The teacher went on to say, “Music’s going to learn him.”
I found this bit from the obit quite telling. I had never heard this before:
Whoa - I just read the obit; he died about 10 minutes from my office. I didn’t know he was in White Plains, NY…
I have told this story on the Dope before, but here is my Les Paul memory: A couple of years ago, he was playing his usual Monday night of 2 sets at Iridium in NYC - yes, at age 92. I went to see him, and at the end of the set, he got the usual “Hey Les - how about a picture?” - “Sure!” he says “Lemme get the band” - he calls his band from their instruments and they crowd around him. He calls out to the guy with the camera “Ready? Okay - 3, 2, 1…” and right when it’s time to snap the picture, he flips the guy the bird - Les’ finger is gnarled with arthritis and juts out in, like, seven different directions - and he has the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. The crowd went nuts and cheered and Les asked the guy “You got it?” and winked…
How many times will we hear the words, “Vaya con dios” the next few days?
He really was amazing, though.
A man who created a retronym. For hundreds of years it was a guitar.
Then came Les. And it had to be renamed the acoustic guitar.
edit: spelling
My first guitar was a 1972 Les Paul Custom, cherry sunburst with gold hardware, just like Frank Zappa used to play back in the 70s. I still have it, I still love it.
I met Les at the Gibson booth during CES here in Vegas a few years back. Really nice guy, very self-effacing. Genuinely seemed to appreciate hearing how much we all appreciated him. And he seemed quietly pleased that so many people had the same interests he did, and that he was able to help so many people get happy from listening to or performing music.
C ya Les. Gonna miss ya.
According to the album cover of his Greatest Hits The doctor insisted the arm had to come off. Les pleaded then insisted they fuse it in a play position instead. The surgery was innovative for the time.
My Les Paul story comes from my grandmother who has also passed away, but not before telling me this little nugget when she learned I had acquired my '72 Les Paul Deluxe…
Back in '66, my grandmother was working in the admin of a catholic school in the NYC - northern NJ area. Les had one or all of his children enrolled there - I can’t remember. Anyway, he used to hang out in the offices there and charm the ladies every once in a while. One day he was there talking about this amazing guitar player he had seen playing live in the Village a couple of nights before. He was floored by the guy and was angry at himself for not getting the players name because he wanted to help him get noticed by people in the business. Unfortunately, not many women in her office hung out in the Village that much and had no idea who he was talking about. Les never did get a chance to talk with the unknown virtuoso until a couple of years later - after he had made a name for himself in England and come back to the US. That’s right - it was Jimi Hendrix. Les almost beat Chaz Chandler to the punch…
By the way, my grandmother hated rock music. She knew who Hendrix was, but only because Les had talked so highly of him. She thought Les was a nice fellow, just a little to crass for her prudish tastes…
Yeah BigShooter that’s a great story; definitely part of the legend. I just finished Jeff Beck’s bio (based on a rec from a Doper) and read how Jeff was the one to induct him into the RRHoF and their mutual respect.
I just pulled out my '57 Les Paul Special (with a TV Yellow finish) and went a few rounds. Thanks Les.
Well said, gaffa. And playing right up to (almost) the end!
RIP Les.
I got you beat by 20 years, Marley. I picked up my first LP in 1974. The man influenced us all. It has been said but truly, anyone who ever played electric owes him for any success.
Hawk
Coincidentally he died only a couple of days after the 100th anniversary of Leo Fender’s birth.
RIP, Les. 
RIP, Les. You’ll be sorely missed.
He did so much more than just play (very flash) guitar. I hope I still have a Guitar Player (I think) interview where he decribes his original sound-on-sound techniques involving cutting acetate discs using a flywheel and weight (dropped out of an upstairs window to give enough duration).
It’s possible I’m remembering this wrong (but it’s surely too odd for me to just have made up). In the same guitar magazine article he describes getting a phone call in the middle of the night from Groucho Marx to come over and help fix his (Groucho’s) train set. Quite versatile old Lester.
BBC Radio 4 had a couple of good tributes playing a short medly of quintisential Les Paul (the guitar) tracks. One last night on an arts program and this morning on the main news (with Bob Harris pointing out how important he was in terms of pioneering multitrack and other ‘trick’ recording techniques). On both occasions one of the selections was Pagey playing Whole Lotta Love, but last night’s program used the studio version (which might just be a Telecaster?) this morning they used the live version, which definitely is a Les Paul. Looks like someone at the Beeb knows their stuff.
SC another proud Les Paul owner.
I refuse to believe this without pictures :eek::eek:
Here’s my baby. Basically, Gibson’s version of a Telecaster - a plank with microphone’s stuck in it. Sublime.
I so disagree. It was begun by Paul, but as long as anyone plays, or attempts to play that intricate, flashy, yet intimate style that was so much his trademark, the era will continue. And I think they will continue. He just started it for everyone else.
Dude, beautiful… ever had it appraised??
There’s a two click rule for porn, man.