dennis greene (columbia univ)

*If you remember the retro-rock band Sha Na Na (which is actually still around), we’ve got sad news to report about one of its former members and founders.

Frederick ‘Dennis’ Greene, who left the group in 1984, went on to become a professor of law at several shools of higher learning including the University of Dayton, has died reports WHIO.com.

Greene, 66, passed away Saturday after a brief illness, according to a statement from the university.

“Dr. Greene was a beloved and highly respected member of the campus community and our prayers go out to his family, friends, colleagues and students,” the school’s statement reads.

Greene specialized in constitutional and entertainment law and started teaching at UD in 2001.

As a founding member of Sha Na Na, Greene performed at Woodstock in 1969 and was featured singing with the group in the movie “Grease” (1978).

As of this posting, the nature of Greene’s illness and specific cause of death hasn’t been released. Also, funeral arrangements are still pending.

Below, Professor Greene speaks on how he got sidetracked into a musical career: