Guitar Hero: Les Paul Passes Away, Aged 94

1:10 PM - August 14, 2009 - By Jane McEntegart - Source : Tom's Guide US

Yesterday was a sad day for the music world as the industry saw the passing of Lester William Polsfuss, a musician and inventor known the world over as as Les Paul.

Paul passed away today from complications of severe pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York. Guitar maker Gibson announced his death, detailing that the legend was surrounded by family and loved ones at the time.

Credited with pioneering the development of the solid-body electric guitar and "the sound of rock 'n' roll", Les Paul was also considered the father of multi-track recording recording and the eight track and is the only person to be inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame.

Those of you who wish to read more about Les Paul can do so by clicking here.

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Comments

hellwig 08/14/2009 7:39 PM

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I've seen lots of articles referring to Les Paul as a "Guitar Hero". For a man as pioneering and influential as Les Paul, associating him with a video game played with a tiny plastic guitar and colored clickety-clackity buttons just seems insulting.

If anything, he should be remembered as he was, filled with murderous rage! (bonus points if you know where that's from)

Oh, BTW, is the headline-convenient association with Guitar Hero the only reason this story appears here? I wouldn't associate Tom's Guide with music.

jerther 08/14/2009 7:51 PM

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Guitars happen to be a part of my life. I'm glad to read that news, and it's indeed a sad one... But I wasn't expecting such computer unrelated news here, really, and even less with Mr. Gates as a related pic..

I somehow feel sad, happy and disapointed

RIP Les Paul

eklipz330 08/14/2009 8:57 PM

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that phrase has been used long before the first game was released. it's just a pun now

Burodsx 08/14/2009 10:02 PM

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-1

I completely agree that this seems insulting. It's like they're turning this into a mass guitar hero advertisement.

ravenware 08/15/2009 12:28 PM

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-2

hellwig :
I've seen lots of articles referring to Les Paul as a "Guitar Hero". For a man as pioneering and influential as Les Paul, associating him with a video game played with a tiny plastic guitar and colored clickety-clackity buttons just seems insulting.If anything, he should be remembered as he was, filled with murderous rage! (bonus points if you know where that's from)Oh, BTW, is the headline-convenient association with Guitar Hero the only reason this story appears here? I wouldn't associate Tom's Guide with music.

Totally agree, and that sounds like a Simpson's quote.

ravenware 08/15/2009 12:30 PM

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Yep it was the y2k/Halloween episode after Lisa and Marge boarded the space ship to leave earth.

syphon555 08/15/2009 5:19 AM

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I do not believe referring to him as a "guitar hero" has anything to do with the games. It seems to just be a play on words by the author (perhaps to garner more interest?).

As a proud owner of an old Gibson Les Paul this is very sad news. All of the "newer" guitars I have owned over the years do not even come close to the sound.

RIP Mr. Polsfuss

demonhorde665 08/15/2009 5:21 AM

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-3

"Credited with pioneering the development of the solid-body electric guitar and "the sound of rock 'n' roll"

i want to scream every time i hear this , this is a FALSE crediting Loe Fender had made teh solid body telecaster about 7-8 years prior to les paul making a solid body guitar for gibson.

on another note what the fuck does some piece of shit game have to do with this guy, he isa r eal musician unlike teh fuktards that play that crappy game.

demonhorde665 08/15/2009 5:28 AM

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-2

Leo fender *

syphon555 08/15/2009 5:29 AM

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I just read up on the constant battle about who created what first.....interesting reading.

As for "piece of shit game", I will not make a judgment on the whole "plastic button" vs "real guitar" situation but I will say that after really getting into the guitar hero type games my timing has drastically improved on the real guitar. No the game inst real playing but look at how many people is has gotten into the real thing. My guitar teacher was booked for quite some time after the first game came out.

anamaniac 08/15/2009 7:48 AM

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I remember hearing this on the news yesterday.
I wasn't sad during my grandmother's or grandfather's funerals... but this deeply saddened me...

On a side note...
One of my brothers was getting ready to sell his old Les Paul because he's been short on cash, but he didn't. If something comes up now, he'll likely be able to sell it for much more allowing him to eat for longer...
Idiot at a pawn shop sold it for only $150...

syphon555 08/15/2009 8:54 AM

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Ouch....I hate the pawn shops, they always rip you off. I bet that guitar will get bought by an employee or the owner before it even gets a chance to reach the floor

anamaniac 08/15/2009 9:45 AM

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syphon555 :
Ouch....I hate the pawn shops, they always rip you off. I bet that guitar will get bought by an employee or the owner before it even gets a chance to reach the floor

No, it was sold to us for $150.
They didn't realize the value. Bought around december. Even then, it was worth a whole lot more than that...

=D

resonance451 08/15/2009 11:18 AM

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RIP Les Paul.

megahunter 08/15/2009 1:43 PM

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he had great guitars :´(

strandwolf 08/15/2009 9:12 PM

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrC_oqWq2pU

bustapr 08/15/2009 10:29 PM

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