tist and member of a choir at the Hollis Hills Jewish Center. Yet despite having a beautiful voice, his son laughingly recalls that his dad never knew all the words to any song, whether it was in English, Yiddish or Hebrew. His mother and older brother were completely "amusical," he notes. The future rock 'n' roller, though, was somewhat of a child prodigy on the piano. At age 12, Bauman was studying classical piano at New York's prestigious Juilliard School of Music, yet to discover that he had any singing talent. "My bar mitzvah wasn't any great shakes, in terms of performance. I could play the piano, but I wasn't par- ticularly noted as a vocalist," he recalls. "That happened later." Upon entering Columbia University in New York City, from which he would graduate magna cum laude, Bauman was already an avid fan of doo-wop and rock 'n' roll. And it was from sharing that mutu- al interest with some other college undergracls that the group Sha Na Na was born. The faux 1950s act's primitive ros- ter temporarily included Jewish mem- bers Elliot Cahn, Alan Cooper (who went on to teach at the Jewish Theological Seminary) and Henry Gross (the same singer who recorded the Top-10 hit "Shannon" in 1976). But undeniably, Bowzer was Sha Na Na's most charismatic attraction. "Bowzer was just a nickname that I came up with and attached to my Sha Na Na character," says Bauman, 55. "It comes from my last name, which is German for 'tree man.' My father loved the Bowzer thing, and with me being an Ivy Leaguer, he'd say that he sent me to Columbia University to become a moron. That was his characterization, as a joke." Sha Na Na would enjoy widespread exposure via its appearance in the film documentary Woodstock. Scheduled next to last at the famous 1969 music festival, the flashbacks band preceded legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix. Back then, with its old 'n' gold repertoire and flashy choreography, Bauman believes that putting "live performance back on the map" was Sha Na Na's most important contribu- tion to rock 'n' roll. Also impressed with the group's visuality, TV producer Pierre Cossette offered the music makers their own syndicated show, which aired from 1977-1981 and co-starred Detroit tel- evision legend Soupy Sales. The top-rated Sha Na Na program was the zenith of the group's populari- ty, after which Bauman started to seri- ously reassess his future. "I had done a lot of Sha Na Na for 14 years, we had done the movie Grease, and I thought that it was a good time to go, because I didn't think that we would do anything sig- nificant as a group again," Bauman explains about his departure in November 1983. ok !sit the Thai Kestaurant tliat blericls atmospheric elegance with culinar9 Featuring the bubble r5u9 0 (of e9ual or lesser value) With coupon. Mon.-Thurs. Expires 1/1 6/03 50925 Woodward Ave. • Ko .9alOak, Ml +807) (248) 288-0002 New Projects The following year, he returned to the small screen as Jon Bauman, the new co-host for an hour-long, syndicated pairing of Match Game and Hollywood Squares. The series had only a nine- month run. "It was a good opportunity, in a way, but I knew what the pitfalls would be," he says. "What I discovered was that I really didn't like working for bosses, and I didn't enjoy it as much as I enjoyed being Bowzer." These days; when he sheds his Bowzer facade, the "real" Jon Bauman lives in Los Angeles with Mary, his wife of 31 years. The couple have two children: Nora, 22, and Eli, 20. Bauman also devotes time to the Truth in Rock Association, which he founded with Joe Terry of Danny and the Juniors. Their objective is to educate all remaining singers and singing groups of the 1950s and 1960s about trade- marking their names and protecting their legal rights. Being on stage and moonlighting for justice allows him the best of both worlds. As Bauman says, "It's impossible for a lot of people to fathom that I'm really this sort of academic intellectual who's interested in trademark rights for artists and that I'm interested in law and well-read, yet I can still play a funny, slightly moronic greaser. "Everything about my life now is the best that it's ever been, and I'm really not kidding," he says. "I really enjoy being a working per- former emeritus and giving people a good time, on my own terms." ❑ e Lunch — Get one Lunch FREE Open: Mon —Thur. 1 1 am -10pm • Fri. 1 1 am- 1 1 pm Sat.1 2pm-1 1 pm • Sun. 1 2,10pm Lunch served ctil 3pm Mon-Fri I 3 Mile 6:Woodward in The Northwood Slopping Center "! 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Hills • 851-7000 CLEAN 5 With or Without Skin AREAS FOR ODATOO LNOMA LOCATION ON PLYMOUTH RD. 1 5 (248) 426-9000 STANI,EirgUEIViEll STANLEY =MEN ' Jon Bauman stars in "Bowzer's Rock 'n' Roll Christmas Show" 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, at Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. $27-$35. (586) 286-2222. TOUGH ON DIRT. GENTLE ON CARPET!' tiN 12/13 2002 85