Les Paul, or Lester William Polsfuss, was an American innovator, inventor, musician and songwriter who lived from June 9, 1915 to August 12, 2009. He is best known for his invention of the solid-body electric guitar, which has “made the sound of rock and roll possible”. Les Paul is also responsible for the creation of various music recording effects, such as overdubbing, tape delay, phasing effects, and multitrack recording.

As a musician, Les Paul was just as innovative with the way he played his guitar by using tricks like chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing, licks, and trills. Paul and his wife Mary Ford’s records were sold by the millions in the 1950’s, and along with Sam Phillips and Alan Freed, Les Paul is one of the few that has a permanent exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He won two Grammys in 2006, at age 90, for his album “Les Paul & Friends: America Made World Played”. He performed all the way until the 1980’s and made a huge impact on the music industry throughout his life.