Paul Shaffer to be honoured in hometown
THUNDER BAY, Ont. (CP) — The city of Thunder Bay is preparing to honour its favourite son, musician Paul Shaffer.
The band leader and longtime sidekick on CBS’s Late Show with David Letterman will be back in his home town this weekend for a reception and concert.
One of the highlights of Saturday night’s tribute will be a ceremony as the driveway around the Thunder Bay Community Auditorium is renamed Paul Shaffer Drive.
More than 25 bagpipers will accompany Shaffer to the front of the building as the sign is unveiled for the stretch of road, which currently has no name.
Mark Scott, programming co-ordinator at the auditorium, said that so far, there are no plans to do a Top 10 list, as Letterman does nightly on his show. But if there were, the No. 1 reason for honouring Shaffer would be: “Because we are so proud of where he is himself, and how he’s put Thunder Bay on the map.”
A CBS camera crew will record the festivities, and Shaffer’s relatives, old friends, the mayor and members of council are expected to attend. Shaffer’s two children — both under the age of 10 — won’t be coming because it’s too difficult to pull them out of school, said Scott.
He said all 350 tickets for the reception have been snapped up, and the 1,500-seat auditorium is “pretty much sold out,” for the concert, which will mostly feature local entertainers.
Shaffer will perform several songs he has composed especially for the occasion.
The event has been mentioned a number of times on the Late Show.
“Paul’s had to take a little bit of ribbing from David on the show for this honour,” Scott noted. “I think he’s a little jealous because he hasn’t received a street named after him yet.”
Will Letterman himself show up in Thunder Bay?
“We were wondering that same question,” said Scott. “We’re thrilled that Paul’s coming. It would be an even bigger coup, of course, if Mr. Letterman was here to honour Paul as well.”
He added that Shaffer is bringing a special guest with him, but he believes it’s a member of the Late Night band.
As for Shaffer, he’s “gratified and humbled” by the recognition.
“To think that one of the finest theatres in the world will now be on my street; it’s so exciting,” he said in a statement.
Shaffer, 52, began his career playing keyboard with high school and nightclub bands in and around his home town. He was hired for the original band of Saturday Night Live in 1975 where he worked through 1980.
He helped his SNL colleague Gilda Radner on the songs for her Broadway show and was musical director for alumni John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s The Blues Brothers’ tour and album.
He’s recorded two albums and written dozens of songs including the theme song for the Late Show With David Letterman and, alongside Paul Jabara, wrote the Top 40 disco hit It’s Raining Men.
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