Laurence Juber began playing guitar in November 1963, the week The Beatles released “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” It was also around the time when the first James Bond movie was released.

Little did the youngster from London know, Juber someday would play in Paul McCartney’s band and write a soundtrack for a James Bond film. And even if you don’t know his name, Juber has had a ubiquitous musical presence in the United States since 1981 as a studio player and the man on acoustic guitar for numerous television programs.

Juber was inspired by the Fab Four and Cliff Richard and the Shadows, a British version of the surf band the Ventures. He taught himself guitar with the book “Play in a Day,” an instructional guide used by most new guitarists from that area. In 1964 the Dave Clark Five and the Kinks, both from Juber’s North London neighborhood, made it big.

“Instrumental guitar music in the early ’60s was really popular so I was a big fan of that kind of thing,” Juber said. “There was so much music all around. I fell in love with the guitar.”

By the time he was 13, Juber was playing in a wedding band and a year later was in a top 40 band in pubs. Juber played in bands full time for a year after graduating high school before entering London University.

Juber said he went to college because World War II prevented his parents from receiving a higher education. After receiving his degree in music, Juber worked as a studio musician for about four years. He wrote the music for the 1977 James Bond movie “The Spy Who Loved Me.” Shortly afterward, he and David Essex were members in a house band for a television program, which had Wings guitarist Denny Laine appear as a guest.
Laine invited Juber to play at what, unbeknownst to him, was an audition for Wings to replace lead guitarist Jimmy McCulloch.

“I didn’t know Paul and Linda McCartney would be there,” Juber said. “We jammed on some Chuck Berry and reggae tunes. I think I fit the suit.”

Juber was in McCartney’s first post-Beatles band during the final few years of its 10-year run, including McCartney’s infamous 1980 marijuana arrest.

“I was standing next to McCartney when he was busted in Japan,” Juber said. “It was one of those moments that you certainly don’t want to have when you are on tour. It wasn’t the end of Wings even though the history is sometimes painted that way. We kept going for some time after that.”

“It was almost par for the course as far as that era of drug busts for rock stars,” Juber said. “It doesn’t happen so much anymore. (Japanese authorities) wanted to make an example.”

Juber played guitar on McCartney’s final No. 1 Billboard rock single in America, “Coming Up.”

When Wings folded in 1981, Juber moved to New York, married his wife, Hope, and settled in Los Angeles, where he is a coveted studio musician for records, movies and television programs and commercials. Movie credits include “Pocahontas,” “Good Will Hunting” and “Dirty Dancing.” His guitar can be heard on the television shows “Secret Life of an American Teenager,” “Home Improvement,” “Seventh Heaven” and “Roseanne,” and a “Diamonds Are Forever” commercial with the song “Stand By Me.”

Juber last week released his 14th solo album, “Wooden Horses.”

Juber, who plays 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24 at Lake Tahoe Community College said he likes performing solo.
“People get fascinated by the finger work,” he said. “I’ll play originals and familiar tunes. You’ve got to chat up the audience, and you’ve got to be fast on your fingers. I enjoy coming up to the Tahoe area. I’ve been there three times before, and it’s always a very enthusiastic and appreciative audience.”