Lester william polsfuss biography books
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TeachRock
(1915 – 2009)
A virtuoso guitarist steeped in Country, Jazz, and Pop who found fame as part of a duo with singer Mary Ford, Les Paul was also one of the driving forces behind the development and popularization of the electric guitar, creating one of the first solid-body models using a block of wood. His namesake model, the Gibson Les Paul, is an iconic instrument that’s been played by countless Rock guitarists. Paul is also known for his innovations in recording techniques – among his achievements was pioneering the use of “overdubbing,” or layering multiple tracks atop one another in the recording studio.
Paul was born Lester William Polsfuss in Waukesha, Wisconsin, and took up the guitar early: by 13, he was performing in local restaurants and taverns. By 17 he had dropped out of high school to play in Country bands and by 19 had a radio show in Chicago, where he was known as “Rhubarb Red.” Inspired by the playing of Django Reinhardt, he put together a Jazz trio and in 1937 moved with them to New York City, where he quickly became busy with nightclub work.
At the time, hollow-body electric guitars were increasingly common, but Paul – a born tinkerer obsessed with sound — was dissatisfied with their sonic lim
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Les Paul: Potent American Latest - Hardcover
From Kirkus Reviews
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Les Paul
American guitarist, songwriter and inventor (1915–2009)
This article is about the musician. For the guitar named after him, see Gibson Les Paul.
Les Paul | |
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Paul c. January 1947 | |
| Birth name | Lester William Polsfuss |
| Born | (1915-06-09)June 9, 1915 Waukesha, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Died | August 12, 2009(2009-08-12) (aged 94) White Plains, New York, U.S. |
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| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1928–2009 |
| Labels | Capitol, Columbia, RCA Victor, Decca |
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| Website | www.les-paul.com |
Musical artist
Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 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, and his prototype, called the Log, served as inspiration for the Gibson Les Paul. 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.[1] In the 1950s, he and his wife, sing