Why did Sha Na Na play Woodstock? Well, thank Jimi Hendrix for that!
It was 50 years ago when young kids from all over the country flocked to Max Yasgur's farm for what would become the most iconic concert ever. Jimi Hendrix closed the festival on Monday morning, but playing before him was SHA NA NA. Yes, Sha Na Na played Woodstock. How did that happen? A few weeks before Woodstock, Jimi met the young kids in Sha Na Na at a party. They were just a new band in college. Jimi invited them all to play a festival happening in a few weeks called WOODSTOCK. Sha Na Na arrived at the festival not knowing when they would go on. They arrived on the 15th and ended up playing on the 18th. They played right before Jimi Hendrix took the stage Monday morning August 18, 1969. When Jimi arrived at Woodstock, the promoters told him to get on stage and play his set and close the show. Jimi said NO. Jimi said he will not go on until his friends from Sha Na Na played their set. Sha Na Na played for 30 minutes before Jimi went on stage to do his iconic Star Spangled Banner. Jimi was paid thousands and thousands of dollars for playing Woodstock. Sha Na Na? Well, they got paid 100 bucks and the check bounced. This story was told to me by Jocko the drummer of Sha Na Na who lives here in La Jolla and listens to Coe Lewis on 101.5 KGB. Little Tommy Sablan
