Dennis Greene, a founding member of the retro-rock group Sha Na Na who went on to become a law professor, died Saturday after a brief illness. He was 66.
As an entertainer, Greene performed at Woodstock in 1969 and was the featured singer for the group when they appeared in the movie
"Grease" in 1978, according to the Dayton Daily News.
"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," said a statement from the University of Dayton, where he taught law since 2001 specializing in constitutional and entertainment law.
Greene said in his University of Dayton biography that, while he enjoyed entertaining, the long hours and heavy travel wore on him.
"We were successful for 15 years, but once you realize you've had a good run, you have to make the transition to something with potential for longevity," Greene said in his biography. "Without legal education, saying a contract doesn't sound right doesn't get you anywhere. I went into law to gain an authoritative knowledge of the parameters of law, what you can and can't do."
Edward Robinson, Greene's nephew, said his uncle
died in Columbus, according to The Associated Press. He left Sha Na Na in 1984 to return to law school and earned his master's degree from Harvard and law degree from Yale, said the news agency.
He went on to become vice president at Columbia Pictures and worked on Spike Lee's 1990's film "School Daze."
Fans and former students and colleagues honored Greene on social media.
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