Guitarist and Inventor Les Paul Passes Away at 94

by Staff.

Electric guitar icon Les Paul passed away today, the result of complications of severe pneumonia, at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York. He was 94. Born June 9, 1915, as Lester William Polsfuss in Waukesha, Wisconsin, he later adopted the stage name Les Paul and, in addition to his contributions as a performing artist, played a major role in the development of the solidbody electric guitar, most closely associated with his namesake instrument, the Gibson Les Paul, Gibson Guitar's best selling instrument.

The only person with membership in all of the following: the Grammy Hall of Fame, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, National Inventors Hall of Fame, and the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Les Paul enjoyed a long and illustrious career as a recording artist, inventor and innovator, and a performer who, despite arthritis, permanent hearing loss and a heart attack followed by bypass surgery, for over 12 years maintained a twice-weekly performance residence at New York City's Iridium Jazz Club until recently. His 2005 CD, Les Paul & Friends; American Made World Played, was a double-Grammy winner.

For more information about the life and accomplishments of Les Paul, please visit this 2005 Les Paul interview.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers for the services that will be announced soon, donations be made to the Les Paul Foundation, 236 West 30th Street, 7th Floor, New York, New York 10001.

Related Links
Guitarist Les Paul Receives 2007 National Medal of Arts
Les Paul Receives Top Arts Award from President Bush
Les Paul Interview (2005)
Les Paul Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on His 90th Birthday
Les Paul Tribute Concert at Carnegie Hall
White House press release regarding 2007 National Medal of Arts recipients

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