R.I.P. Les Paul

[brmstn69]

Music has lost yet another great talent. For those of you who don't know who he is, Les Paul was a musician and inventor who has influenced almost every aspect of modern music. He invented the electric guitar, the 8-track recording system, and many other devices that are still used in recording today. He was as much responsible for rock as Elvis and The Beetles, Pop as Michael Jackson and Madonna. He played on a number of hit records in the '40's, 50's & 60's when he retired to work on his inventions. In the '70's he came back and recorded several country hits with Chet Atkins. He recorded his first rock album in 2005 at the age of 90.

With out him there would never have been an Elvis, The Stones, The Beetles, Black Sabbath, Bon Jovi, Madonna, MJ, Garth Brooks, Hank Williams Jr....

 

[XMan101]

He had a pretty good innings at least and his influence will never die !!

I'll bet his name is not known as much as many others but his legacy and importance in the music world is astronomical !

 

[Thor]

in some ways he was bigger than MJ.....RIP les

 

[blammy]

crap guitarist but great guitars

 

[brmstn69]

crap guitarist but great guitars

What do you mean "crap guitarist" ? His style of music may not be to your liking, but almost all the greats including Hendrix, Beck, Clapton, & Paige aspired to be as good as him. He taught Steve Miller to play. And all this was accomplished after his right arm was crushed in an auto accident in 1948. The doctor wanted to amputate it because once set he'd never be able to move it again. He had it set at an angle so he could still hold a guitar. It took almost two years for him to recover and he had to teach himself to play all over again. By the time he made the Les Paul And Friends album he had arthritis so bad he could only move two fingers, but Beck, Clapton, Paige and all the the other "Youngin's" still had difficulty keeping up with him.

Everyone's entitled to their own opinions, but until you have 75+ years of experience in the music industry and a shelf full of Grammys and gold records of your own, you haven't earned the right to criticize...

 

[XMan101]

Bloody well said !!!!!!!

 

[dimitri_karamov]

amen, good bye Les, and thanks for all the gifts.

 

[ffxxaaf]

RIP