New York City jazz club Fat Tuesday’s in 1984. He sought a spot for a new incarnation of the Les Paul Trio and despite the club being closed each Monday night, Paul eventually persuaded the club’s owner to give him one night each week by offering to play for free. Close friend, luthier, and sound engineer Tom Doyle accompanied Les for 27 years each Monday and personally recorded both the music that was played and the banter the elder Paul engaged in with the captive audience. Although Fat Tuesday’s closed its lower Manhattan doors in 1996, shortly thereafter the Les Paul Trio regained their Monday night residency at Iridium Jazz Club in midtown Manhattan. Everyone that was anyone came out to see Les, who despite his advanced age and arthritis was still a cut above the rest. It was not unusual for other noteworthy musicians such as Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Slash, Joe Walsh, Billy Gibbons, George Benson, Todd Rundgren, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter, Steve Miller and many other rock luminaries, to join Paul on stage, adding to an already illustrious lineup. No matter who was invited to jump in, all were united in their reverence for the living legend because he made rock and roll a reality.
into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and two years later he proudly accepted the National Medal of Arts from President George W. Bush. Les Paul was one of those rare individuals who was genuinely curious about everything; but unlike most, however, he acted upon his curiosity. His mind always moved at lightning speed when it came to improving the inadequacies he felt existed in the guitar shop, on stage, or in the recording studio. There was always a solution in Les’ mind and he took it upon himself to find it with whatever materials were available to him. The very definition of a genius, Paul easily maneuvered between life as an inventor, a great guitarist, a humorist of sorts, and consummate entertainer, all the while never losing his Midwestern charm. Les once said, “You can’t go to a store and buy a good ear and rhythm;” however today you can go to a store and buy a Gibson Les Paul, which is perhaps a no greater testament to the man who made the modern electric guitar a reality.
LEGACY Surrounded by family and friends on August 12, 2009, Les Paul died of complications from pneumonia in White Plains, New York. Although he endured several hospital stays in the months leading up to his passing, Paul’s final concert took place just a few weeks before his death. Many artists and popular musicians openly mourned Les and were not shy in their sorrow or their admiration. Former Guns n’ Roses guitarist Slash called him “vibrant and full of positive energy,” while Bon Jovi’s lead guitarist Richie Sambora outwardly referred to him as “revolutionary in the music business.” U2 guitarist The Edge had said, “His legacy as a musician and inventor will live on and his influence on rock and roll will never be forgotten.” Throughout his life his many talents were very much acknowledged. Les Paul won numerous Grammy Awards as a performer, but he too received the Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1993 and was honored with a Special Merit/Technical Grammy Award in 2001. Paul was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Hollywood Rock Wall, and during his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, presenter Jeff Beck famously said, “I’ve copied more licks from Les Paul than I’d like to admit.” Awards were even named for Les as was the case in 1991 when the TEC Foundation inducted Paul into the TEC Hall of Fame and established its annual Les Paul Award to honor “individuals or institutions that have set the highest standards of excellence in the creative application of audio technology.” The award, now known as the Les Paul TEC Award, is presented annually at NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) Show in Anaheim, California. The 1990s and 2000s proved to be even more accoladefilled for Paul as he was inducted into the Big Band Hall of Fame, the Jazz Hall of Fame, received an Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in Engineering, and the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal. His work on the development of the solid body electric guitar earned him a 2005 induction
Two of many photos that show the close working relationship and friendship that existed between Les and Tom Doyle
Tom Doyle Collection - February, 2015 / 7