Lester William Polsfuss (June 9| 1915 äóñ August 13| 2009)| known as Les Paul| was an American jazz| country| and blues guitarist| songwriter| luthier| and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar| which made the sound of rock and roll possible. Paul taught himself how to play guitar and while he is mainly known for jazz and popular music| he had an early career in country music. He is credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first to use the technique| his early experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on sound)| delay effects such as tape delay| phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention. His innovative talents extended into his playing style| including licks| trills| chording sequences| fretting techniques and timing| which set him apart from his contemporaries and inspired many guitarists of the present day. He recorded with his wife Mary Ford in the 1950s| and they sold millions of records. Among his many honors| Paul is one of a handful of artists with a permanent| stand-alone exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is prominently named by the music museum on its website as an \"architect\" and a \"key inductee\" along with Sam Phillips and Alan Freed. Les Paul is the only person to be included in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Listen to the Best Music of:
Etta James, Billie Holiday, Bill Evans, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Muddy Waters, Django Reinhardt, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, James Brown, Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Elvis Presley, Count Basie, Herbie Hancock, Edith Piaf, Aretha Franklin, Charlie Parker, Lightnin' Hopkins, B.B. King, Thelonious Monk, Howlin' Wolf, Quincy Jones, Johnny Cash, Chuck Berry, Paul Anka, John Coltrane, John Lee Hooker, Coleman Hawkins, Robert Johnson, Dean Martin, Oscar Peterson, George Gershwin, Frank Sinatra, Hank Williams, Benny Goodman, Art Tatum, Joe Turner, Bing Crosby, Dave Brubeck, Mahalia Jackson, Fats Domino, Marvin Gaye, Bud Powell, Sonny Rollins, Tony Bennett... and many others!
