Paul Shaffer & Late Show Band Releasing Album

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Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band, who spent three decades providing the live music for David Letterman on his NBC and CBS programs, will release their first new album in 24 years on March 17. Simply titled Paul Shaffer & the World’s Most Dangerous Band, the album, produced by Richard Gottehrer, features guest appearances by Dion, Bill Murray, Darius Rucker, Shaggy and Valerie Simpson. Shaffer and bandmates Will Lee and Felicia Collins round out the lead vocal duties.

An animated video has been released for “Happy Street” featuring Murray on lead vocal.

The collection will be released on CD and digitally. (Pre-order is available here.) The group will tour behind the album with a string of shows that begins on April 1 in upstate New York. Scroll below for the full schedule.

Shaffer played keyboards in the Saturday Night Live house band during the show’s first five seasons before forming what Letterman soon named The World’s Most Dangerous Band in 1982, when Shaffer became musical director and sidekick on Late Night With David Letterman. After more than a decade on NBC, Shaffer and the band departed for CBS for a new show (Late Show With David Letterman). Although the band changed their name to the CBS Orchestra (NBC claimed ownership of the former name), the core lineup remained the same, adding Collins on guitar and a horn section.

Now, for the first time in 25 years, Shaffer and the band have re-claimed the moniker of the World’s Most Dangerous Band, recorded their first album together in 24 years and will be embarking on a North American tour this spring in support of the release. Joining Shaffer are Collins (guitar), Anton Fig (drums), Lee (bass), and Sid McGinnis (guitar), with Tom Malone, Frank Greene, and Aaron Heick (horns).

Watch “Happy Street” with Bill Murray…

The new album was produced by Richard Gottehrer, whose career writing and producing music began in the early ’60s at the Brill Building, and executive produced by Seymour Stein. Together with Jerry Goldstein and Bob Feldman, Gottehrer wrote or produced several massive hits, including “My Boyfriend’s Back” and “Hang on Sloopy.” The trio also wrote “Sorrow,” a song recorded by a number of artists, including David Bowie for his 1973 covers album, Pin Ups. On this album, singer Jenny Lewis joins the band for a version of the track, dedicated to Bowie. The song is available to preview at Spotify.

Paul Shaffer (r.) with Jimmy Page (Photo from Shaffer’s Twitter page)

PAUL SHAFFER AND THE WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS BAND CD Track Listing

“Cast Your Fate To The Wind” – featuring Shaggy
“Why Can’t We Live Together” – featuring Darius Rucker
“Sorrow” – featuring Jenny Lewis
“Yeh Yeh” – featuring Paul Shaffer
“Win Your Love For Me” – featuring Dion
“Happy Street” – featuring Bill Murray
“Some Kind Of Wonderful” – featuring Felicia Collins
“Rhythm” – featuring Leo Napier
“I Don’t Need No Doctor” – featuring Valerie Simpson & Felicia Collins
“Enjoy The Ride” – featuring Will Lee
“Just Because” – featuring Paul Shaffer
“Wigwam”

Tour Dates (More To Be Announced Soon) (Tickets are available here.)

APRIL
1 The Clemens Center, Elmira, NY
2 The Palace Theater, Greensburg, PA
8 The Borgata, Atlantic City, NJ
20 Fallsview Casino Resort, Niagara Falls, ONT
21 The Wellmont Theater, Montclair, NJ
22 Theater At Westbury, Westbury, NY

MAY
3 Centrepoint Theatre, Ottawa, ONT
4 Wilbur Theater, Boston, MA
6 Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT

JUNE
9 Ryman Theater, Nashville, TN
10 Seminole Casino, Immokalle, FL
11 Cobb Energy PAC, Atlanta, GA
29 Kresge Auditorium, Interlochen, MI
30 Arcada Theater, St. Charles, IL

JULY
1 Ames Center, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

Watch this goof on VH1’s “Behind the Music” show focusing on Shaffer