Les Paul Is, Without a Doubt, An American Master

Yesterday evening I viewed a PBS production of American Masters on Les Paul.  The show was titled Les Paul:Chasing Sound and it was definitely worthwhile.  The man has had a huge hand in the development of electronic sound, and his early forays into electrifying sound are astoundingly original, American made.

If it comes on again in your viewing area, I highly recommend it.

Les, at 92 years of age, is still jamming on Monday nights at the Iridium in New York City, and I salute him.

Here’s a YouTube clip of the show.

Posted by on 07/12 at 03:55 AM

  1. Most people have no idea: without Les Paul, music as we’ve known it over the past sixty years or so simply would not exist.

    He’s one of the great un-sung geniuses of American history.

    Posted by Billy Beck  on  07/12  at  08:28 AM

  2. Ps., John --

    Did you know that he hasn’t bent his right elbow in fifty-nine years?  The doctors set it at a permanent angle after his car crash in 1948: he told them to put it where his right hand would settle on the strings of his guitar with a pick in his hand.

    That guy is a case-study in lifetime dedication.

    God bless him.

    Posted by Billy Beck  on  07/12  at  08:45 AM

  3. On the down side, Steve Miller was one of his guitar students.

    Posted by triticale  on  07/12  at  11:56 AM

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