RIP Les Paul

[Sacbill]

The chief innovator of the modern electric guitar and overdub recording techniques, he passed away Thursday at the age of 94.

The man:

The guitar named after him (based on his design):

A necessarily limited gallery of some of the instrument's greatest players:

Jimmy Page

Warren Haynes

Mark Knopfler

Slash

John McLaughlin

Peter Frampton

As an extra treat, here he is with his wife, Mary Ford, playing "How High the Moon," recorded in 1951. Can you catch the influence he was on guitarists of the 50s and 60s?
Les Paul & Mary Ford How High the Moon

 

[JeffTepper]

I'm partial to this more recent beer commercial......

Les Paul (the legend!) in cool "Coors" beer comercial

 

[Starfury]

Wow, sad day. He had a good long life, though, and he'll definitely be remembered.

 

[lethal289]

Wow, sad day. He had a good long life, though, and he'll definitely be remembered.

Agreed totally. Ive always been a fan of a good gibson Les Paul, though ive only owned strats.

 

[DEL65]

RIP, what an amazing pioneer. Anyone else hear the story / myth about his badly broken right arm? Apparently, he had the doctor permanently set the arm in an angled position so he could still play guitar. Cool.

 

[Sacbill]

RIP, what an amazing pioneer. Anyone else hear the story / myth about his badly broken right arm? Apparently, he had the doctor set the arm in an angled position so he could still play guitar. Cool.

Definitely heard that one, first in the late 70s. I think he was in a really bad auto accident in the late 60s or early 70s and had the doc do just that.

He also hosted and performed at a weekly jam in NYC until his later age. (Not sure if he was still doing it at the time of his death.) A lot of slingers showed up, Eddie van Halen, all kinds. He stayed hip and tuned in to the latest guitarists. A real musician.

 

[johnpro]

Wow, that's a real bummer. His name will live on forever, though, because of the things he did.