"More addictive than a goddam video game" - Balloon Juice

"One of my very favorite music blogs ever..." - Singer/Songwriter Emma Wallace

"Fascinating... really GREAT!!! You'll learn things about those tunes we all LOVE to play and blow on... SOD is required reading for my advanced students. It's fun, too!" - Nick Mondello of
AllAboutJazz.com

"I never let a day go by without checking it." - Bob Madison of Dinoship.com

"I had dinner the other night with some former WNEW staff members who spoke very highly of your work." - Joe Fay

Monday, August 17, 2009

Les Paul 1915-2009

Standard of the Day salutes the legendary Les Paul, who passed away last Thursday at the age of 94. Born Lester William Polsfuss, he is responsible for the introduction of the modern electric guitar, and crafted a unique sound for himself, along with his singer wife Mary Ford.

From the late 1940s through the early 1960s, the duo put out a series of signature recordings that included songs like "Lover", "How High the Moon", "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise" and "I'm Sitting on Top of the World".

Ironically, Les Paul would fade into retirement as the 1960s came to a close and his new instrument came to be embraced by the rock movement that would eclipse the type of music he and his peers made their living recording. Today, his name is synonymous with the brand of guitar it is emblazoned upon, used to play music very different from that recorded by Paul himself.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Your blogs certainly provide a lot of variety! From gory to classic, it's all good.

B-Sol said...

Thanks for reading them, Lily! I have eclectic tastes.

emma wallace said...

Great observation! I was just thinking how very few people even think of Les Paul as a jazz guitarist.

Listen to The Jonathan Station