If you have ever thought about becoming a guitar player, or have played guitar, there is no doubt you are familiar with the infamous Les Paul guitar by Gibson.
This legendary guitar has been played by everyone from Slash, Jimmy Page, and Gary Moore, to Warren Haynes, Joe Bonamassa, and Eric Clapton. It is the sound of rock, and has been replicated by many, but never duplicated.
Today, Thursday August 14th Les Paul the inventor of the solid body electric guitar, has died from complications from Pneumonia at the age of 94.
Les Paul invented multitrack recording and made huge advancements in the way we record music. If it weren’t for Les Paul, we would have no Pro Tools I can tell you that.
The husband and wife team of Les Paul (guitarist, born Lester William Polsfuss in 1915) and Mary Ford (vocalist, born Iris Colleen Summers in 1924, died in 1977) recorded 16 Top Ten hits between 1950-1954.
Mary Ford (aka Iris Colleen Hatfield) (July 7, 1924, El Monte, California, – September 30, 1977, Arcadia, California), vocalist and guitarist, was one-half of the famed husband-wife musical team, Les Paul and Mary Ford. Between 1950 and 1954, the couple had 16 top-ten hits. In 1951 alone, the duo sold six million records.
Les Paul was considered a guitar virtuoso back in the 50′s and influenced a whole generation of guitar players. If you haven’t seen the documentary, Les Paul Chasing Sound, you really need to check it out. It is a look into one of the greatest musical, and innovative minds ever put on this earth.
Check out a clip below.
How have you been impacted by the genius of Les Paul. Let me know right below.
Without Les, I wouldn’t be here – plain and simple. None of my musical influences and none of my instruments would even exist.
Wow…this is such a huge loss. Les did so many things for the music industry, and the Arts in general.
Like the article points out, the most popular recording software on the planet would not exist without him, not to mention his guitar line!