Les Paul dies at 94

Les Paul, guitar legend and inventor, died yesterday at the age of 94 from problems with pneumonia. Paul was famous for inventing the solid body electric guitar, a famous guitar which was used by many famous guitar heroes such as Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin and Pete Townshend of the Who. He also had a hand in developing multi-track recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the tracks in the finished recording (source).






Pictured here is the Gibson Les Paul. The sound is just amazing from this guitar. No wonder the rock stars took a liking to it. It is no cheap piece of equipment either, selling at about $3,500US. After his death, I would not be surprised if Gibson boosted that price another thousand dollars or so.


Paul was also a pioneer of guitar amplification. So all of you parents who are kicking yourselves for buying your kid that amp for his electric guitar because he keeps making that extremely loud fuzzy noise which doesn't sound like music at all, you can thank Les Paul for inventing both of those pieces of equipment.

In 2005, at the age of 90, Les Paul released a new album titled Les Paul & Friends: American Made, World Played, which was his first album with original material since 1977 and his first official rock CD. The album featured great guitarists such as Peter Frampton, Jeff Beck, and Eric Clapton. The album won a couple Grammys. Now hold on a minute, he put out a grammy-winning rock album at the age of 90!?! That, my friends, is an accomplishment. To top it off too, he was crippled by arthritis in his left hand many years ago so he can't play the crazy fast riffs that he used to but still - HE PUT OUT A ROCK ALBUM AT THE AGE OF 90!

All of his inventions contributed to the rise of rock n' roll starting in the 50s. So for that, Mr. Paul, I thank you. Thank you for giving Jimmy Page the tools he needed to create Stairway to Heaven. Thank you for giving musicians a new way to express themselves. Thank you for sharing your love and passion for music. You will be missed. Rest in Peace.

But since when does a guitar legend live to be 94!? Shouldn't he have died from a heroine overdose like 50 years ago!?