Music to Your Ears: Sha Na Na
Thirty-two acts performed at the legendary Woodstock Music and Arts Fair, August 15-18, 1969. All but one of those acts had recording contract with record label. One was an unsigned band that had only formed a few months earlier. But thanks to being championed by a high-profile artist who insisted that they open for him, that group earned a prime spot at the festival.
That band was Sha Na Na. The rock ‘n’ roll/doo wop group from New York City would indeed open for their famous friend, and clips from their performance would feature in both the Woodstock soundtrack album and the motion picture documenting the festival.
Sha Na Na soon landed a record deal. They’d go on to release several albums, open for John Lennon at a high-profile benefit concert, and (in later years) be featured in theatrical films and their own TV series.
How on earth did all of that happen? Sha Na Na’s founding guitarist Elliot “Gino” Cahn will tell that story and many others (including – believe it or not – his work with The Offspring, Rancid and Green Day).
Join host Bill Kopp and special guest host Elliot Cahn as they lead a discussion on Sha Na Na. We’ll chat about the background, creation and legacy of the group, and listen to some key tracks from their catalog. And as always, we’ll facilitate audience discussion.
WHAT: Music to Your Ears Discussion Series: SHA NA NA
WHO: Discussion led by music journalist/author Bill Kopp, with guest host Elliot “Gino” Cahn
WHERE: Asheville Guitar Bar, 122 Riverside Dr., Suite D, Asheville
WHEN: Wednesday, Nov. 2 @ 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. (doors open 6:30) $10 at the door / SEATING IS LIMITED
About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4000-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he is co-teaching a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: 40 Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.