Les Paul - The Original Guitar Hero Dead at 94

[Jimi James]

It seems impossible now, but Les Paul's life IS the electric guitar. From their inception, there's been Les Paul as the champion and innovator of an instrument that would change music history and become an icon for generations to come. Les Paul died of complications from pneumonia at a Hospital in White Plains, New York. He was surrounded by family and loved ones.

Paul was a popular hit maker in his day as the outfit "Les Paul and Mary Ford" and "The Les Paul Trio." His work not only was a feature on the sales charts, he was a hero of musicians and audiophiles the world over. His work with the electric guitar stands alone in the prized signature series bearing his name created by the Gibson Guitar company over the decades. Les Paul was also instrumental in many other technologies including multi-track recording and stereophonic sound.

Les Paul leaves an undeniable legacy as both a mentor and composer. Cited as the influence of many great guitarists from Chet Atkins to Jimi Hendrix. Paul also leaves a number of great standards that will live on eternally in covers and reditions of "How High the Moon," "Mockingbird Hill" and "Tennessee Waltz."

[Jimi James]

He was way ahead of his time. He and guys like Raymond Scoot were champions of our musical future decades before people even knew what they were talking about. I wonder if they ever met?

[Jon Johnson]

I actually heard his music later in the beginning of musical journey. I heard a lot of his Mary Ford duo stuff from a guitarist friend of mine. Recently I listened to a lot of the excerpts of interviews he did at WGN radio. Currently you can listen to them at http://www.wgnradio.com/shows/stevejohnnie/wgnam-steve-johnnie-remembering-les-paul,0,6975991.story
for FREE of course. His personality and character, as well his experiences and ideas are really fleshed out with these audio files.