It’s always been in my bones to be a performer, said Jocko Marcellino, drummer for vintage rock group Sha Na Na and a La Jolla resident for the last 15 years. This year, Sha Na Na celebrates its 40th anniversary with the release of its latest collector’s edition compilation CD. Tonight at 7:30 p.m., the group will perform with the San Diego Symphony at Summer Pops in an eclectic blend of orchestral charts with classic doo-wop hits from the 1950s and 1960s. The show takes place at Embarcadero Marina Park South and tickets can be purchased for $17-$76 at (619) 235-0804 or www.sandiegosymphony.org. As a freshman at Columbia University, Marcellino juggled his coursework with practices and performances for “six or seven different bands” while also playing for the school’s football team, he said. “Then one of those bands became Sha Na Na,” he said. The band carved out a niche for performing rock ’n’ roll from the 1955 to 1962 era and produced original music as well. The following summer, Sha Na Na received the “unbelievable” opportunity to perform at the 1969 Woodstock music festival in New York. “We were one of the only bands there without a record deal,” Marcellino said. “We spent all weekend trying to get onstage and after three days, we thought it might not happen.” Finally, just after dawn on Monday morning, the group performed second to last before Jimi Hendrix concluded the festival. “We did a 40-minute set and luckily, it was filmed,” Marcellino said. The footage was later included in the 1970 “Woodstock” documentary. “Instantly, we had world recognition,” Marcellino said. “I remember looking over the hillside at all the campfires and the twinkling lights and realizing how important this all was,” Marcellino said, recalling the festival. Later, Sha Na Na appeared in the hit musical “Grease” as the band Johnny Casino and the Gamblers, and the group starred in its own television show during the late 1970s. Amid the whirlwind of the group’s rising fame, Marcellino stayed committed to his education and completed his degree, like most of his bandmates. “Sometimes I’d hire somebody to go tape the lectures,” he said. “Then I had to read all the material and write brilliant term papers. It was very rewarding.” After graduating from Columbia, Marcellino pursued a master’s degree in drama and theater. “It was associated with what I wanted to do, and New York was a great place to be,” he said. Sha Na Na still plays about 50 shows each year, Marcellino said, down from the 180 per year the group used to play at its peak. “Until I can’t do it anymore or the audience doesn’t want it, I guess I’ll keep rocking,” he said. Meanwhile, he enjoys downtime in La Jolla, walking his dog, lunching at outdoor cafes and spending time with his Realtor wife, Nicki. “La Jolla is such a beautiful village,” he said. “We are so lucky to be here.”