall Guy ''The Fall Guy'' is an American action/adventure television series produced for ABC and originally broadcast from November 4, 1981, to May 2, 1986. It starred Lee Majors, Douglas Barr, and Heather Thomas as Hollywood stunt performers who mo ...

'' TV series – "Beach Blanket Bounty" episode 986– several songs performed by Sha Na Na

References

External links

Official website
* * * AMG profile* {{Authority control 1969 establishments in New York City Buddah Records artists Cover bands Doo-wop groups Kama Sutra Records artists Musical groups established in 1969 Musical groups from New York City Rock and roll music groups Rock music groups from New York (state)