We'll Be Here For the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Show-biz Saga

Paul Shaffer, David Ritz

Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, Oct 6, 2009 - Biography & Autobiography - 352 pages

Paul Shaffer—born and bred music junkie and longtime leader of David Letterman’s Late Show band—opens up in this candid, endearing, hilarious, and star-studded memoir.  From playing seedy strip joints in Toronto, to being the first musical director of Saturday Night Live and helping to form the Blues Brothers, to being onstage every night with David Letterman and playing with the greatest musicians of our time, Shaffer has lived the ultimate showbiz life.  Now—dishing on everyone from John Belushi and Jerry Lewis to Mel Gibson and Britney Spears—Paul gives us the full behind-the-scenes story of his life, from banging out pop tunes on the piano at the age of twelve to leading the band every night at the Sullivan Theater.

Contents

• Chapter DYLAN AND ME: 3
• TWO JEWS BLUES: 13
• B3: 17
• RUNNING INTO RAY CHARLES: 21
• WITH YOUR KIND INDULGENCE: 25
• SHAFFER AGOGO: 34
• DID YOU HEAR THE ONE ABOUT THE VENTRILOQUIST AND THE RABBI?: 43
• HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY: 47
• FRANK SINATRA WELCOMES ELVIS BACK FROM THE ARMY: 51
• SWEET SWEET CONNIE: 62
• THE ALLTIME GREATEST PUSSYCAT OF THE WORLD: 68
• NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN: 80
• KEEPING NORTH AMERICA SAFE: 95
• YOUVE SEEN THESE THEN?: 104
• WHERE ARE WE NOW?: 110
• BLAME CANADA: 118
• JILLY LOVES YOU MORE THAN YOU WILL KNOW: 129
• LOVES THEME: 135
• WHICH OF THESE COFFEES IS THE FRESHER?: 142
• A BLACK CASHMERE COAT WITH A RED SILK LINING: 147
• HOLLYWOOD SWINGING: 154
• Chapter 22: 163
• Chapter 23: 168
• CATHERINE VASAPOLI: 172
• Chapter 25: 178
• DIVIDED SOUL: 185
• Chapter 27: 193
• THE HEALING POWERS OF MR BLACKWELL: 199
• HOW BLUE CAN YOU GET?: 203
• THE CALL THAT CHANGED IT ALL: 206
• BLUES BROTHER: 217
• IM NO HOMOPHOBE OR HOW I CAME TO COWRITE ITS RAINING MEN: 219
• THE GIG OF GIGS: 225
• MY ELVIS: 236
• LOVING GILDA: 249
• KICK MY ASSPLEASE: 252
• TAKE MY LIMO PLEASE: 257
• VIVA SHAF VEGAS: 261
• MEL GIBSON AND THE JEWS: 267
• ON THE NIGHT SHIFT: 274
• BAD TASTE: 280
• FAMILY IS EVERYTHING: 288
• WHAT KIND OF HOST AM I?: 293
• THE GRINCH WHO RUINED CHRISTMAS: 298
• PATRIOTISM AND RELIGION: 303
• CREDITS: 315
• INDEX: 317

About the author

PAUL SHAFFER has been David Letterman's musical director for the past twenty-seven years. He also co-composed “It's Raining Men.”

 

DAVID RITZ has cowritten memoirs with, among others, Ray Charles and Don Rickles. He also co-wrote Sexual Healing.

Bibliographic information

• Title: We'll Be Here For the Rest of Our Lives: A Swingin' Show-biz Saga
• Authors: Paul Shaffer, David Ritz
• Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 2009
• ISBN: 0385532210, 9780385532211
• Length: 352 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Entertainment & Performing Arts; Music / Printed Music / Musicals, Film & TV; Performing Arts / Television / General