David Letterman and Paul Shaffer Reunite on SXM’s Outlaw Country
David Letterman’s reuniting with four-time “Late Show” guest and Country-Western singer Elizabeth Cook to co-host her SiriusXM show “Apron Strings” on Wednesday, May 24th. “Apron Strings” is an American roots music show, but for one extensive conversation, the show will focus on the most important musical moments in “Late Show” history as remembered by Letterman and musical director Paul Shaffer.
The episode is situated at an exciting intersection of comedy and music, not in the form of musical comedy, but as a symbiotic appreciation for the two. This co-existence of music and comedy, not as an interwoven medium like the work of Bo Burnham or Garfunkel and Oates, but as two separate facets of one show feels like an old school facet of variety shows. This makes sense considering David Letterman literally belongs to a different generation than any current late night talk show host.
Speaking of that relationship, it’s a fun little tidbit that the channel “Apron Strings” airs on, Outlaw Country, is created and executive produced by Steven Van Zandt (“The Sopranos”, Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band).
The mutual fans will discuss and play performances spanning back to the early ‘90s. Included in the cache is music from Elizabeth Cook with Jason Isbell (2012), Jerry Garcia and David Grisman (1993), Tom Russell (2004), Willie Nelson and Ryan Adams (2002), Warren Zevon (2002), Dan Penn (2014), Nanci Griffith with Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Eric Taylor (1998); Emmylou Harris, Rodney Crowell, Mark O’Connor, Amos Lee and Steve Martin (2015).
The trio will also discuss Paul Shaffer’s new album, “Paul Shaffer and the World’s Most Dangerous Band”.
Letterman’s special episode co-hosting Cook’s show premieres Wednesday, May 24th at 9 AM ET on SiriusXM’s Outlaw Country via the Sirius XM app, online at siriusxm.com or via satellite on Channel 60.