Biography of Les Paul

The history of recorded music would have been different, much different, if it were not for the pioneering efforts of guitarist and inventor Les Paul. He started as a country musician, working radio spots in the early '30s as Rhubarb Red. Bitten by the jazz bug early on, he formed the Les Paul Trio in 1936, working for bandleader Fred Waring through the end of the decade. By the '40s, he was experimenting with guitars and recording gear. He was among the first to build a solid-body electric and certainly the first to popularize the idea; his Gibson Les Paul models of the '50s are now all highly sought-after collector's items. He was the first to pioneer multi-track recording and overdubbing, the use of tape echo, phase shifting, etc., changed the sound of popular music forever, most notably on the recordings made in the early '50s with his wife, vocalist Mary Ford. Paul is a consummate player, arranger, engineer, and entertainer; his inventions are only part of what makes him one of the giants of American music. ~ Cub Koda