Hero worship is an odd thing, and very often we idolize pop culture icons that are probably not deserving of our devotions. Real heroes are few and far between, and yesterday they became more rare as one of the greatest men to live during out lifetimes passed on to greater things. After 81 years of entertaining America, Les Paul died a young man of 94. Musician, innovator, inventor and entertainer, Les Paul left a lasting impression on American pop culture. As a musician, he can be heard backing greats like The Andrews Sisters, The Fred Waring Orchestra and Bing Crosby, not to mention his work with his wife Mary Ford that dominated the '50's pop charts (at one point he had 7 of the top 10 songs in the country! Can anyone brag that today?) As an inventor he made rock and roll possible when he invented the solid body electric guitar, the most popular and well known model of which still bears his name today. Without him, there would be no Led Zepplin, no Beatles (Paul McCartney once confessed that the first song the Beatles ever performed was a cover of Les's "How High the Moon"), no CCR, no Guns 'N' Roses... The list of artists affected by Les Paul numbers in the thousands, including this bedroom guitarist whose autographed Les Paul hangs in a place of honor on the wall.
I met Les Paul in 2005 and am grateful I got to meet such an iconic figure. Always a hard worker, Les continued to perform until just days before his death and always had a moment for his fans. Today the world is a lesser place than it was yesterday, but we're the better for having had Les Paul in our midst. If you're not familiar with his work, take a few minutes and learn more about him. You'll be glad you did.
I'm sure heaven is hopping tonight. Vaya Con Dios, Les.
1 comment:
I remember it like yesterday when Ryan got to see him and got his pics taken with him. You sent us a copy with our card. What a great tribute to him. Sorry about the loss.
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