Les Paul dies at 94

[ENUF2]

I thought the guitarists here would like to know.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — Les Paul, who invented the solid-body electric guitar later wielded by a legion of rock 'n' roll greats, died Thursday of complications from pneumonia. He was 94.
According to Gibson Guitar, Paul died at White Plains Hospital. His family and friends were by his side.
As an inventor, Paul also helped bring about the rise of rock 'n' roll with multitrack recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the tracks in the finished recording.


Pete Townshend of the Who, Steve Howe of Yes, jazz great Al DiMeola and Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page all made the Gibson Les Paul their trademark six-string.
Over the years, the Les Paul series has become one of the most widely used guitars in the music industry. In 2005, Christie's auction house sold a 1955 Gibson Les Paul for $45,600.
Guitarist Joe Satriani called Paul "the original guitar hero," saying: "Les Paul set a standard for musicianship and innovation that remains unsurpassed."

He will be missed.

[xman]

This is sad news. He was a great man. Maybe the greatest in the guitar world not only for being a tremendous player, but for innovating the electric guitar. I play a customized '76 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe. I suppose I must never sell it now.

May he ever live on in our hearts.

X

[Kingfish]

This is sad news. He was a great man. Maybe the greatest in the guitar world not only for being a tremendous player, but for innovating the electric guitar. I play a customized '76 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe. I suppose I must never sell it now.

May he ever live on in our hearts.

X

Even though I a fiddler, this one has to be given our deepest condolences. He was a legend and made some great innovations. Yes I would treasure that one. RIP
Mike

[wedwards]

Not only did Les turn the guitar world upside down with his invention of the electric guitar, but he also invented multi-track recording which turned the studio world on its head (oops...original post mentioned that, sorry).

I guess the pricetag on my 57' goldtop just went through the roof - not that I was thinking of selling......

Its a real shame that older people can die from complications with something as silly as pneumonia in this day and age. My great grandmother died from that same complication a while back, and I am still yet to understand how we do not have the technology to prevent these things, yet we can create the most sophisticated weapon systems the world has ever seen. Really makes me mad sometimes.

/end rant