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Paul Shaffer

Musician, Actor, Author, Comedian and Composer

Paul Shaffer

Paul Shaffer

Musician, Actor, Author, Comedian and Composer

Travels From Travels From:
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Live Event: $50,000 - $100,000
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Categories Categories:
Faith & Religion, Jewish Speakers, Television Personalities, Television Stars
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Paul Shaffer Biography

World-renowned bandleader Paul Shaffer has been David Letterman's musical director and sidekick on CBS-TV's "Late Show" for the past 27 years. A Grammy Award-winning master of musical and verbal improv, he has conducted a televised jam that included Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and Jeff Beck; been musical director at the White House; delivered the riffs that got the nod when he played with Ray Charles, and traded on-air quips with celebrities from Julia Roberts, Tina Fey, and Nathan Lane to Bill Murray, Donald Trump, and Jack Black.

Shaffer's professional career was launched in 1972 when, after hearing him play piano, composer Stephen Schwartz hired him on the spot to be musical director for the celebrated Toronto production of "Godspell." The now-legendary cast included Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Victor Garber, and Gilda Radner. The show was a massive hit and Shaffer's star ignited. Two years later, he opened on Broadway, playing piano in the musical, "The Magic Show." The next stop on his trajectory was a five-year stint with a new television show, "NBC's Saturday Night Live." He played keyboards, composed special musical material and, in 1980, became a featured performer; his dead-on impression of Don Kirshner became an SNL mainstay.

In 1977, Shaffer took a brief break from "Saturday Night Live" to star in the CBS-TV comedy series "A Year at the Top," produced by Norman Lear and the aforementioned Don Kirshner. After his return to SNL, he collaborated with Gilda Radner on the songs for her one-woman Broadway show, "Gilda Radner: Live from New York," in which he also appeared. He served as musical director for the Blues Brothers-John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd-on their double platinum album and national tour.

In addition to his albums "Coast to Coast" (1989) and "The World's Most Dangerous Party" (1993), Shaffer has recorded with such diverse artists as Diana Ross, Yoko Ono and Robert Plant's Honeydrippers. He composed the "Late Show" theme song and, with Paul Jabara, wrote the #1'80s dance hit "It's Raining Men," performed by the Weather Girls and re-recorded by Geri Halliwell for the "Bridget Jones's Diary" soundtrack, topping the British pop charts in 2001. In 2002, he received his first Grammy Award, Best Country Instrumental, for the "Earl Scruggs and Friends" album. He also co-produced an avant-garde jazz album for his mentor, Tsziji Munoz.

His feature film roles include infamous local promotion man Artie Fufkin in Rob Reiner's "This Is Spinal Tap." He also appeared in the Mike Nichols-directed "Gilda Live," the Bill Murray movie "Scrooged," and with John Travolta in "Look Who's Talking Too," and voiced Hermes in Disney's animated feature "Hercules" and the television series based on the film. He produced the gold-selling soundtrack for and appeared in "Blues Brothers 2000" and composed original songs for the movie "Strangers with Candy."

Shaffer has served as musical producer for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony since its inception in 1986. He led the band for the "We Are the World" finale of "Live Aid," hosted CBS's 1994 New Year's Eve special from New York's Times Square, and was musical director of the closing concert at the 1996 Olympic Games. He appeared with the Blues Brothers at the 1996 Super Bowl halftime show and was musical director of the 1999 "Concert of the Century" at the White House, featuring Eric Clapton, B. B. King, Gloria Estefan, 'N Sync and others, to aid music programs in public schools. He was the musical director of Paul McCartney's "Concert for New York" and appeared with Faith Hill on the "America: A Tribute to Heroes" telethon, both of which honored and raised money for victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Shaffer holds two honorary doctorate degrees, was inducted into the National Black Sports and Entertainment Hall of Fame, and was awarded a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. Paul recently received the Order of Canada, the highest Canadian civilian honor. He lives in the New York area with his wife and two children.

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Paul Shaffer Videos

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Paul Shaffer Books

  • Conflict Resolution For Christian Couples
    Conflict Resolution For Christian Couples
  • We'll Be Here For the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Show-biz Saga
    We'll Be Here For the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Show-biz Saga

FAQs on booking Paul Shaffer

  • How do I book Paul Shaffer to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Paul Shaffer for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Paul Shaffer, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Paul Shaffer or any other speaker of your choice.

  • What are the speaker fees for Paul Shaffer

    Speaking fees for Paul Shaffer, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Paul Shaffer are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Paul Shaffer, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

  • What topics does Paul Shaffer speak about?

    Paul Shaffer is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Faith & Religion, Jewish Speakers, Television Personalities, Television Stars.

  • Where does Paul Shaffer travel from?

    Paul Shaffer generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.

  • Who is Paul Shaffer’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Paul Shaffer for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Paul Shaffer for your next private or corporate function.

  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Paul Shaffer or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Paul Shaffer is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Paul Shaffer for your event is $50,000 - $100,000. Paul Shaffer generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Mandy Patinkin, Isaac Mizrahi, Richard Dreyfuss, Steven Spielberg and Sarah Jessica Parker. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Paul Shaffer for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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