|
Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZSHA NA NAA rock'n'roll revival group formed '69 at Columbia U. as the Columbia KIngsmen, led by by John 'Bowzer' Baumann (piano); previous incarnations were known as Eddie and the Evergreens, the Dirty Dozen. They had to change their first name because of the west coast one-hit wonders who became famous with 'Louie, Louie'. Vocalists were Scott Powell, Johnny Contardo, Frederick 'Dennis' Greene (b 11 January 1949, NYC; later became a law professor; d 5 September 2015, Columbus OH), Don York, Rich Joffe; guitarists Chris Donald, Elliot Cahn; bassist Bruce Clarke, second piano Screamin' Scott Simon, drummer Jocko Marcellino, Lennie Baker on sax (their link to the Golden Age; he played with Danny And The Juniors: d 24 February 2016 aged 69). They stole the show at Woodstock '69 and were featured in the film; their live act with humour and choreography was more popular than the records, but seven LPs charted on Kama Sutra '69-75: the first Rock & Roll Is Here To Stay! included some originals, from then on they concentrated on oldies, aping Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, Gene Vincent styles and songs or crooning together in a Marcels-like vocal group style. Live The Golden Age Of Rock'n'Roll '73 was their best seller, reaching the top 40 LPs USA (a K-tel TV album in UK). Vinnie Taylor replaced Donald '70, died of heroin in April '74 and was replaced by Elliott Randall; Cahn and Joffe left; Chico Ryan replaced Clarke; guitarist Henry Gross passed through en route to solo career. Sha Na Na had a TV comedy-variety show from 1977 to '81, and they kept going for years after that, making a lot of fans happy. Their goodtime UK counterparts were Showaddaywaddy. Simon made a solo LP Transmissions From Outer Space '82; Gross made seven LPs '72-81 including Plug Me Into Something '75 on A&M, Release '76 on Lifesong (including a no. 6 hit 'Shannon'). |