Paul Shaffer

Shaffer, Paul

Paul Shaffer (b Allan Wood), pianist, comedian (b at Toronto 28 Nov 1949). Shaffer was raised in Thunder Bay and played in local bands in his teens. While earning a sociology degree at the University of Toronto he continued to play in bar bands and in jazz bands. In 1972 he was the musical director for the Toronto production of Godspell. Shaffer continued to play for theatrical productions and finally settled in New York. He joined the band on NBC-TV's Saturday Night Live and also appeared in minor comic roles on the show. When Saturday Night Live members Jim Belushi and fellow Canadian Dan Ackroyd formed the Blues Brothers, Shaffer became their musical director. He left SNL in 1980 to do studio work, playing on recordings with Joan Armatrading, Yoko Ono and Diana Ross among others. Shaffer returned to late-night TV as the leader of the World's Most Dangerous Band on the David Letterman Show. Playing the foil to Letterman earned Shaffer celebrity in his own right, and he has released a couple of albums with contributions from a number of top musicians. Shaffer has also had small acting roles in films including The Blues Brothers and This Is Spinal Tap.