Sha Na Na
 As rock music reached the end of the 1960s and began to 'grow
up', Sha Na Na became a big success by revisiting rock and roll's
early days with a new energy.
Their combination of classic sounds
and modern showmanship made them popular with rock music's older
fans and also helped them win over plenty of new ones. As a
result, they became fixtures on film, television and the concert
stage and also paved the way for future rock-revival groups like The
Stray Cats.
Sha Na Na started as The Kingsmen, a group of college students
at Columbia University. The band became a local hit with their
versions of 1950s doo-wop songs and their authentic 1950s look,
complete with duck-tail hairstyles, gold lame jackets and
drainpipe trousers.
The group renamed themselves Sha Na Na after a line from the doo-wop
classic Get A Job and got their break when they performed
before Jimi Hendrix at the Woodstock
Festival in 1969. Their set became a highlight of the
Woodstock film and earned them a record contract.
Sha Na Na released their debut album, Rock And Roll Is Here
To Stay, in late 1969. It set the tone for their sound by
combining energetic remakes of oldies classics with a few original
tunes done in the style of their old favourites.
Meanwhile, they became a smash hit on the concert circuit.
Their shows included choreographed dance routines by the singers
and a jiving contest that allowed audience members to join in the
fun. They also became popular with their fellow rockers: Keith
Moon of The Who sat in on drums at one of
their shows and John Lennon chose them to
open a 1972 concert.
In the late 1970s, Sha Na Na moved into television and film.
Between 1977 and 1981, the group starred in their own syndicated
television show, also called Sha Na Na. It successfully combined
music with comedic skits and is still seen on television today.
The group also appeared in the film Grease
as the dance band Johnny Casino and the Gamblers. They also
contributed several oldies covers to the film's soundtrack and
Scott Simon co-wrote one of the film's hit songs, Sandy. Grease
went on to become the most successful film musical of all time
and its soundtrack album became a monster hit as well.
Sha Na Na have sold 20 million albums over the years and
continue to release new albums today. They also maintain a busy
schedule of concerts that takes them to concert halls all over the
world. In short, Sha Na Na is living proof that "rock and
roll will never die".
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