Midday Interview: 2-Time Grammy winner Laurence Juber previews Lincoln shows

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Laurence Juber, a two-time Grammy award winning guitarist, joined Channel 8 News at midday to talk about a pair of upcoming performances at the Tada Theatre in Lincoln.

This is all a part of the theatre’s 15th anniversary. Friday’s show has been sold out but tickets are still available for Saturday.

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May 12 and 13th marks an exciting weekend for patrons of the performing arts in Nebraska when two-time Grammy Award Winner Laurence Juber will perform at the award winning TADA Theatre that will celebrate it’s 15th anniversary with two concerts and a mayoral proclamation.  

Mr. Juber, or LJ as he is better known, was the guitar player for the group WINGS with Paul McCartney, a group in which he won his first Grammy. As a world-renowned guitar virtuoso and entertainer, LJ’s work has been heard on recordings from artists as diverse as Harry Styles, Dan Hicks & countless others, plus he is featured on the soundtracks to hundreds of TV shows and movies including the academy award-winning Dirty Dancing, Good Will Hunting and Pocahontas. He even played the James Bond theme for the movie The Spy Who Loved Me.

Laurence Juber is also a master composer. His album LJ Plays The Beatles was voted one of Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s all-time Top Ten albums and he is the composer for the award-winning video game Diablo III. As an arranger and composer his solo arrangement of The Pink Panther Theme earned him a second Grammy award. LJ is known as one to the very top session guitar players and can make his instrument sound like no other. Once you hear him, you’ll understand why Pete Townshend from ‘The Who’ calls him “A Master”!

Mr. Juber will present two entirely different concerts during this weekend. Friday night will be LJ PLAYS THE BEATLES. This includes some amazing hits from The Fab Four heard in a way only Laurence Juber can dazzle and impress an audience. Saturday night’s concert LJ’S WORLD ON 6 STRINGS will feature some wonderful songs from his album featuring Harold Arlen tunes as well as some hits from his own repertoire. As a bonus for area musicians, on Saturday afternoon, LJ will present his MASTERCLASS: GUITARMANIA TO BEATLEMANIA!

Mr. Juber’s concerts are part of the celebration of the award winning TADA Theatre’s 15th anniversary. Offering professional quality, affordable theatre to a wide and diverse group impacting the community with the positive power of the performing arts, the TADA Theatre has put a national spotlight on Lincoln with its regional premiere productions and working alongside Broadway creators. It will receive a Mayor’s proclamation before Mr. Juber’s performance. The TADA Theatre has also received an Impact Award for downtown development from the Downtown Lincoln Association and a Proclamation for Theatre Excellence from the State of Nebraska.

Mr. Juber’s connection with The TADA Theatre dates back to the first show that opened the theatre, Gilligan’s Island: The Musical, a show that Juber was the composer of along with his wife and lyricist Hope Juber whose father, the late Sherwood Schwartz, created the iconic television show as well as The Brady Bunch.

“Having LJ perform here is not only a great way to celebrate this milestone for the theatre but a wonderful opportunity for Nebraska audiences to enjoy the talents of one of the best musicians in the United States,” says Robert D. Rook, Managing Artistic Director of The TADA Theatre.

“I’m looking forward to making a return trip to TADA, “says Mr. Juber. “Previously, I was there for productions of our shows, ‘Gilligan’s Island: The Musical and It’s The Housewives. This will be my first time performing in concert in Lincoln, and I’m thrilled to be a part of TADA’s anniversary celebration.”

LJ PLAYS THE BEATLES will take place at 7:30 pm Friday, May 12th and LJ’S WORLD ON 6 STRINGS will take place at 7:30 pm Saturday, May 13th. The MASTERCLASS: GUITARMANIA TO BEATLEMANIA will take place at 1:00 pm on Saturday May 13th. To register and to reserve tickets patrons should go to www.tadatheatre.info .

Mr. Juber’s Lincoln appearance is made possible in part by Schaefer’s, Ace Rent To Own, Hyatt Place Lincoln/Downtown-Haymarket and Humanities Nebraska.