Paul Shaffer

The World’s Most Dangerous Bandleader 1989

Paul Shaffer, New York City circa 1995

Photo courtesy of Paul Shaffer/CBS Television/Worldwide Pants.

Tell me about your early musical education…

Mrs. Hardy was my first piano teacher. She encouraged me to play by ear, which I understand is rare with classical piano teachers. Most of them discourage it on the grounds that if a kid can play by ear, he will fake it and not learn how to sight read music. Mrs. Hardy said, “Well, you’ve got such a great ear. Don’t worry about it. On the exam you’ll make up in the ear training section what you lose in the sight reading section.” She allowed me to play by ear. She was interested as I learned more and more chords, and she encouraged it.

In your daily role as bandleader on “Late Night,” are you the raging tyrant type or the mellow spiritual guru figure?