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My mentor Les Paul!

I am a sad jazz guitarist today with the news of the passing of Les Paul.

Les was a legend to anyone that played guitar, no matter what style. Country, Jazz, Blues, we all loved Les and the guitar and technology he gave us.

Just about everyone that has recorded in a studio, or played in combo’s, or just sat around playing by yourself, can look at your equipment and see something Les Paul had an influence on. Whether the great sound of a Gibson Les Paul guitar, or a sound on sound recorder, or an echo chamber: Les came up with most of it way before anyone else thought of it.

I was very cognizant of music from my first memories and believe it or not I was introduced to Les Paul about 1957 or 1958, around kindergarten.  Every day when I got home from pre-school, my mother and I would have lunch on a tray and watch Liberace. The other show I could not wait to see was the Les Paul and Mary Ford show on the NBC affiliate (WKY) in Oklahoma City. By my attention to the latter, my mother should have known that she would not be able to contain me in the classical piano world very long (although she did for 10 years).

I think Les taught me in my musical and physical infancy that there were folks out there having fun while playing music. Getting past the fun I observed, and even at a young age, I knew Les was working hard, and exhibiting his mechanical/technological/and musical skills.

As I transitioned to guitar in junior high school, I remained a raving fan of Les even though he sort of dropped out for retirement during the later part of the ‘60’s. I started collecting his recordings from various sources and as soon as I got them home would spin them and try to figure out everything Les was doing. I was just blown away with it all.

Some critics of Les’s music exclaimed his music was only a smoke and mirrors approach to recording and that he was not as great a guitarist as many would think. I scoffed at this as a player myself and I can tell you his playing was superb. He was a master at his instrument and coupled with this multi-track recording prowess, the untrained ear would not hear all the finesse and instrument virtuosity Les exhibited. I was easy to get lost and become distracted by the really intricate harmonies and upbeat tempos. 

Around 1974, I was afforded the opportunity to visit with Les at the Longhorn Ballroom in Ft. Worth Texas. Les had arrived early for a concert put together for Steel Guitars and Jazz Guitarists….yes you heard me right. All the greats were there including Bucky Pizzarelli (Johns dad), Tal Farlow, Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel and the steel masters like Doug Jernigan, Curley Chalker, and the wildman Buddy Emmons. 

Les arrived very early and an acquaintance of mine introduced me to him. I don’t know how this all happened however we sat down one on one and told each other jokes and stories for about an hour. During our chat, Les found out I was from Oklahoma City, and told me of his terrible but inspiring experience of leaving OKC after a concert, in the middle of a snowstorm. Somewhere outside of OKC, Shawnee or somewhere in that vicinity, Les slid off a bridge and was pinned in his car for over 24 hours. His right arm was almost severed and he was badly injured. A motorist finally spotted the car and Les was rescued. In the hospital, the doctors were going to amputate his right arm but Les told them that would not happen and to permanently set it in a position to allow him to play his guitar. If I remember correctly this all happened in the Mercy health center in OKC. When you see Les playing his arm is bent for this reason. I have used this story many times in my motivational talks to young folks. To me this story just always demonstrated a great will to succeed. 

Les had also been musical partners in an act with a gentleman by the name of Ken Wright back in the ‘30’s. He told me several stories of their struggles in Chicago(?) trying to get gigs and such on various radio stations. (As a tot, almost every Saturday night, I used to sit on Kens organ seat at Glens Steakhouse in OKC and watch him play that B-3. He was a wonderful man that contributed much and to many in the OKC area.)

I found Les to be very witty and had an incredible sense of humor but was extremely humble and grateful for his talents.  Even at the time, I felt incredibly blessed to have spent these minutes of my life with such a great musician.

After some heart surgery in the early ‘70’s, Les was called back into the business and began a second career with a kick off album with Chet Atkins. This put away any notions about Les’s less than stellar ability on the guitar as the two played, adlibbed, and joked while recording this very spirited album. It won some sort of award, a Grammy I think. 

From that point on Les was back playing and I saw him on every national TV show including the Tonight Show, and appeared a lot on the old Midnight Special and paired often with Edie Van Halen. He was truly loved by all ages. People just adored the man. 

Every trip to New York had me looking for a club Les was playing in. He played a lot of live music in his later years and you can see much of this on You Tube, mostly at Fat Tuesdays. Sadly, we never could connect with dates however I am grateful for the half dozen times I saw Les perform in person over the years. 

I am very proud to have met this great man and am very grateful of him for his influence on my musical career and inspiring me in many ways. I know I am but one of millions that feel the same.

I have attached several of his tunes for those of you that were not familiar with Les Paul. Remember that Les played all the parts on his recordings. Mary, his wife, sang most all the parts, also in layers, on their recordings together. 

If any of you would like to get recordings of Les Paul, I think there are a few out there still in print. If you have trouble, I would be happy to share my collection with you as time allows. 

I am quite sure when Les was greeted at the Pearly Gates of his heavenly mansion, he started seeking out the harp players and will be improving their sound and instruments throughout eternity. 
Goodbye Les and thanks for the great run on life. 

Noble C.