McCartney Times

Lawrence Juber

McCartney Times publisher Martin Nethercutt and Lawrence Juber

McCartney Times publisher Martin Nethercutt and Lawrence Juber

Laurence Juber (born 12 November 1952) is an English-born musician. Often considered most famous for playing lead guitar in Wings from 1978 to 1980, he has since had a distinguished career as a solo fingerstyle guitarist and studio musician. He is married to Hope Juber and they have two daughters, Nico Juber and songwriter Ilsey Juber.

Born in Stepney, East London, Juber was raised and went to school in North London. By his own account, he began playing guitar the week that “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles was released.[1] Beginning on a cheap acoustic guitar, he learned to read music early, figuring out the system of music notation for himself. He began to earn money playing the guitar at 13, and began to study classical guitar at the age of 15. Enraptured by the sounds on records of the mid- to late 1960s, he set his sights on becoming a session guitarist in London’s music studios. While playing with the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, he earned his music degree at London University’s Goldsmith’s College , where he expanded his horizons by playing the lute. Upon graduation, he immediately began work as a session guitarist, working on his first project with producer George Martin on an album for Cleo Laine. Amongst other studio work, in 1977, Juber was booked by London-based orchestral contractor David Katz along with session drummer Peter Boita to go to Paris for a week to record in Barclay Records’ studios to make an album with Charles Aznavour. Sung entirely in French, the album, Je N’ai Pas Vu LeTemps Passer, went on to become one of Aznavour’s biggest selling French language albums of all time. Perhaps most famously, Juber played the James Bond theme for the movie The Spy Who Loved Me.

He gave up a lucrative and successful studio career when invited to join Paul McCartney‘s band Wings in 1978. Juber later said that he agreed to join immediately “because you don’t turn down that kind of job”.[2] He played on the band’s Back to the Egg album (1979), as well as their subsequent UK tour. In 1980, he garnered his first Grammy Award, when Wings’ track “Rockestra Theme” won the award for Best Rock Instrumental. He was miscredited as Lawrence Tuber on the sleeve for Ringo Starr’s album, Stop And Smell The Roses. From this period dates his first solo album Standard Time (only released on vinyl). McCartney and former Wings guitarist Denny Laine played on the track “Maisie”.[3]

After Wings disbanded in early 1981, Juber moved to the United States. In New York City he met his future wife, Hope, and soon moved to her native California. He subsequently resumed work as a studio musician and played guitar for numerous television shows, including Happy Days, Family Ties , “Home Improvement” and “7th Heaven“. He composed the music for A Very Brady Christmas (1988),”‘World Gone Wild‘” (1988) and “Little Sweetheart” (1990). He played guitar on Belinda Carlisle’s “Mad About You“, Eric Carmen’s “Make Me Lose Control” and “Time of My Life” and “She’s Like The Wind” from the “Dirty Dancing” soundtrack.

For more information please visit site: http://www.laurencejuber.com