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1. Dave Lucas: RIP Les Paul
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3. Les Paul, Wisconsinite Turned World-Renowned Guitarist, Dead at Age 94 « Lighthouse Patriot Journal
4. RIP Les Paul: 1915-2009 « SOYLENT GREEN
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Comments

1. #1
   On August 13th, 2009 at 12:38 pm, b-cat said:

   Truly sad news. As a guitarist myself, I will say that he had no peers.

   My Les Paul will be the guitar of choice for a while.

2. #2
   On August 13th, 2009 at 12:43 pm, William Teach said:

   Oh, man, that does truly suck. Les was a great guy and a pioneer. No one, other than Leo Fender, did more for modern guitar then Les.

   I got to meet him one time about 20 years ago, and, man, he could still rip.

   RIP

3. #3
   On August 13th, 2009 at 12:43 pm, letget said:

   Being an ‘older’ I listened to Les Paul and Mary Ford years ago. I watch them on the black and white tv and they were a joy to see. He sure could play the guitar! RIP Les.
   L

4. #4
   On August 13th, 2009 at 12:45 pm, pueblo1032 said:

   Started listening to LES PAUL and MARY FORD when I was a kid… What an enormous talent this man was… I will be listening to some of my LES vinyl for a while today…

5. #5
   On August 13th, 2009 at 12:45 pm, Brian72 said:

   This is sad news. the man was a true innovator, a genius.

   He is responsible for the Gibson Les Paul line of guitars, which I think are the best around. I have a black 1987 Les Paul Custom, and I love it.

   Many people do not realize that Les Paul is responsible for the genesis of multi-track recording, and many other technical advancements in the art and science of the studio.

   He was also an incredible musician, great player.

   God bless him, and his family.

6. #6
   On August 13th, 2009 at 12:47 pm, oldcollegeguy1980 said:

   Even with a tin ear I knew perfection when I heard it.

   God Speed

7. #7
   On August 13th, 2009 at 12:47 pm, hatfield said:

   Rest easy Les.

8. #8
   On August 13th, 2009 at 12:49 pm, T-Bone said:

   I have a Les Paul Guitar. He was a pioneer in the music field, a talent, and an incredible influence on the electric guitar generation. His accomplishments are duly noted. Thanks for everything Les.

9. #9
   On August 13th, 2009 at 12:51 pm, b-cat said:

   On August 13th, 2009 at 12:49 pm, T-Bone said:

   Are you named after T-Bone Walker? Very cool if you did.

10. #10
    On August 13th, 2009 at 12:54 pm, Dave the Libertarian said:

    RIP Les. I may not play a Les Paul (I have a 1980-vintage Fender Lead II), but I always loved the genuine Les Pauls, ever since my neighbor let me try his out back when I was a kid.

11. #11
    On August 13th, 2009 at 12:57 pm, Southpaw said:

    Martha, cover the cats ears. I’m gonna strap on my Telecaster (I know, not a Gibson) plug in the Roland guitar synth, and bang out a tribute to Les.

12. #12
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:00 pm, b-cat said:

    I’m gonna strap on my Telecaster

    Gibsons are very expensive anymore. Epiphones are affordable, though. With a little work on the right model, about as good.

13. #13
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:00 pm, travlinman said:

    RIP Les.

    I got my first guitar in 1970 and have worked on being a guitar player for almost 40 years. No Les Paul’s in my inventory, but a sweet Firebird represents the Gibson line. I’ll bend a few blues notes tonight in his memory.

14. #14
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:02 pm, chow said:

    Les Paul was awesome. Way ahead of his time. Will be sorely missed. I recall Steve Miller on a local radio show talking about Les Paul some years ago. Steve Millers father was Les Pauls producer. As a result Les Paul became Steve Millers guitar teacher. What a hoot that must have been for a budding musician. Class act a brilliant artist. Just thankful that we still have his body of work to admire.

15. #15
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:04 pm, flaming_o said:

    The great, great, great Les Paul. A great life. An innovative genius.

16. #16
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:05 pm, travlinman said:

    To all of my Fender playing buddies…

    “If you don’t play Gibson and Marshall, you are a wanker!”

    Ian St. Ian
    Character on Bob & Tom Show

    P.S. Leo Fender was also a genius.

17. #17
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:08 pm, glockomatic said:

    I still prefer Strats, but God bless Les Paul – he was truly an innovator and living legend in the guitar world. R.I.P.

18. #18
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:09 pm, Cameron said:

    Even though I am a bass player, I can still be grateful for the man’s contribution.

    And travlin man? I am glad that someone else remembers Ian St. Ian.

19. #19
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:10 pm, b-cat said:

    “If you don’t play Gibson and Marshall, you are a wanker!”

    Gibson and Fender. Fender makes the best (blues) amps.

20. #20
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:11 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    Les Paul remained young at heart all the way til the end. he was still playing and showing the young’uns how it’s done. A true guitar god.

21. #21
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:20 pm, tre said:

    If you listen closely, you can hear him and Bo Diddley jammin’ together, putting on a concert for Jesus Christ Himself.

    Rest In Peace, Les Paul.

22. #22
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:23 pm, stillontheroad said:

    If you ever get the chance and can find a copy, get Chester and Lester. I still have the LP and play it from time to time. It is a classic example off the cuff guitar playing.

23. #23
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:33 pm, Auggie Dog said:

    R.I.P. Les.

    My Les Paul is a 1976 custom that I bought brand new for $500.00 You couldn’t pay me enough to part with it.

    My first 45. Les and Mary. Got it out of a jukebox, when they were changeing the records one day.

    He was awesome. Wish I could have met the man.

24. #24
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:37 pm, J.J. Sefton said:

    I had the pleasure of seeing Les Paul perform a year or so ago at the Iridium jazz club in New York. What a talent and a gentleman.

    A bit of trivia: Many years ago, Les Paul taught a very young neighbor to play guitar. That young neighbor was Steve Miller.

    RIP Les Paul.

25. #26
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:43 pm, srhoades said:

    Had it not been for Les Paul there would have been no Carpenters, and a world without Karen is not a world I want to live in. Thank-you sir and Godspeed.

26. #27
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:43 pm, pianoman said:

    A one-of-a-kind musician, inventor and ambassador of the art. I grieve that which we can’t replace, but feel privileged to have lived in a time touched by his grace and skill. Go with God, Mr. Paul.

27. #28
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:50 pm, thirteen28 said:

    Sometimes words are insufficient. For me, Steve Hackett’s solo from “Firth of Fifth”, played on his trusty Les Paul, says it all.

    I hope Les Paul himself heard that solo at least once in his life … what a compliment to him it was.

28. #29
    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:53 pm, englishqueen01 said:

    I’ll take a moment to boast that Les Paul was born in Waukesha, Wis. and we are proud to call him one of our own.

    Rest in peace, and God bless.

29. #30
    On August 13th, 2009 at 2:13 pm, WaterBoyz said:

    What memories…..

    Les Paul – a brief history on YouTube
    Les Paul on Wiki

30. #31
    On August 13th, 2009 at 2:13 pm, tiredofit08 said:

    owned a SG at one point..couldn’t stand the weight of the Les Paul although they were nice to play…stuck with Fender’s..still have Mustang bass and Buddy Guy strat sig series. Les and the Beatles were what made me take up guitar…

    RIP Les…

31. #32
    On August 13th, 2009 at 2:16 pm, Mister P said:

    Well what do you.

    My parents bought me a Les Paul guitar in 1961. It may have been a classic, but it had a floating bridge that always moved throwing it out of tune. I traded it in 1965 for a Folk Guitar, so I could finger pick.

    It is an end of an era. Rock and Roll really owes its existance to the electric guitar.

32. #33
    On August 13th, 2009 at 2:18 pm, JimC214 said:

    Sad that another legend has passed. Also today the great Jazz drummer Rahsid Ali has passed away. Love to hear the jam he’s going to have with Les.

33. #34
    On August 13th, 2009 at 3:14 pm, T-Bone said:

    B-cat,

    Yes T-Bone Walker was one of the insirations for the moniker as well as many other things including t-bone steak, childhood nicknames, and T-Bone Pickens. I know its T Boone. I call him T-Bone.

    By the way, I also have a Marshall amp (100 watt) that I bought with my Les Paul in 1979. All still going strong. I started playing more acoustic electric (Takamine) when I moved into an apartment and for the last 5 years have been playing alto sax.

    I will have to break out the Les Paul tonight and bend a few strings also in tribute to this legend. Rock to Blues to Jazz with a little Okla Country sound mixed in. Yee haw!

34. #36
    On August 13th, 2009 at 4:20 pm, Micheleeroo said:

    I’d never head the name Les Paul before, but when the radio news began to play snippets of all his most famous pieces, I thought “wow, I recognize all of those guitar riffs” and they were good ones, to boot.

35. #37
    On August 13th, 2009 at 4:50 pm, arkansasmike said:

    Nothing else plays like a Les Paul.
    Nobody else played like the man.
    I can’t even imagine a world without his contributions, and I don’t want to.
    I think I’ll go play my guitar.
    God bless Les Paul.

36. #38
    On August 13th, 2009 at 4:52 pm, brtex said:

    I had the good fortune to see Les Paul at the Iridium Jazz Club in NYC in May. He was full of life could still play very well. To my surprise Les was a really funny guy. I enjoyed his humor as much as his music. What an incredible man. God bless and rest in peace.

37. #39
    On August 13th, 2009 at 5:28 pm, guitarguy said:

    I met Les Paul back in 1982-83, at the Institute of Jazz Studies in Newark, NJ. I introduced myself and extended my hand. Just as we were about to shake hands……he sneezed into his own hand. Big time. He went right from sneezing, to coming back to shake my hand.

    It was a no-brainer: I shook his hand.

    I mean….it was LES PAUL!!!!!!!!!!!

    Unfortunately, the close contact with his DNA did not help my guitar-skills.

    …….but I haven’t dropped a pick since.

    

38. #40
    On August 13th, 2009 at 5:29 pm, guitarguy said:

    OOOOOOOPS!

    ….forgot to add:

    Rest In Peace, Les!

39. #41
    On August 13th, 2009 at 5:35 pm, BobUSMC said:

    R.I.P. Les Paul

    One of the true greats!

    As a professional musician myself, he is and always will be greatly appreciated and revered.

40. #43
    On August 13th, 2009 at 9:07 pm, Brent said:

    On August 13th, 2009 at 1:02 pm, chow said:

    I recall Steve Miller on a local radio show talking about Les Paul some years ago. Steve Millers father was Les Pauls producer. As a result Les Paul became Steve Millers guitar teacher. What a hoot that must have been for a budding musician.

    If you get a chance, take a listen to the 2005 Les Paul album American MAde, World Played. The next to the last track #15, is Fly Like An Eagle with Steve Miller. The beginning of the track is an old home recording of Les and Steve as a young kid. Les tells him “Steve, you’re really going to go places.” How right he was.

41. #44
    On August 13th, 2009 at 10:43 pm, jangar said:

    Even a Gibson Les Paul has a distinct smell all of its own…

    - God bless Les