Rock guitar pioneer Les Paul dies


Les Paul's guitars were played by stars like Sir Paul McCartney

Les Paul, whose pioneering electric guitars were used by a legion of rock stars, has died at the age of 94.
Mr Paul died from complications of pneumonia in New York, according to Gibson, the firm that sold his guitars.
He is credited with developing one of the first solid-body electric guitars, which went on sale in 1952 and contributed to the birth of rock.
He also developed other influential recording innovations such as multi-track recording and overdubbing.
And he was credited with inventing the eight-track tape recorder.
U2 guitarist The Edge, Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page, Guns N' Roses star Slash and The Who's Pete Townshend are among those closely associated with the Les Paul sound.
Slash described him as "an exceptionally brilliant man".
Les Paul began as a country and jazz musician. Photo: Gene Martin

He said: "Les Paul was a shining example of how full one's life can be. He was so vibrant and full of positive energy. I'm honoured and humbled to have known and played with him over the years."
Fellow guitarist Joe Satriani called Paul "the original guitar hero," saying: "Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed."
Henry Juszkiewicz, chairman of Gibson Guitar, said: "His influence extends around the globe and across every boundary."
Gibson president Dave Berryman said: "As the 'father of the electric guitar', he was not only one of the world's greatest innovators but a legend who created, inspired and contributed to the success of musicians around the world."
Hall of Fame

Les Paul was a successful performer in his own right

Mr Paul was also a successful performer in his own right, notching up 11 number one singles and 36 gold discs with his wife Mary Ford.
He was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978 and the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Les Paul began as a country and jazz musician, playing with such acts as Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole.
Unhappy with acoustic guitars, he had begun experimenting with guitar amplification at the age of 13 by placing a telephone receiver under the strings.
Les Paul performed with his wife Mary Ford

He created his first solid-body electric guitar, dubbed "the log", in 1941. "I went into a nightclub and played it. Of course, everybody had me labelled as a nut," he later said.
It did not go on sale for another 11 years, by which time Leo Fender's rival Telecaster model was already on the market.
In 1948, Mr Paul almost died in a car crash that shattered his right arm and elbow. Afterwards, he convinced doctors to set his broken arm at a right angle in the guitar-picking and cradling position.
'Beautiful guitar'
He continued to refine his guitar design throughout the 1950s. Its basic structure has barely changed over the decades and continues to be popular among stars and amateurs alike.
Gibson released a line of Les Paul guitars designed by Slash

Stephen Lawson, editor of Total Guitar magazine, said: "It was a beautiful guitar… it was hand crafted, it was carved, it was a really beautiful looking instrument.
His work on taping techniques began after World War II, when Bing Crosby gave him a tape recorder.
Multi-tracking - where separate recordings are combined - was first heard in the 1950 number one hit How High the Moon, a duet with Ford.
"I've been trying to imagine a world without Les Paul - it would be so different. Until he invented multi-track recording, you had to make a record gathered round a microphone in the middle of room," said Stephen Lawson.
"One of the most obvious classic Les Paul Guitar solos is Sweet Child of Mine by Guns N' Roses - that intro has such a distinctive Les Paul sound to it.
"It can go from a mellow beautiful sound that really hits you in your soul, all the way to a shredding searing lead guitar tone".

 

I have been posting links to some of Les Paul's recordings on this page...

https://forum.xnxx.com/showthread.php?t=87968&page=6

 

TV Demo of how Les and Mary did their overdubbing at home in the 1950s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2FeKf7UUcQ

 

Les Paul playing at the Iridium Jazz Club of New York in his 90s...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP7qI5RVtxw&feature=related

 

Les Paul COORS BEER Commercial:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8O5wZAd2z4&NR=1

 

Early life bio of Les...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ_5ubk2H4k&feature=related

 

Really?

Oh, bollocks... I'll cherish my Les Paul all the more... it's signed by Duff of ex-Guns n Roses fame, too. ^__^

 

Hold on to that guitar orion.
A fine guitar maker!

1974, Gibson Les Paul "Sunburst" Jimmy Page and many others used one of these axes,

 

So true.

Rock and roll.

 

With that signature? You bet!

 

Definitly an icon, knew he was getting up there in age, but didn't realize he was that old. Those electric guitars must have worked like a pacemaker for Les. Talking about old music icons, did anyone see this, Mike was ancient....

 

Adieu, Les.....

 

Actually, I saw a mummy at the field museum in chicago that resembled Michael Jackson. This may be the same one.

Egyptians were African, so, there's a good chance that an African American could resemble an Egyptian.

 

Les Paul's mother lived to be over 100. I was thinking that Les might live that long as well. At least he was still playing guitar at the end, even though his joints were fusing together due to arthritis.

 

As a guitarist I have admired the man. I own a Gibson GK55, the 1979 predecessor to the modern day Les Paul Studio as well as an acoustic Gibson and a 1969 Les Paul (see "Old Black" played by Neil Young) that I inherited from my uncle. Though most of my guitars are Fender, I enjoy my Gibsons as well

 

Let's just hope no more musical heroes leave us this year!

 

I like it

 

Video of Les demonstrating his "Les Pulverizer"..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foXSXOAfB4U