# Guitarist Les Paul just died! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 13, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303 "2009-08-13T16:10:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/1 "2009-08-13T16:10:14Z")
Just announced on [MSNBC.com](http://MSNBC.com) The Wizard of Waukesha / Rhubarb Red - wow. Thanks for EVERYTHING, Les… ---
**Author:** ![akira5822](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@akira5822](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akira5822)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/2 "2009-08-13T16:14:44Z")
:(:mad: ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/3 "2009-08-13T16:20:01Z")
Wow. Modern music owes him a huge debt. Rest in peace, Les. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/4 "2009-08-13T16:23:14Z")
Damn. His “Over The Rainbow” was awesome, and I can’t think of anyone who was such an innovator (on the design side as well as the technique side). He had a good run. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/5 "2009-08-13T16:28:44Z")
Without Les Paul, our world in general and mine specifically (dad is a rocker, and supported us with his guitar playing) would be completely different. He was still playing out right up until the very end. Rest easy, Les. You’re a legend. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/6 "2009-08-13T16:30:17Z")
An innovator for sure. And by the way I think it’s very appropriate that **WordMan** got in to post the OP here. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/7 "2009-08-13T16:32:00Z")
Wow, too bad. He had a long run though. Glad I got to see him at Fat Tuesday’s. RIP, Les. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/8 "2009-08-13T16:36:35Z")
Arguably the single most influential person on all of 20th Century recorded music. Truly a giant. RIP. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/9 "2009-08-13T16:39:26Z")
Sometimes, Les is no More. ☹ …TRM ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/10 "2009-08-13T16:40:48Z")
Bummer news - RIP LP ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/11 "2009-08-13T16:43:09Z")
[AP link](http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jBD78k8tewQ7FPeiKtJbK8QPmtzAD9A23OFG0) He was 94. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/12 "2009-08-13T16:44:49Z")
The [Gibson Web Site](http://www2.gibson.com/Gibson.aspx) has a tribute cover ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/13 "2009-08-13T16:49:19Z")
What a drag. He was a hell of a player on top of being an incredible innovator. That man could rip. I remember listening to an old Mary Ford/Les Paul LP at my grandmothers house when I was a teenager. He was one of the guys who made me realize that players outside of rock could rip it up. It totally broadened my musical horizons. RIP Les. Slee ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/14 "2009-08-13T16:52:15Z")
Everybody who has laid their hands on the electric guitar has a connection with that man. RIP. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/15 "2009-08-13T16:58:28Z")
Sometimes it is said figuratively that a musician “reinvented” an instrument. It’s pretty rare when that can be said literally. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/16 "2009-08-13T17:02:37Z")
[The New York Times obit, in which Les Paul accurately compares himself to an accidental Thomas Edison.](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/arts/music/14paul.html?_r=1&hp) -Marley, who’s played a Les Paul Jr. Special since 1994. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/17 "2009-08-13T17:04:25Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Just announced on [MSNBC.com](http://MSNBC.com) > > The Wizard of Waukesha / Rhubarb Red - wow. Thanks for EVERYTHING, Les… As soon as I saw this on the AP wire, I thought, “I’ll betcha **WordMan** will have a thread running…” A real pioneer, seems like he lived a good long one. RIP ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/18 "2009-08-13T17:56:39Z")
It’s sad, but I feel the same as I did when Dr Suess died - he lived a good, long life and died loved and respected by millions. It doesn’t get any better than that. From the NYT obit: _His childhood piano teacher wrote to his mother, “Your boy, Lester, will never learn music.”_ ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/19 "2009-08-13T18:13:15Z")
An era ends… ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303/20 "2009-08-13T18:16:23Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > It’s sad, but I feel the same as I did when Dr Suess died - he lived a good, long life and died loved and respected by millions. It doesn’t get any better than that. Exactly - his legend and reputation is so large - so much influence. I’ll say it again - if you haven’t seen the PBS American Masters Documentary “ **Les Paul: Chasing Sound** ” - it is available on DVD and entirely worth it… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/guitarist-les-paul-just-died/506303.md?page=2)