Happy Birthday Les Paul! (June 9, 1915)

byFrankB-1

6.6K followers

3 years ago

Hi, WA Friends!

Let's celebrate Les Paul's Birthday! If you've never heard of him, you probably heard the term Les Paul Guitar, which he invented. Les was born Lester William Polsfuss on June 9, 1915, in Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Les was known as the "Wizard of Waukesha, just as Thomas Edison was known as the Wizard of Menlo Park.

Innovations And Inventions

Les wasn't just a killer guitar player. He was an innovator who revolutionized the music industry!

Here is a summary of some of his main inventions:

The Solid-Body Electric Guitar

His guitar, famously known as "The Log," was made from a solid piece of pine and was the precursor to the Gibson Les Paul model. It resolved the feedback issues associated with hollow-body electric guitars, allowing for a cleaner sound at high volumes.

Sound on Sound Recording

This technique involves recording one sound while playing back another, allowing musicians to layer sounds without two recording machines.

Multitrack Recording

Les Paul's development of multitrack recording was a game-changer for the music industry. This technique, which involves recording different parts of a song separately and then combining them, allowed for much greater complexity in musical arrangements and had a profound impact on the way music is produced.

Tape Delay

Les developed tape delay, a technique that creates an echo effect by recording sound on a tape and then playing it back after a short delay. This technique was an essential step in the evolution of audio effects.

Phasing Effects

He also created early phasing effects, a sound distortion achieved by splitting an audio signal, altering the phase of one portion, and then recombining the signals.

These innovations marked a paradigm shift in music production, paving the way for the sounds and techniques that are common in contemporary music.

Performance Career

Paul's career as a performer was equally impressive as his years as an inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the jazz, country, and blues fusion. His guitar playing was renowned for its intricate, fast-paced licks and melodies, combining elements of jazz and blues in a unique and compelling way.

Together with his wife, Mary Ford, Paul charted numerous hits in the 1950s, like "How High the Moon," "Vaya Con Dios," and "Mockin' Bird Hill," with their music featuring layers of their voices and Paul's guitar tracks - a testament to his recording innovations.

Honors and Awards

Throughout his lifetime, Les Paul received many awards for his contributions to music. These included multiple Grammy Awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, and the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005. He also received the Grammy Trustees Award for his contributions to the music industry in 1983 and a Technical Grammy Award in 2001.

Discography

Les Paul's discography is a testament to his musical versatility and talent. His earliest work was with the Les Paul Trio in the late 1930s and 1940s. However, his most successful period was in the 1950s, when he and Mary Ford released a string of hits.

Les Paul had an extensive discography, working both solo and with other musicians. Below is a selection of his studio albums. If you have to listen to just one album, check out "Guitar Monsters" with Chet Atkins!

1. "The New Sound" (1950) - Les Paul with Mary Ford
2. "Les Paul's New Sound, Vol. 2" (1951) - Les Paul with Mary Ford
3. "Bye Bye Blues!" (1952) - Les Paul with Mary Ford
4. "Les and Mary" (1955) - Les Paul with Mary Ford
5. "Time to Dream" (1957) - Les Paul with Mary Ford
6. "Lover's Luau" (1959) - Les Paul with Mary Ford
7. "Bouquet of Roses" (1962) - Les Paul with Mary Ford
8. "Les Paul Now" (1968)
9. "Guitar Tapestry" (1973)
10. "The World Is Still Waiting for the Sunrise" (1974)
11. "Chester and Lester" (1976) - Les Paul and Chet Atkins
12. "Guitar Monsters" (1977) - Les Paul and Chet Atkins
13. "Multi Trackin'" (1979)
14. "Gibson Presents Les Paul and Mary Ford" (1981)
15. "Les Paul and Friends: American Made World Played" (2005)
16. "Les Paul with Mary Ford: The Best of the Capitol Masters" (2005)
17. "Les Paul & Friends: A Tribute to a Legend" (2008)

Les Paul also released numerous singles throughout his career. Several of these were major hits, such as "How High the Moon" and "Vaya Con Dios," both with Mary Ford.

In the 1970s, after his semi-retirement, Paul released "Les Paul Now," showcasing his multitrack recording techniques. His later recordings, including "Chester and Lester" with Chet Atkins, further cemented his legacy.

My Meeting With Les Paul

I was lucky enough to meet Les Paul after a show he did at The Iridium in New York City on July 6th, 2004. He signed his CD for me.

I should have brought my '59 Les Paul VOS Murphy Lab guitar and had him sign it, but I didn't want to put it in the plane's cargo hold.

Yeah, I know, we both have the same color shirt on.

Les Paul passed away in 2009, leaving behind a massive legacy in both music and technology. His inventions and musical innovations laid the foundation for much of the modern music landscape. And, every time a guitarist plugs in a Gibson Les Paul, they pay homage to this true music pioneer's remarkable contributions.

Happy Birthday, Les Paul! 🎂

Let me know what you think of Les in the comments!

Rock On! 🤘
Frank 🎸