NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Havighurst) -- Two years after the end of the Late Show with David Letterman, where he spent 33 years as music director, Paul Shaffer is recording and touring with his group from the show. They've taken back the name they used during their years on NBC - The World’s Most Dangerous Band.
Shaffer is one of the most successful TV music directors of all time. The Ontario Canada born musician got his career started as music director of a Toronto production of Godspell in the 1970s, featuring a cast of future comic stars. He and Gilda Radner for example moved on to the original production of Saturday Night Live.
Besides being David Letterman’s band leader from 1982 until 2015, Shaffer has been music director for numerous TV extravaganzas and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. In this excerpt from WMOT's The String, Craig Havighurst talks to Shaffer about life after Letterman, his most cherished musical genres and the challenge of managing epic talents and egos as a musical director.
Paul Shaffer and The World's Most Dangerous Band perform at the Ryman Auditorium on Friday, June 9. Details here.
The String airs Sunday mornings at 8 am and Mondays at 9 pm on WMOT. Find it on the iTunes podcast store or other podcasting platforms. Follow Craig on Twitter at @chavighurst