Les Paul Appreciation Thread

[spw5150]

I just saw this article on the web and it got me thinking about all he as done for the guitar playing community and musicians in general. Hard to believe he is still playing at the age of 91. Truly an innovator and and inspiration to us all.

Guitar Innovator Les Paul Returns Home
Friday, May 11, 2007 11:27 AM EDT
The Associated Press
By EMILY FREDRIX

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — Guitar legend Les Paul enthralled a hometown crowd at a concert that raised more than $100,000 for an exhibit on his life.

The 91-year-old Grammy winner hadn't played in Waukesha in decades. Even though he claimed earlier he's never nervous before going onstage, he said, "I was lying. I'm nervous tonight."

Wearing a blue turtleneck and black slacks, Paul dazzled the crowd with his playing and with stories from his long career Thursday night.

During his 90-minute concert, he joined his jazz trio in playing tunes such as "Tennessee Waltz," "Lady Is a Tramp" and "Embraceable You" as the crowd paid rapt attention.

After "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," Paul got emotional, telling the crowd it was his mother's favorite song.

"You have no idea what it means to be back here," he said.

At one point, he jokingly accused his piano player of missing a note but added that he's missed his share, too.

"All the time I've been playing the guitar, the notes I missed, I say I'm saving them for the next album," he cracked.

Paul said at an earlier news conference that his trip was stirring up memories, including the motivation to invent the solid-body electric guitar in the 1940s.

He recalled coming home from a gig after an audience member told him his guitar needed to be louder.

"I went home and I said to my mother, `I've got a critic and the critic has something to say. It's up to me to do something about it. So I'll make an electric guitar,'" he said.

The invention caught on and helped Paul and his wife at the time, Mary Ford, record a series of hit records in the 1950s. Guitar-maker Gibson began mass-producing the Les Paul model in 1952. Many rock musicians became famous playing on the model.

"Thank God the younger generation latched onto it and said, `Look what we got here,'" he said.

Tickets for Paul's performance ranged from $300 to $375. All 350 tickets were sold, with all the money going to the Waukesha County Historical Society & Museum, which is raising money for the Les Paul exhibit. In March, Paul donated $25,000 to the museum.

Paul is also known for developing recording techniques such as close miking, multitracking and use of echo and delay. He's credited with introducing the first eight-track tape player in 1950s and building an early model synthesizer.

He's often called the "Wizard of Waukesha," though he said he's not sure where it came from.

"I didn't create it. I don't care ... but if the shoe fits," he said with a laugh.

Paul, who lives in Mahwah, N.J., has donated many artifacts and memorabilia for the planned exhibit, a $3 million project expected to open in 2010.

Paul didn't need much warm-up time Thursday. He has played twice every Monday night with his trio at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York since 1996.

He said he had one regret about the hometown concert — he wished some of his friends, who have since died, could have been around for it. Still, he was happy to come home.

"I think of the wonderful days I had and the people who taught me and who I grew up with," he said.

[chefcraig]

Les Paul And His "Paul-veriser"

[broken combs]

The man casts a looooong shadow over the electical guitar.

Les Paul is the man!

[The Rover]

Listening to "Tiger Rag" on a 45rpm as a youngster was my introduction to the Les Paul guitar sound.

Lovin' it ever since ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

[Jesus H Christ]

Happy 94th to the KING.

[chefcraig]

Guitar legend Les Paul dies at age 94

(AP) – 10 minutes ago

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Les Paul, the guitarist and inventor who changed the course of music with the electric guitar and multitrack recording and had a string of hits, many with wife Mary Ford, died on Thursday. He was 94.

According to Gibson Guitar, Paul died of complications from pneumonia at White Plains Hospital. His family and friends were by his side.

As an inventor, Paul helped bring about the rise of rock 'n' roll and multitrack recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the "tracks" in the finished recording.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...PmtzAD9A23LL00

[sixstring]

That's sad. He'll truly be missed.

At least from what I've learned about him over the years, he lived a really full, rich life...and a long one, to boot. Never saw him without a smile on his face. Always thought that was the coolest thing about him.

What a pioneer, if not THE pioneer of modern music.

Godspeed, Les...

[ziggysmalls]

RIP Les and thanks for all that you have done.

[sinner's swing]

Damn! RIP Les Paul. Gibson would be shit, without your name.

[edwardv]

What a great guy RIP. Thanks for your inventions which have made my life so much more interesting thru music.

[SLEEPER5150]

Les Paul was an amazing man. Here's a shot of him with his huge contribution to modern music, the multitrack.
The world's first eight-track recording machine, built by Ampex in the mid-1950s per Les Paul's specs, is among the artifacts in Paul's recording studio, where the inventor, pictured at left, and the author, pictured at right, taped an eight-hour interview in 1991. This revolutionary machine marked the dawn of modern recording. Without multitrack recording, The Beatles could never have recorded "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," one reason Paul McCartney is such a fan. (Pic: Rus Paul)
Rest in peace Les. Thanks for everything!

[Bono Vox]

A true innovator who lived a long and prosperous life.

R.I.P. Les

A very sad day.

[Raldo]

R.I.P. Les

[looper_guy]

The "Thomas Edison" of the music world. Sad news but today's the day to honor a true genius. A life well lived for sure. R.I.P good sir.

[vh_chick]

A legend and a genius. RIP Les Paul.