LI Sound: Sha Na Na is in tune again

Robert Leonard takes to his knees as past and present members of Sha Na Na form a makeshift chapel around him as he sings the teenage weeper "Tell Laura I Love Her."

It was a historic moment at Hofstra University's "Live at 75" Festival last week - the first time in 38 years that Leonard, now a professor of Swahili and forensic linguistics at Hofstra, performed with the group he co-founded.

But for Leonard, who lives in Lattingtown, it was also a moment of personal fulfillment. He never regretted leaving the group shortly after it made its national debut at Woodstock. Leonard left for Africa on a Fulbright scholarship and a career in academia.

However, singing with the group again - with his brother, George, who choreographed the group early on and helped behind the scenes, next to him - brought back so many memories. "It's been so long since we sang together, but their harmonies never left me since we sang those songs thousands of times," Leonard says. "I've sung occasionally at charity events, and I always ask the crowd to sing along because I still hear their harmonies. It was fabulous to have them next to me instead of just in my head."

Though the reunion - which also included original members Jocko Marcellino and Donny York, who continue with Sha Na Na, as well as Elliot Cahn and Dave Garrett, who have moved on to other things - was a one-time deal, they may all collaborate again soon.

George Leonard says he and Sha Na Na are currently working on a musical about the group's early days, with hopes of bringing their story to Broadway. "We are one of the few overnight sensations in show business," he says. "Who wouldn't love that story?"

Contact The Long Island Sound at glenn.gamboa@newsday.com or follow @ndmusic on Twitter.