Les Paul has passed away.
The man was a genius. He was a phenomenal musician. An inventor to rival Edison. Just a genius. A true American legend.
One of the most popular electric guitars in the world bears his name, the Les Paul.
My very first good guitar was a Les Paul copy made by a Japanese company. I wish I had been able to afford a real Lester. To this day, I still wish that.
In an interview with the New York Times, taped in 2008, he talked about still playing his weekly gig at the Iridium jazz club in New York at age 93.
"I just love to play," he said.
And all of us who love music loved listening to him.
He was 94. He kept his gig up to the end.
A truly great man.
Here is Les playing "Birth of Blues" with another great guitarist, his friend, Chet Atkins.
