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A sad day in the world of music. Guitar legend Les Paul passes away at the age of 94.

August 14th, 2009 Posted by: Dust Devil

You know, the last few months have been a bit of a sad period in regards to celebrities that have passed on from this world. Despite the fact it is rare that we know any of these individuals on a personal basis, their deaths affect us, some more so than others. Occasionally though, a passing seems to have a little more meaning because of what the individual represented in the grand scheme of things. Such is the case with Mr. Les Paul.

Les Paul’s passing on Thursday, August 13 at the age of 94, may not get the kind of coverage that the deaths of others have, but the influence he has had and will have on generations of musicians is simply undeniable.

This is a gentleman that is the father of the electric six-string. In addition, the work he accomplished in pioneering recording techniques such as multi-tracking and the electronic echo continues to resonate through the music industry today.

Once Les Paul began experimenting with the electric guitar, he teamed up with Gibson Guitars. His model six-string became a signature piece of work for that company. He continued to create new styles of guitars, including the 14-fret and the dual-pickup. The man was sheer genius, and this innovative work led to Les Paul being inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005, joining such select company as Thomas Edison!

As a performer Les Paul is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Grammy Hall of Fame. His influence on so many musicians, particularly guitarists, is absolutely stunning. Artists such as Slash, Joe Satriani, Joan Jett, Keith Richards, Richie Sambora, Keith Urban and countless others spoke publicly in glowing terms about Les Paul once news of his passing was made public. It is obvious this man was a legend, a role model, and as many of the artists stated, a true friend to all those in the music community.

Personally speaking, I think of the fact that at my age I sometimes bemoan the fact of not being able to do some of the things I used to. Les Paul was still playing every Monday night in New York City well into his nineties! Absolutely incredible!

Mr. Les Paul, we pay tribute to you today, and always. We thank you for all you did while on this earth. The world of music is a better place today because of you.

Click here for comments from several artists regarding the legacy of Les Paul

Cheers,
The Dust Devil

Filed under: My Take, In The News