Les Paul's influence

[Robert Thomas]

I know that this is not a steel guitar topic, but I watched the OPB special about Les Paul last night and I was truly inspired by the impact that he had on the whole music industry. He is 90 years old and still doing his thing. Some of us have it and some don't, but he really made it much easier for a lot of the music industry and the tools we use to make music. Just wanted to share.
Thanks for listening!

[Emmett Roch]

My instrumental version of "San Antonio Rose" is a mixture of Lloyd Green's and Les Paul's versions.

It's hard to play much on a six-string that Les hadn't already played decades before.

[Jim Bates]

I saw the same PBS special on Les Paul. In one of the pictures of Les with all of his guitars, there was a Rickenbacher six-string steel guitar. Did he play that for his Hawaiian album?

Thanx,
Jim

[Bobby Caldwell]

I was lucky enough to bring Les Paul to St. Louis for a guitar clinic and concert in the mid seventies. He was always one of my heros but to meet the man was to much. He was so nice to everyone. He answered everyone's questions and stayed around until the last person left the building. Then a few of us ,with Les, sat around with a beer or two until the wee hours listening to Les Paul stories, and boy does he have some. The man had so much to say. He played so well it was amazing. To think he is still at it is a tribute in its self. Long live the "KING" Les Paul and may GOD bless him even more than he already has. Bobby

[Doug Beaumier]

I really enjoyed the PBS special on Les Paul. What a great guitarist and inventor! His early work with solid body guitars, multitrack recording, reverb and echo changed the industry.

I was amazed to learn about the auto accident in the 1940's that shattered his right arm and elbow. There was no way to reconstruct the elbow. The doctors told him that his right arm would have to be set in one position and it would stay that way permanently. So he told the surgeons to set his arm at a bent angle that would allow him to hold and pick the guitar! Wow!

[Ray Montee]

Hey fella's!
Does Les have a book out about his life and milestones, somewhat like JERRY BYRD's "ON THE WINGS OF MUSIC"?
I was shocked to realize that Mary Ford had left us in 1977. What a vocalist!
Very humorous about his making those fabulous records in all different rooms of his house, including the bathroom That was great reverb!
Isn't it amazing........that the real creative individuals, the geniuses, are called all kinds of names because they envision being different, not for status, but merely in order acomplish something they hear inside their head? What a musician. What a man!
And did you notice his music room? All that olde electronic equipment, guitars, amps, etc. Simply amazing! And, he seemed to know where everything was and it all appeared to be operational.
The injured right arm was quite a story! But, I must've missed the story about the Lincoln in the driveway?

[Blake Hawkins]

Although they showed some disk recording lathes, they didn't mention that back in 78rpm days, Les was dissatisfied with the equipment used by the record companies to produce the masters. He invented a recording lathe which far surpassed anything available.

[Gary Harris]

When I was doing construction work I would sometimes take a radio/casette player with me and play casettes. One of my casettes was by Les Paul and Mary Ford. A young man approached me and asked who was playing the guitar and when I told him it was Les Paul he said, "Well I knew he made guitars but I didn't know he played so well."

[Clyde Mattocks]

When our band was sponsored by Miller Brewing, we
attended a seminar in Milwaukee. Les Paul was a
guest. One of my most special momentos is an
autograph hanging on my wall. Under "Les Paul", I got him to add "AKA Rhubarb Red". He said, "I'll bet you and I are the only people in this room that know that". A real gentleman and a national treasure.

[scott murray]

he still does two shows every Monday night at the Iridium club in NYC.

finally got to see and meet him last fall. such a legend, still an amazing player, and a really funny guy too.

Jimmy Buffett happened to be in the audience that night and got up to do a couple tunes w/ Les. As Jimmy was breaking into "Margaritaville", Les said something like, "This is probably the first time a straight D chord has been played in a jazz club."

He poked a lot of fun at Buffett, who took it all very well. It's pretty hard to cut down a 91-yr old man.

[Donny Hinson]

Les Paul, Chet Atkins, and Jimmy Bryant are the players I remember most from the '50s. I always thought these three guys could do just about anything, and they were far and away better than a lot of other players that got more press and public attention. Atkins was finally "noticed" by the mainstream public, but it seemed to me that Les was largely forgotten for about 20 years (after Mary passed away). I'm real glad he's finally being recognized for more than having his name on a Gibson guitar. Jimmy Bryant? Well, everyone who told me about their favorite "hot" players from the '50s got a sermon (and introduction) to him from me if they hadn't heard of Jimmy...IMHO, he set the stage for every "hot" country player that's out there today.

[Andy Volk]

Les is an amazing man and as a guitarist, he communicates through the instrument with such consummate taste, musicianship, and humor. Few musicians can tell a joke with only thier guitar like Les. His pre-Mary Ford guitar work remains a milestone that few players have equaled. Speaking of Bryant, he is supposed to have asked Capitol Records NOT to release Speedy & Jimmy's incredible version of Lover as it competed with his own. True or not, Les is still one of my all-time favorite players. How High the Moon lays out perfectly on C6th lap steel. I do a lame imitation of some of Les' licks.

[Bo Borland]

Lester is just amazing..very few can even carry his guitar case.