2010 Dan Emmett
Music & Arts Festival
Thursday - Sunday
August 12-15, 2010
Sha Na Na
Saturday, August 14
9:30 pm on the First-Knox Main Stage
The Sha Na Na Concert is made possible through the generous support of Ariel, First-Knox National Bank, Time Warner Cable
The Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival is pleased to announce Sha Na Na will headline at the 2010 Dan Emmett Music & Arts Festival on Saturday evening, August 14th. Ariel, First-Knox National Bank, and Time Warner Cable have partnered with the Festival to bring this internationally known talent to Mount Vernon.
Sha Na Na’s story is an all-encompassing one: they were in the original Woodstock Festival lineup, starred in “Grease”, hosted the “Sha Na Na” TV series for four years, and still play more than 50 concerts a year, from state fairs, performing art centers, casino showrooms to mega corporate functions world wide.
The Sha Na Na story begins oddly for a group that, in appearance, runs the gamut from greaser to gold lame. Attired in turtleneck and blue blazers, the nucleus of Sha Na Na were undergraduate members of The Kingsmen, a glee club ensemble at New York’s Columbia University that used to perform a cappella versions of 50s rock songs as part of the performances. These proved very popular and eventually rock ’n’ roll took over, instruments were added and Sha Na Na – the name comes from the 50s Silhouettes’ hit, “Get A Job” – was born.
If the original 1969 Woodstock Festival was a defining moment in rock history, it was also a defining moment in the history of Sha Na Na. The group’s appearance – only the seventh in Sha Na Na’s career, followed by the Woodstock album and movie, cemented their reputation and style. “We went on second to last, at sunrise on the final day, but, importantly, just before Jimi Hendrix,” recalls co-founder, drummer Jocko Marcellino. “We did 40 minutes and were paid $350…and the check bounced!” Sha Na Na was the only group at Woodstock without a record deal. Immediately afterwards, they had one and today the group has released eighteen albums in total, with worldwide sales of more than 20 million.
The group taped 97 episodes of the Sha Na Na music variety shows from 1977 to 1981 that were seen – and still can be – in worldwide syndication. The shows, which featured Sha Na Na’s music, plus the group in comedy skits with special guests, further established the group’s credentials as a part of the landscape of rock ’n’ roll America.
“Grease: The Movie” became another significant building block in the Sha Na Na story. The group appeared in the 1979 musical, as Johnny Casino and the Gamblers, and contributed to the original music score with six Sha Na Na versions of rock classics and one original song, “Sandy,” co-written by Screamin’ Scott Simon for John Travolta to sing. The “Grease” soundtrack album was a major hit, Grammy-nominated and certified eight times platinum.
Working for the past three decades throughout the world – from Carnegie Hall to the Grand Ole Opry, in Asia and in Africa, Paris to London to Tokyo – Sha Na Na has had some interesting unknown performers opening for their show, such as: Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Billy Crystal, Steve Martin and Jay Leno!
Reserved seating for the Sha Na Na performance is available. The reserved area is preferred, up close seating, available on a first come first serve basis. The cost will be $20 per seat. Tickets are available online by clicking here or in person at the Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 107 South Main Street, Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050, by phone at (740) 392-3378 or Toll Free at 1-800-837-5282. Advanced purchase is recommended to guarantee seating. Advanced reservations require prepayment. Space for bring-your-own-chair seating is available behind the reserved seating at no charge.
Note: All schedules and events are subject to change without notice. Please continue to check our website for all the latest updates.
For more information, call 740-392-FEST (3378) or e-mail: [email protected]
For travel and visitor information, visit the Knox County Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.VisitKnoxOhio.org or call 1-800-837-5282 or (740) 392-6102