Paul McCartney + Wings' Laurence Juber: From Beatle Sideman to Guitar Legend

Paul McCartney + Wings' Laurence Juber: From Beatle Sideman to Guitar Legend

Author: Sandy Kaye February 25, 2026 Duration: 52:00

Laurence Juber is an acclaimed guitarist, composer, and former lead guitarist with Paul McCartney’s band Wings.

His journey began in London during the explosion of Beatlemania. Inspired by The Beatles’ revolutionary sound, he picked up the guitar as a child and quickly developed into a versatile and highly skilled musician.

His early ambition was to become a studio guitarist, and by his early twenties he was already working in some of London’s most prestigious recording studios alongside legendary producers and artists.

Everything changed in 1978 when Laurence received a call from Paul McCartney’s office inviting him to audition for Wings.

After impressing both McCartney and Denny Laine, he joined the band and contributed to the Back to the Egg album, touring and recording with one of the most influential musicians of all time.

Laurence reflects on what it was really like working with Paul and Linda McCartney, the creative environment within Wings, and the profound personal and professional impact of that experience.

Following Wings, Laurence moved to Los Angeles, where he built a remarkable career as a studio musician, contributing to iconic film soundtracks including Dirty Dancing, Good Will Hunting, and Pocahontas, and recording with artists such as Belinda Carlisle, Eric Carmen, and Al Stewart.

Over time, Laurence discovered his true artistic voice as a solo acoustic fingerstyle guitarist.

He has since released more than 30 solo albums, earned a Grammy Award, and become internationally recognised for his expressive, innovative guitar work — including his acclaimed acoustic interpretations of Beatles songs.

This conversation offers rare insight into life inside Wings, the creative genius of Paul McCartney, and Laurence’s lifelong dedication to music as both craft and calling.



There's a certain magic to the music that defined the '60s, '70s, and '80s, and it often lives in the stories behind the songs. In A BREATH OF FRESH AIR, host Sandy Kaye sits down for warm and candid conversations with the very artists who created those classic rock anthems and timeless hits. This multi award-winning podcast is built on in-depth interviews that feel more like a chat between old friends than a formal interrogation. You'll hear the personal anecdotes, the creative struggles, and the unexpected inspirations that fueled the soundtracks of entire generations. Sandy has a knack for drawing out those rare, behind-the-scenes moments, offering an intimate look at the lives of music legends beyond the stage and studio. Each episode invites you to relive the eras not just through the music, but through the memories of the people who made it. It's a chance to understand the human journey behind the iconic chords and lyrics. For anyone who wants to connect more deeply with the artists they've loved for decades, this podcast provides exactly that-a genuine and engaging portrait of musical history, told by the legends themselves.
Author: Language: en-au Episodes: 50

'60s '70s '80s - Warm, Candid, Classic Rock Interviews with Music Legends - A BREATH OF FRESH AIR
Podcast Episodes
Matt Sorum: Guns N’ Roses, Kings of Chaos and Rock's Wild Ride [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:00
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer Matt Sorum joins Sandy Kaye for an honest, funny and deeply insightful conversation about life inside some of the biggest rock bands in history.Best known for his years with Guns N' Ros…
Blood Sweat & Tears - an Inside Look with Founder Steve Katz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:00
Steve Katz is known as a founding member of Blood, Sweat & Tears as well as a guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and author.Steve shares incredible stories from a career that spans more than six decades, taking list…
Tony Burrows: The Voice Behind so many '70s Hits [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:00
Did you know that one singer secretly voiced some of the biggest pop hits of the 1970s — all at the same time? Most people have no idea who he was.In this fascinating episode of A Breath of Fresh Air, Sandy Kaye chats wi…
Grand Funk Railroad's Mark Farmer on The Loco-Motion and Rock History [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:00
This week, one of classic rock’s most recognisable voices — singer, guitarist and songwriter Mark Farner, founding member of Grand Funk Railroad.With more than 30 million records sold worldwide, 16 gold and platinum albu…
Remembering Dennis Locorriere :The Voice of Dr. Hook Dead At 76 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:00
The music world has lost one of its most distinctive voices with the passing of Dennis Locorriere, the longtime frontman of Dr. Hook, who died aged 76 following a battle with kidney disease. The voice behind some of the…