Screamin’ Scott Simon was a pianist best known for his decades of work with the popular doo-wop revival group Sha Na Na, with whom he performed from 1970 to 2022.
- Died: September 5, 2024 (Who else died on September 5?)
- Details of death: Died in Ojai, California of sinus cancer at the age of 75.
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Screamin’ Scott Simon’s legacy
The Kansas City, Missouri-born Simon graduated from Columbia University in 1970, but the bigger turn in his life came that same year when he joined the doo-wop revival group Sha Na Na. Taking on the moniker Screamin’ Scott Simon, he became one of the band’s songwriters and an essential ingredient to their look and sound.
Sha Na Na rode a wave of 1950s nostalgia to stardom in the 1970s, performing at John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s 1972 benefit One-to-One at Madison Square Garden and appearing as Johnny Casino and the Gamblers in the 1978 musical hit movie “Grease” Simon co-wrote the song, “Sandy” for the movie. From 1977 to 1981, Sha Na Na had their own self-titled syndicated music and variety show. The band also performed at the legendary New York music festival in Woodstock, and they appeared in the 1970 movie of the same name.
Simon remained with Sha Na Na through its numerous lineup changes. He played on all of the outfit’s records except their 1969 debut, and he and founding member Jocko Marcellino continued to tour through 2022.
Tributes to Screamin’ Scott Simon
Full obituary: The Hollywood Reporter
