Les Paul
1915 – 2009
Les Paul (guitarist and inventor) was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin, a city less than twenty miles west of Milwaukee, on June 9, 1915, as Lester William Polsfuss (simplified by the family to Polfuss). As a performer, he used the name Les Paul and made history as a jazz and country guitarist, inventor, and recording pioneer, best known for developing the solid-body electric guitar and advancing multi-track recording techniques. His experimentation with electric guitar designs in the 1940s led to the creation of the Gibson Les Paul, one of the most iconic electric guitars in history.
Performing with his wife, vocalist Mary Ford, he had major hits in the 1950s, including “How High the Moon” and “Vaya con Dios.” His contributions to music and technology earned him numerous awards, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Medal of Arts, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He passed away on August 12, 2009, at the age of ninety-four.
A permanent exhibit showcasing his legacy opened at Discovery World in Milwaukee in 2008. In Waukesha, a road was renamed Les Paul Parkway, and the Waukesha County Museum is home to a permanent exhibit, Les Paul: The Wizard of Waukesha.
Check out this footage of Les Paul and Mary Ford performing “How High the Moon” in 1951.
