Les Paul, father of electric guitar, dies at 94

[Sheriff Roland]

He was still living in New York & performing weekly in his bar with occasional famous guests (and fans) like Jon Bon Jovi sitting in last I heard from him a coupl'a years ago. He'd call, from time to time to chat, all evening long with the host of the Thursday Big Band show (now discontinued) on AM740 here in Toronto.

Always enjoyed listening to his stories. Even mentioned him (& the fact that he still performed weekly) to a fellow traveller and fan on my last trip up to Timmins.

I already miss him.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2009/08/13/les-paul-obit.html

"Primarily a jazz-pop musician, Paul's pioneering techniques influenced guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page.

At age 93, he still played weekly at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City.

Paul built his own solid-body guitar with amplification in 1941, because he wanted audiences to hear him better.

Paul also developed recording techniques such as multi-tracking and echo delay, and he created an early-model synthesizer..."

[Sheriff Roland]

Some of those 'chats' with Bob Sprout on the Thursday evening show I mentioned earlier will be replayed this afternoon. You can catch it all through the internet @ http://www.am740.ca/site/lobby.cfm

[Shakesthecoffecan]

He changed the world, that is for sure!

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iGXP_UBog4[/youtube]

[Sheriff Roland]

His renditon of 'How High the Moon' was his first #1 hit in '51 (preceeded by a #2 hit 'Mockin' Bird Hill' earlier the same year). The song had been previously recorded by Benny Goodman #6('40), Mitchell Ayres #18('40) and Stan Kenton #20('48).

His double tracking (actually 24 tracks for this song) has Mary Ford singing with herself (12 tracks) and Les paul playing yet another 12 tracks of guitar. It's an amazing production - for 1951.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0ffdwBUL78[/youtube]

And even more amazing, this instrumental live performance ...

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CNJ0txKXSo[/youtube]

[Front-Ranger]

His renditon of 'How High the Moon' was his first #1 hit in '51 (preceeded by a #2 hit 'Mockin' Bird Hill' earlier the same year).

His double tracking (actually 24 tracks for this song) has Mary Ford singing with herself (12 tracks) and Les paul playing yet another 12 tracks of guitar. It's an amazing production - for 1951.

I have both recordings! Given to me by my mother. I'll play them tonight.

[Shasta542]

I grew up around uncles, great-uncles, and a grandfather who regularly got together with friends and played---guitars, banjos, fiddles, drums, etc. and Les Paul was their standard and hero.(I got none of the musical ability.) I have toured the Gibson Guitar Factory in Memphis, TN. Here is the Gibson Les Paul:



Here is a link to the Gibson Guitar Factory, and they have a tribute up to Les Paul:

http://www2.gibson.com/Gibson.aspx

In January 1948, Paul was injured in a near-fatal automobile accident in Oklahoma, which shattered his right arm and elbow. Doctors told Paul that there was no way for them to rebuild his elbow in a way that would let him regain movement, and that his arm would remain permanently in whatever position they placed it in. Paul then instructed the surgeons to set his arm at an angle that would allow him to cradle and pick the guitar. It took him a year and a half to recover.

We must all own up that without Les Paul, generations of flash little punks like us would be in jail or cleaning toilets. Keith Richards

RIP Les Paul--thanks for the music.

[Sheriff Roland]

Thanks for the link Shasta.

I especially appreciated the youtube link to 'chasing sounds'.

I'm not a guitar player, more of a music historian (very amature), but I appreciate his contribution.

The am740 link I posted earlier will supposedly have some of the interviews I witnessed (within the past 5 or 5 years) imbedded for those of you who (like me) care to listen to two old men talking music history and dropping famous names.

[Sheriff Roland]

They're playing a 2 hour special on the life of Les Paul right now on am740. @ http://www.am740.ca/listen-live

It includes all his biggest hits and a lot of those Les Paul in-conversation-interviews-with Bob Sprot (from 2002 to 2007)

Here's one of my favourite Les Paul arangements for which he played all the parts, before the advent of multi track recording.

[youtube=425,350]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTZpCD5QRsk[/youtube]