Les Paul recently celebrated his 87th birthday doing what he's done for the past fifty years: entertaining audiences by playing his namesake electric guitar.
Les Paul, the father of the electric guitar and multitrack recording, dressed in a thick, oatmeal-colored ribbed turtleneck sweater (and it's in the high-70s and humid on this June 3rd day), navy blue trousers and black loafers, and wearing wire rimmed aviator-style glasses, is doing a sound check at 6:00 p.m., before the first of his two shows every Monday night at the Iridium Club on Broadway and 51st in Manhattan.…
Article comments
— go to most recent comments76 - larry
my favorite was chanson d: amor! ithink it was them
77 - Willy Van den Bergh
Comment # 76 reply
It wasn,t
78 - Mike
I enjoyed the article on Les Paul. My first good guitar was a Les Paul Gibson Deluxe cherry sunburst. I paid $335.00 in 1974.. Wis I still had that guitar. My influences were Jimmy Page and Phil Keaggy of the Glass Harp days..I still play and now have a Fender Ultra Strat and two pedal steel guitars... Been in several bands but currently just play at home... I love music and live music...Thanks again for a great cover on a legend... Best to all, Mike/Ohio
79 - Dickie Cox
Great article Ed, but how about an update? How's Mr. Paul doing in 2006? Whenever the great American inventors are listed, he should be right there alongside Thomas Edison and Henry Ford! In the spring of '76 I met him at a concert at the University of Ga. in Athens about a year after he came out of retirement. I asked him why he put out so few records in the 60's and early 70's. "I'm not a rock and roller" he said "and that's what's selling now, but I've just recently learned that I seem to be highly regarded by the rock players (boy,was that an understatement!) so that's why I'm here, to see if there's any interest in the kind of stuff that I do, in fact, I'm doing a few sessions with Chet Atkins right now and we're going to put out a record." Of course that record did come out the next year and I was delighted when he and Mr.Atkins won the Grammy for it. A few years after that,I believe it was the early 80's, the USA cable network showed an extraordinary documentary on their weekly show "Night Flight" called "The Wizard of Waukesha". It showed interviews with Mike Bloomfield, Rick Derringer, and others including the man himself, and had clips from old movie shorts that Mr. Paul had done, including one with Mary Ford with them doing "Song in Blue". (Comment #21 by David Goetz asked about that song.) It also showed quite a bit of footage from the first performance on that college tour in '75 including a performance of his first single "Lover"! My tape of that show is all but worn out from repeated watching plus the audio was never that great to begin with because VHS was not HI-FI in those days. If it is available on DVD I would appreciate it if someone would let me know what company put it out. I can't find it on EBAY and it's never come up in web searches. Again, Ed, thanks for a great article and site!
80 - Earl MIlls
I was the drummer for a group called Tommy Cashwell and The Creations in 1966. Our bass
player was Les Paul's oldest son. We were
working in Greenbrook NJ and Les came to visit
his son. We fortunate enough to have him sit in
with the band. One of my memorable nights. Keep
on pickin' Les.
81 - DICK FRAKES
I was born in 1937 - so grew up listening to Les Paul & Mary Ford. I Would really like to here more about Mary Ford too. After all she was a beautiful singer and during the fifties the both of them were looked at as one. (duet) I know they were divorced and life goes on. However; I feel she had a little to do with his popularity. (especially during the fifties. Eventho he is a big time legend in his own right. So maby a little about Mary Ford. Where she came from. How they met. What caused the seperation. What caused her death etc.
Mansfield, Texas
82 - Eric Takacs
Does anyone know where I can buy/obtain a copy of the best TV commercial of all time featuring Les Paul. I believe it was a Coors commercial and featured a young kid struggling to play his LP. LP asked if he could play his guitar for a minute and proceeded to play some mind blowing licks, which prompted the kid to mention he plays pretty good, and asked his name, to which LP handed him his guitar back, and cooley saud "it's on your guitar" THANKS!
83 - Del Casher
I was very fortunate to meet Les and have my picture taken by Mary Ford in 1953 when I was 15 years old in their dressing room at the Chicago Theater. I had been playing guitar for two years and was thrilled meeting him. He was incredible on stage and made me determined to make my life in music. Mary was so kind to ask if I would like to have the picture taken using her new Polaroid camera. This allowed her to develop the photo and have Les autograph it. That photo is now in several publications.
Later after coming to Califonia to a sucessful music career performing with Elvis in Roustabout at Paramount Pictures and apprearing on the Larence welk Show, Les would visit my studio and home for dinner.
Les is a great guy with a great sense of humor. My wife and I have always enjoyed having him visit us at our home.
I'm glad that so many people have been blessed by the inspiration that Les has given to all of us.
Vintage Guitar Magazine was generous to have my story told in the same issue along with Les' interview in 1997.
Thank you Les for the inspiration you have given to all of us. I have enjoyed a wonderful life as a top guitarist, producer and composer.
84 - ryan johnson
can i have one?
85 - jodis extras
I have a signed Less Paul guitar that he used to play in concert.. He gave it to my friend and he flew him around as his pilot years ago... The owner wants to sell the guitar...
86 - chris anderson
I have pictures of Les with my grandfather and David Brinkley and Chet Huntley on the opening of his first recording studio. My grandpa was I guess from what he had talked about it alot they were close friends . His name was Raymond Sollars. He had won the purlitzer prize for communications. I am trying to put together in our family album some pictures of them together I have a couple and also a tape they had recorded together. My grandpa ray passed away 6 years ago. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
87 - Bert Morrien
To Willy Van den Berghe
in reply to msg 59
Back in 1947 I had a 78 rpm record with Delicado played by Les Paul, hence there should be no doubt about the existence of this recording.
I am pretty sure it was from Capotol.
It hasn't survived, and I went to great lengths to get it again, without result so far.
(I obtained Delicado played by another artist on an acoustical guitar and that's not bad either.)
88 - Willy Van den Berghe
Thank You , Bert #87
I won't say you are wrong because "You never know ".
In any case
I've never heard of such a recording by Les and I wonder that Delicado was already "composed" in the 40's because it's a song which only became popular in the 50's , but as I said "You never know"
Thanks anyway , it gives me something to do ,that is , try and find it.
Sorry ,for my English
Willy ,Connolly West Australia
89 - Willy Van den Berghe
Dear Bert
The song "Delicado" was first published in 1952 so it is hard to believe that Les already made a recording of the song in 1947.
Nevertheless "You never know"
Willy
90 - Bert Morrien
To Willy (#88, #89)
Hello Willy,
I might be off a few years, since it was such a long time ago.
I know the Percy Faith version of Delicado and I am sure the version of Les Paul did not include a harpsicord, nor violins, drums or wind-instruments, only 100% Les Paul electrical guitar.
The acoustical guitar version I mentioned is at
http://home.hccnet.nl/b.morrien/LC-delicado.mp3
(I downloaded it in 2002 maybe from http://luiscastro.iuma.com, but that link is dead now.)
91 - Willy Van den Berghe
Thank You , Bert
Any idea what
was on the flip side of Delicado ?
P.S. Still have doubts about "it" but.....
'Doubts" ? Let's say for 99% sure it doesn't excist .On second thought make that 99.99%
Unless there is a "white label " record of that title ever produced but certainly never released commercially on Capitol.
I remember that I ever asked Les whether or not he recorded "have I told you lately that I love you" because I heard it over the radio but he assured me that he never did . So it must have been someone else who sounded like him.
I was corresonding with Les from beginning of the 50's (as I founded the Les and Mary Fan club in Belgium ) so I can assure you that I followed his (their)career very close
but as I said before "You never know"
92 - Bert Morrien
Thanks Willy,
I had at least 2 records of LP & MF and I believe they contained the following titles:"Delicado", "How high the moon", "The world is waiting for the sunshine" and "Whispering", the latter 3 are identcal to those I obtained later. So, contrary to you, I have no single reason to believe that Delicado was not included and I think that Hans Busch (#45) agrees.
Maybe you can imagine what Les Paul would do with Delicado and realize what an unforgettable impression it would make.
The clavichord in the Percy Faith version lacks the nuances in pitch and volume that added to the richness of the guitar in the Les Paul version and I don't even like some other passages in the PF version.
I got the records from my elder brother to play on my home-built recordplayer, driven by a bike dynamo. That must have been around 1954 when I was 13 years old. I remember my brother playing records in a house that we left in 1947, that's why I first thought I had them in that year.
In retrospect, I am not sure of the Capitol label.
Please, keep looking if you have access to promising resources.
Regards, Bert.
93 - Willy Van den Berghe
Will someone please step forward and "clear things up" on #34-#45-#46-#58-#59-#60-#70-71-72-and 87 'till 92
Thank you !!!!
94 - Ernest Lee
Have read through many (not all) of the comments. For those that want more of Les Paul and Mary Ford, there is a series of radio show broadcasts ( look on the internet for 'Les Paul OTR') from 1950. All are about 15 minutes in length. All that I have listened to have a bit of light-hearted humor between Les and Mary.
95 - Amy
I'm looking for what might be a song by Les Paul, in the 50's. My husband's Dad died the other day, and he says he remembers singing a song to him, Oh my Papa, How I love you, or something....Was wondering if its the "I love you , oh so much", but I can't find the lyrics, etc. Anyone?
96 - Willy Van den Berghe
Reply Comment #95
It couldn't have been "I love You , Oh so Much " because that is a purely Instrumental song by Les.
No wonder ,You can't find the lyrics
I have no idea what Les and Mary song has the words "Oh my Papa , How I love you " in itThe only "oh ,my Papa ' I know of is by a.o. Eddie Fisher or Eddie Calvert (the latter also an Instrumental)
97 - Charles Dzuba
Great site for Les Paul questions and comments. I AM JEALOUS! My Les Paul website should be so lucky. As a personal friend of Lester's (talk to him at least once a month) for the past 12 years, up-dating his bio, compiling an annual photo/fan mail etc. album for him as well as publisher of the "Les Paul at Iridium Fan Club" newsletter for 10 years, I must admit the questions posed by Les' fans on this site show great insight as well as a great love for and interest in the man. I will definitely let Les know of this site. By the way, his name was Polsfuss, later his mother dropped the first "s." He still gives two shows at Iridium Jazz Club in New York City every monday night, still lives in Mahwah, NJ., the Coor's beer commercial was written by Paul Wolfe, and Les' oldest son is Lester George (Rusty). Les' other children are Gene, Mary Colleen and Robert (Bobby). As Les says to guitarists, "Keep Pickin' and I say, "Keep those great questions going." Never forget Les.
Thank you
98 - Willy Van den Berghe
Reply #97
Dear Charles
If you talk to Les once-a-month you are (might be) the right man in the right place to solve ,for once and for all , the "Delicado" question (see comment # 93)
Just ask "the man" himself !
Thank you....and give him my regards.
Willy Van den Berghe
Founder of the Belgian Les and Mary Fan club
99 - Paul E Cresseveur
We just came home from a Vince Gill show at the State in Easton, Pa and Les Paul was playing with Vince's band, we wre surprised to see him there! He look's like the man in the picture on this site, I was doing a serch just to find out how old he was as I remember him from when I was a kid.
100 - Morgan
Hey LP fans! I love both the Chester & Lester and Guitar Monsters collections, especially the banter. I have a 1955 Gibson LP w/Alnico pickups, often called the Black Beauty or Fretless Wonder. It's in EXCELLENT condition according to many experts who've seen it. Anyone have any idea what those are selling for these days? Play on, Master Les!
101 - Charles Dzuba
To Willy Van den Berghe;
I haven't been able to talk to Les since my last message but will try again (today)12 April 2007. I did ask (also today)his rhythm guitarist, Lou Pallo if Les ever recorded "Delicado." Lou said ,"No." Lou has been with Les over 30 years. Longer than Mary Ford (or anyone else for that matter). I also asked Les' friend guitarist Al Caiola who is Steve Lawrence and Edie Gormet's guitarist (recorded "Bonanza" and "Magnificent Seven" etc...)and he said the best recording was by Percy Faith Orchestra and he also believed Les never recorded it.
I will definitely remind Les of you and your "Les and Mary Fan Club" in the beautiful country of Belgium. I've been to Brugge in 2002. Food (Belgian Waffles, of course and seafood). Sights, including Queen Astrid's park were terrific. Even purchased a river watercolor scene. Might go back this year in September-who knows?
Charlie Dzuba
102 - Amanda Ellila
Can anyone help me to locate a recording that my mother used to have? It was a B side and was a vocal called "Amokariki" excuse spelling, but that is what it sounded like. I can't find it on any CDs on Amazon.
103 - Charles Dzuba
Les and Mary recorded 4 versions of "Amukiriki." One should be on the rare "Legend and Legacy" box set cassette and CD. The recording are about 3 minutes in length.
104 - Charles Dzuba
#98 To Willy Van den Berghe;
I saw Les last night (May 7) at Iridium Jazz Club in NYC. I gave him your regards and he said, "Tell Willy I said hello." He said he seems to remember your fan club but it was so long ago that he doesn't remember the particulars. Letters to him can be sent to me at [Personal contact info deleted] my name and address on the Iridium Jazz Club website on the bio page I wrote for Les. Also Les said he never recorded "Delicado." By the way, the show charge is $40 and well worth it.
105 - Willy Van den Berghe
Reply #101 & # 104
Dear Charles
Thank You for your "trouble" getting things straight on Delicado
As I mentioned before I was 99'99% sure Les never recorded the song but one never knows. Glad it's all sorted out.
As for Brugge , I can only agree...beautiful city !Can recommend it to everyone . The more the merrier and good for the Belgian economy . After all , they (the government) have to look after my pension.
I am living in Australia for the past 7 years Thanks again and I'll keep an eye on your further comments
Tell Les he hasn't been out of my mind (thoughts) for the last 60 years (and that goes for Mary as well)
Willy
106 - Willy Van den Berghe
Reply # 102
Dear Amanda
Besides on The Legend and the Legacy you should be able to find Amukiriki on
Capitol 7 99119 2 Millions of Memories Track 14
Rhino R31C 73039 Lil'Bit of Gold 3 Discs Released 1989
Rajon CD 80023 Elite Fifties 5 Discs Disc 4 Track 16 Released 2003
E.M.I 8 59972 2 Old Romantics Vol.2 Track 12 Released 1997
The song ,backed with Magic melody , was released 30 October 1955 . It "charted" 12 November 1955 and reached # 38
It was also released on a 45 Ext.Play "Songs of Today" Capitol EP 1-695 together with Song in Blue , Humming Bird and Magic Melody
Les wrote me on January 2 , 1956
.....also we did the background music for a movie titled "Amukiriki" , the theme music having the same title and was released on a record here . Perhaps it has already been released over there (Meaning Belgium)
We did the opening for another movie , tune and picture having the same title "Texas Lady" I believe thet this picture will be released in Europe soon . This was also released on a record......
Yours
Les
Hope this note will be of any use for you in finding "Amukiriki"
Willy Connolly W.Australia
107 - Willy Van den Berghe
Correction # 106 "Amukiriki" should be (of course) "AmukUriki"( The Lord Willing)
108 - Willy Van den Berghe
Reply #102
Dear Amanda
Mea Culpa ,Mea Culpa , Mea Maxima Culpa
in other words " I AM SORRY "
In # 106 I have provided you with the wrong information . I took the numbers from my "Les Paul tracks on Various artists CD's " instead of the numbers from the Les & Mary CD's . That means that the information I gave you was about "Nola""Tennessee Waltz " "How High the......a.s.o You should be able to find "Amukiriki"(and NOT Amukuriki as I mentioned in # 107 (-A typing fault for which only I am responsible))besides on Disc 3 of The Legeend and the Legacy on one of the following CD's
The EP Collection Label See For Miles SEECD 724 Released 2001 in the U.K
The Best of LP & MF a 3 CD-set in the Time/Life Series
A Touch of Class Disky TC886302 Released 1998 Holland
Blowin' the Smoke Away from A Trail of Hits Jasmine JAS 3516
I checked (and double-checked )this time .
Especially the Jasmine ,Disky and See for Miles CD's I come across on the internet , so I see no difficulties in obtaining a copy of one of them.
Sorry for the misunderstanding in #106. I woke up last night around 2 am and felt there was something wrong so I sorted it out . That's the trouble with me , I'm always over-enthousiastic when it has to do with Les and that makes me act before I think . Could it be that I'm a fan ???
You , people in the U.S were lucky . You grew up watching Les and Mary on the TV but for us ,living in Europe "they"were only a photograph.Would you believe that I first saw Les actually playing the guitar was in 1992 .Before that "they" were only a photo on our mantelpiece (and they stayed as young as 40 years before)Only a couple of months ago I saw ,for the first time, Mary actually playing guitar with Les when a dear friend sent me a tape of their appearance in the Abbott & Costello show from 1954 (Thank You , Duane !!)(Not forgetting the Les & Mary at Home (Listerine)tape)I could go on for hours but my English isn't 100% ,as you may have noticed .At night I made up the most beautiful sentences but here I sit with a case of writers block .
Keep on going Les and " Gruess Gott"
Willy
109 - Charlie Dzuba
HAPPY BIRTHDAY - LES
BORN JUNE 9, 1915 AND AT 92 STILL GROWING STRONG
BIRTHDAY PARTY AT IRIDIUM TONIGHT (JUNE 11)
110 - Charlie Dzuba
Les Paul's friend Jon Paris (Blues singer and harmonica player)sent this to me; National premier of "Chasing Sound" about Les Paul by American Masters will air on Wednesday July 11, 2007 at 9PM (Eastern Time) on PBS.
Jon can be seen at B.B. King's Lucille's Bar & Grill at 7th and 42nd street NYC, on Monday nights. He usually stops by at Les' late show.
111 - BOB
Does Anyone Know If Alex Lifeson Of Canadian Power Rock Trio "RUSH" Using Les Paul Guitars On The New RUSH Album SNAKES AND ARROWS Tour?
www.rushisaband.com
www.2112.net
Has Alex Lifeson Ever Met LES PAUL?
112 - gonzo marx
Alex Lifeson always has his guitars custom made, NO plastic on any of his instruments, metal and wood only.
Falcon guitars in New Jersey made a few for him, i met the guy a few times and got the info from him
Excelsior?
113 - Martin Bryk
Answering Bob#111 -Quote from Alex Lifeson:"I may end up going exclusively Gibson for this tour." (Snakes and Arrows) Alex says he used the old ES-335 for 60% of the new album but he is also using a beautiful LES PAUL Goldtop Reissue. Alex says that Geddy says,"You should only ever have a Les Paul in your hands." -guitaronemag.com June 2007 issue of the magazine has Lifeson cover story(inside is great pics of Alex with goldtop LP).
114 - Les Pauls
Excellent article! Just watched the show on PBS. Les Paul is great.. the guitar and the man.
Thanks!
j
115 - Bert Morrien
Reply on #104:
So I have to realize that Les Paul never recorded Delicado. That makes me wonder who played the one I am looking for, because I cannot find it in the rather big collection of Delicado recordings that I examined. But that's another question.
Nevertheless, I am very happy with the many other wonderful recordings that Les (and Mary) made!
116 - alecia
exellent article im doing an eminent persons project and i chose him as someone that has changed the world for the good!! :D ( i luv my Guitars! )
117 - Les Pauls
I just watched this show again... talk about an inspiring story! And.. man did he have the chops back in the day. Very unusual to see someone so musically talented, and successful... and have the desire to invent/build things. Makes me realize, I should be doing ALOT more.
J
118 - william.
Can someone tell me what echo machine les uses on stage?
Love the man!!william.
119 - Charlie Dzuba
Response to #114 & #117 ("Chasing Sound);
Saw Les at the Iridium on Sept. 3, 2007. Gave me his DVD "Chasing Sound." It's 90 minutes long which is an additional 30 plus minutes more than shown on PBS. I understand the DVD can be had from $11.00 to $35.00.
Response to #118 (Machine(s) Les uses on stage at the Iridium); as of the above date Les uses; Digital Delay, Reverb, Tremelo - Boss, a Boss Tuner and Chorus. I got this information from Chris Lentz (www.rubarbred.com and www.redhotred.com.)
Chris is Les' "all-around man." He is Les' videographer, photographer, and assists Les' in the "Green Room" as well as "on the road."
Les still looks and plays well even with a severe case of osteoarthritis.
120 - Danny Daughtry
To Bert Morrison
The artists that recorded Delicado were Ray Anthony, Marion Brown, Jimmy Dorsey, Percy Faith, Woody Herman, Michel LeGrand, Edmond Ros And Dinah Shore.
Long live Les Paul. I am a big fan of his.
121 - Louie Seven
I have read all these comments and enjoyed same.
Les played at the Great American Music Hall in August of 1975. We had seats at the front table, and I recorded both shows on audio tape. Les gave me his pick at the end of the program. His son Bobby played drums and Les demonstrated the Les Paulverizer. This was one of the first shows he did after coming out of semi-retirement and was probably not much different from the shows he was doing before he went into semi-retirement. That is to say, he didn't make any changes in the pre-recorded accompanyment - Bing's Voice - etc.
Les Paul is the greatest electric guitarist that ever lived. By that, I refer to his flawless timing, his flawless taste, and his flawless execution of flawless material.
Do I seem biased ?
Regards,
Louie Seven
122 - Doris Leister
I am told that Les Paul is in our family tree and would like to verify this. If someone in his family is into geneology could they check this out? The names that might match are Boser, Ellenbecker, Odenbrett, Mauritz, Ewan, Neuenfeldt, Dressl. Thanks Doris Ellenbecker Leister
123 - Nick
During the 70's I worked for Mario Maccaferri (Django Reinhardt's Selmer/Maccaferri Luthier) not as a musician or luthier, but as an engineer for Mr.Maccaferri's plastic molding business. Mr.M
was an excellent classical guitarist as well. He called me down to his office stating that he had a treat for me. When I walked in, there was Les Paul. The two had been longtime friends probably due to Les' admiration of Django. Any way it was a great experience to be in the room while the two talked music, guitars, guitars and more guitars. Mario made the mistake of telling Les that I played guitar. So Les said "Play something Nick" I said "Mr Paul I only love guitars but love alone does not a player make" He laughed and was very complimentary to my inept guitar skills. It was an experience I will always treasure.
Several years later my son Frank visited the Iridium and was stopped by stage hands back stage when trying to get Les' autograph. Les was in ear shot when Frank stated that his dad worked for Mr.Maccaferri and asked him to get Les' autograph. Les came out and said he remembered the visit and gave Frank an autograph and a photo.
There have been many Geniuses, but few have as big a heart as L.P.
124 - Jag
Saw Les Paul at the Iridium on New Year's Eve (last night). Enjoyed the show..definitely recommend it.
125 - Vinnie Gibson
What a great article. Even now years after you wrote it. If you don't mind I am going to link to it from My hbpage on Les Paul Guitars it gives a more rounded understanding to our Guitar culture.