Jocko Marcellino | |
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Jocko Marcellino's headshot
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Born |
John Marcellino May 12, 1950 Quincy, Massachusetts |
Occupation | Musician, actor, singer, writer |
Years active | 1969–present |
John Fair "Jocko" Marcellino (born May 12, 1950) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, producer and actor best known as one of the founders of the American rock and roll group Sha Na Na. He performed with Sha Na Na at the original Festival, in the movie Grease and in The Sha Na Na Show, their worldwide syndicated TV show.
Marcellino was born in Quincy, Massachusetts, the fifth of six children. His younger sister is "Cheese Nun" Noella Marcellino. He began drumming at age 7 and formed his first band, The Miltones from Milton, Massachusetts at age 13. At 17, he joined The Pilgrims with saxophonist Lennie Baker, whom he later recruited for Sha Na Na. He was also an all conference and all state football player at Archbishop Williams High School in Braintree, Massachusetts.
He attended Columbia University as member of the class of 1972. During his freshman year at the age of 19, a group of students and Marcellino formed Sha Na Na. In the summer of 1969, Marcellino performed with Sha Na Na at , only the group's eighth performance. In between performances around the world, Marcellino earned a B.A. from Columbia University and later a master's degree in Drama from New York University.
Marcellino has continued to tour approximately fifty shows a year for the last forty-five years with Sha Na Na joined by co-founder Donny York and long-term member Screamin' Scott Simon, occasionally performing with his nephew-in-law Dave Grohl. Marcellino's acting credits include television's Veronica Mars, NYPD Blue, Ally McBeal, The Tiger Woods Story, Herman's Head, Good Advice, 18 Wheels of Justice, The Invisible Man, Amazing Stories, and It's Garry Shandling's Show. He also acted in the films Rainman, National Security and Hot to Trot. Marcellino has also written and performed songs for the films Rainman, That's Life and Night Of The Comet; and television shows Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Office, Terriers, Castle, Kath & Kim, Parks and Recreation, Golden Boy, Once Upon a Time and ESPN's Monday Countdown. He also tours with his side rhythm and blues band "Jocko and the Rockets".