Paul Shaffer

Paul Shaffer is a Canadian musician, bandleader, composer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than five decades at the intersection of music, comedy, and television. Shaffer began his career as musical director for the Toronto production of "Godspell," which featured a cast including Victor Garber, Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Eugene Levy, Dave Thomas, and Andrea Martin. He later played piano in "The Magic Show" on Broadway and spent five years with the original "Saturday Night Live," where he played keyboards, composed musical material, and became a featured performer. Shaffer also served as musical director for the Blues Brothers, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, for their triple platinum album and national tour.

Shaffer is widely recognized for his 33-year role as bandleader, musical director, and comedic counterpart to David Letterman on "Late Night with David Letterman" and "Late Show with David Letterman." His band, known as the World's Most Dangerous Band on NBC and later as the CBS Orchestra, included musicians such as Sid McGinnis, Felicia Collins, Bernie Worrell, Will Lee, and Anton Fig. The two shows collectively received 16 Emmy Awards and 112 Emmy Award nominations. Shaffer's work required him to accommodate a wide range of musical styles, often with minimal rehearsal time, contributing to his reputation as a versatile musician with extensive knowledge of various musical genres.

In addition to his television work, Shaffer has contributed to the entertainment industry as a songwriter, co-composing the Weather Girls' hit "It's Raining Men," and being inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame for the song. He appeared as Artie Fufkin in the film "This Is Spinal Tap," and had roles in "Gilda Live," "Scrooged," and as the voice of Hermes in Disney's animated feature "Hercules" and its television adaptation. Shaffer's television appearances include "The Sopranos," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Schitt's Creek," and "How I Met Your Mother."

Shaffer has served as musical director and producer for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony since its inception, and led the band for the "We Are the World" finale of Live Aid. He was musical director for Paul McCartney's "Concert for New York," which honored and raised money for victims of the September 11 attacks. Shaffer hosted CBS's New Year's Eve special from Times Square and served as musical director for the closing concert at the Summer Olympic Games. He is a two-time Grammy Award recipient and a four-time Emmy nominee. Shaffer has been awarded a star on Canada's Walk of Fame and received the Order of Canada.

Following Letterman's retirement, Shaffer resumed his solo career, collaborating with Bill Murray as music director for "A Very Murray Christmas" and reuniting the World's Most Dangerous Band. The group released the album "Paul Shaffer & The World's Most Dangerous Band." Shaffer has continued to perform live and serve as musical director for productions such as the Grammy Awards and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. His memoir, "We'll Be Here the Rest of Our Lives," recounts stories from his extensive career in show business. Shaffer remains a prominent figure in music, television, and entertainment.