Les Paul Discography

Related Artists

Songs By

Vaughn Horton :: Felix Arndt :: Jule Styne :: Don Robertson :: Andy Razaf :: Lorenz Hart :: Morgan Lewis :: Nancy Hamilton :: Ray Henderson :: Sammy Cahn :: Ted Koehler :: Cole Porter :: Irving Berlin :: Richard Rodgers :: Richard H. Coburn :: Harry Owens

Member Of

Les Paul & Mary Ford

Followers

Steve Morse :: Steve Miller Band :: The Notting Hillbillies :: Joe Walsh :: Earl Klugh :: Bill Harris :: Robin Trower :: Chet Atkins :: Jeff Beck :: Jimmy Page

Similar Artists

Johnny Mercer :: Jorgen Ingmann :: Mary Ford :: Steve Miller Band :: Jeff Beck :: Jimmy Page :: Chet Atkins :: Eric Clapton

See also Biography Index (L) :: Filmography Index (L) :: Discography Index (L)

Les Paul is an American jazz guitarist and inventor. He is a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which "made the sound of rock and roll possible." His many recording innovations include overdubbing, delay effects such as "sound on sound" and tape delay, phasing effects, and multitrack recording.

He was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin to George and Evelyn Polsfuss. The family name was first simplified by his mother to Polfuss before he took his stage name of Les Paul. He also used the nickname "Red Hot Red".

Paul first became interested in music at the age of eight, when he began playing the harmonica. After an attempt at learning to play the banjo, he began to play the guitar. By 13, Paul was performing semi-professionally as a country-music guitarist. At the age of 17, Paul played with Rube Tronson`s Texas Cowboys, and soon after he dropped out of high school to join Wolverton`s Radio Band in St. Louis, Missouri on KMOX.

In the 1930s, Paul worked in Chicago in radio, where he performed jazz music. Paul`s first two records were released in 1936. One was credited to Rhubarb Red, Paul`s hillbilly alter ego, and the other was as an accompanist for blues artist Georgia White.

In January 1948, Paul was injured in a near-fatal automobile accident in Oklahoma, which shattered his right arm and elbow. Doctors told Paul that there was no way for them to rebuild his elbow in a way that would let him regain movement, and that his arm would remain in whatever position they placed it in permanently. Paul then instructed the surgeons to set his arm at an angle that would allow him to cradle and pick the guitar. It took him a year and a half to recover.
In July 2005, a 90th-birthday tribute concert was held at Carnegie Hall in New York City. After performances by Steve Miller, Peter Frampton, Jose Feliciano and a number of other contemporary guitarists and vocalists, Les was presented with a commemorative guitar from the Gibson Guitar Corporation.

On November 15, 2008, Les Paul received the American Music Masters award through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a tribute concert in the State Theater in Cleveland. Among more than a dozen guest performers were Duane Eddy, Ace Frehley, Eric Carmen, Lonnie Mack, and Slash.