Entertainment,  Music

Les Paul (1915-2009)

The Associated Press reports that Les Paul has passed away:

“Les Paul, the guitar virtuoso and inventor who revolutionized music and created rock ‘n’ roll as surely as Elvis Presley and the Beatles by developing the solid-body electric guitar and multitrack recording, died Thursday at age 94. . .

“Paul, who died in White Plains, N.Y., of complications from pneumonia, was a tireless tinkerer, whose quest for a particular sound led him to create the first solid-body electric guitar, a departure from the hollow-body guitars of the time. His invention paved the way for modern rock ‘n’ roll and became the standard instrument for legends like Pete Townshend and Jimmy Page.”

8 Comments

  • Barry

    Nothing play like, or sounds like, a Les Paul. Sweet sweet guitars.

    And Denny, don’t forget Slash. Always plays a Les Paul.

  • paul

    Les Paul was a mad man on his instrument. Could play sweet sounding notes, followed by furious flurries, followed by chords to make be-boppers envious.

    Everyone wants to remember his guitar. How about remembering that with the exception of Danny Gatton and a VERY small handful of others, that he was one of the best guitarists to have ever played popular music.

    Whoever your favorites are on the electric guitar, either they learned from guys like Les Paul, or they should have never picked up the instrument in the first place (guy in Creed, I’m talking to you…)

    Carry on.

  • Michael Templin

    I agree les paul was a great. Yet not as good as the likes of Chet Atkins, Albert Lee, John Scofield…the list could go on for a while. And paul that guy in Creed is Mark Tremonti, none by many as the greatest riff writer of the 90’s and 2000’s and btw he is actually leading the way in the resurgence of shred guitarand is respected by vai, satch, michael angelo, etc. Nice try bud. RIP Les i will miss your beautiful playing!

  • Matthew Staton

    As a kid I read the “Guitar Handbook” cover to cover.
    http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Handbook-Ralph-Denyer/dp/0679742751 Mine had a black cover, this must be a newer version.

    I loved many of the guitars in there, but two in particular were the Les Paul and the Gibson semi-hollow body. My grandpa played one like the Gibson; music for the eyes and ears. When I saw that Les Paul died, I guess I was surprised he had still been alive! His guitar lives on…

  • paul

    This could be the dumbest statement of all time…

    “I agree les paul was a great. Yet not as good as the likes of Chet Atkins, Albert Lee, John Scofield…the list could go on for a while.”

    (Albert Lee was a one trick pony, and Atkins and Scofield would be two of the first to acknowledge the fact that no Les = no Atkins or Sco)

    except that it was followed by this…

    “And paul that guy in Creed is Mark Tremonti, none by many as the greatest riff writer of the 90’s and 2000’s and btw he is actually leading the way in the resurgence of shred guitarand is respected by vai, satch, michael angelo, etc. Nice try bud.”

    (grammatical errors aside, this is truly the single dumbest musical insight that I have ever read. And I want proof of guys like Vai giving Creedboy the time of day.)

  • Michael Templin

    Hey paul i was not trying to attack you man. And sorry for the grammer, i do not type very well and did not proof read :). Albert Lee is excellent, maybe you have not experienced as much of his music, or maybe you don’t like him. Check out Namm videos and media you can see mark and others jamming and hanging out. Also, I am in no way saying that i do not enjoy and respect Les, Yet like Clapton did with robert johnson, and then Eddie did with clapton…music evolves, they learn every trick in the book of there hero’s and then take it to the next level.

    PS I assume you are a believer, so you might want to lighten up a little and show people some grace. I will try to do the same thing.

    http://www.bill-peck.com/imgs/photos/NAMM/vai2.htm

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYfQHuo-z2c

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