We were lucky to catch up with Laurence Juber recently and have shared our conversation below.
Laurence, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I was given a guitar for my 11th birthday and, once I picked it up, it was impossible for me to put it down.
It was tactile, sonorous and, for a pre-teen in 1963 on the breaking wave of Beatlemania, extremely cool…
Its six strings were a portal. I developed a thirst for music in general, regardless of style. I learned quickly that the ‘brass ring’ of the business was to be a studio musician. That became my burning ambition.
I was offered opportunities to become a professional as early as 15, but I felt that I owed it to my parents to have an education. They had both left school in their early teens during WW2 during the London Blitz.
Music instruction in high school was fundamentally music ‘appreciation’. Playing on the bandstand with older musicians was my real music education, learning to listen to the harmonies, locking into the groove of the rhythm section, experiences beyond any in the school curriculum.
I took a ‘gap year’ to work as a musician before studying at London University, along with an extended stint playing in The National Youth Jazz Orchestra.
I came to fulfill my dream of becoming a studio musician, not anticipating what was to come when I was asked to join Paul MCartney’s Wings. I gained by Bachelor of Music degree from London University, but my ‘Masters’ from ‘McCartney University’ with a deep dive into what it means to be a musical artist and the business of music.
Subsequently I moved to New York, fell in love and settled in Los Angeles to raise a family. A reluctance to travel with young kids led to more studio work, and a focus on acoustic guitar as my artistic voice.
My primary sense of purpose was to establish myself as a musician, an ambition to play with Beatles (eventually three out of the four) which then developed into becoming artist in my own right. In time, the true purpose became clear: that I could entertain and move people emotionally. During Covid lockdown, my livestreams became a lifeline for my online audience. It was gratifying to know that my passion for the instrument had a purpose beyond far being a source of income.
After sixty years on six strings I feel as strong a purpose as I have ever had.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a solo performer, recording artist, composer and arranger. My playing fuses folk, jazz, blues, pop and classical styles, creating a multi-faceted performance that belies the use of only one instrument. First internationally recognized as lead guitarist in Paul McCartney’s Wings, with whom I won a Grammy®, Juber has since established himself as world-renowned guitar virtuoso and entertainer.
I’m known to my fans as LJ, and have recorded more than two dozen albums which spotlight my personal touch and tone on acoustic guitar. My latest release, ‘A Day In My Life’, is a collection of a dozen of my celebrated arrangements of Beatles songs recorded at London’s famed Abbey Road Studios
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The overriding factor is having a productive and successful creative relationship with my wife of 42 years, Hope. It has provided the stability and the skills outside of my normal experience to anchor my progress as an artist. Beyond that:
Persistence, in developing my skill set; education, to understand the fullness of music, in order to achieve versatility; making myself indispensable to my collaborators and employers.
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
I’ve found that a left/right brain balance is important for me. Being creative in a tech-driven world requires taking care of business as well as maintaining technique and repertoire. Taking the the time to understand the implications of technology on the art and craft of music has created opportunities in composing and production that would otherwise not be readily available to to me as simply a guitarist. Still, my primary focus is to be the best guitarist and musician I can be. I’m still learning…
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laurencejuber.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenceJuberGuitar
- Youtube: @LaurenceJuberOM21
