I remember first hearing Les Paul as a kid on tunes he recorded with Mary Ford like "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise" and their brilliant version of "How High the Moon". An orchestra of guitars, sped up, slowed down, multi-tracked into a unique voice that could only have been Les. How a kid from Waukesha, WI came to be such a musical icon, as well as a role model for DIY types everywhere is a fascinating story, far too long to tell here. Go watch the PBS documentary on Les for a brief idea.

One of my biggest regrets is never having gone to see Les at one of his regular Tuesday night gigs in New York when I lived there. Everybody I know who knew him said that he was just incredibly nice, friendly, supportive of young musicians, and hilariously funny. One need only listen to the two records he made with Chet Atkins, Chester and Lester and Guitar Monsters and hear the banter between the two captured in the studio to appreciate that aspect of his personality.

He was also a brilliant inventor and inveterate tinkerer. Modern multi-track recording wouldn't have existed without him. He designed a solid-body electric guitar that became an icon in its own right. His workshop in New Jersey (not far from Edison's Menlo Park labs, I believe. Must be something in the air) deserves to be turned into a museum.

Les was a musical treasure, both as a player and as an inventor. He never stopped growing, never stopped listening, and never stopped playing. He was one of my big heroes. I'll miss him, but right now he and Chet are setting up to play another set and swapping wisecracks.