Les Paul
1915 – 2009

Les Paul

American jazz guitarist, country guitarist, songwriter and inventor (1915–2009)

jazz guitaristbanjoistradio personalitymusical instrument makerguitarist
Born
1915-06-09, Waukesha
Died
2009-08-11
Birthplace state
Wisconsin

Biography

Lester William Polsfuss, known as Les Paul, was an American jazz, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid-body electric guitar, and his prototype, called the Log, served as inspiration for the Gibson Les Paul. Paul taught himself how to play guitar, and while he is mainly known for jazz and popular music, he had an early career in country music. In the 1950s, he and his wife, singer and guitarist Mary Ford, made numerous recordings, selling millions of copies.

Occupation

Les Paul is recorded as a jazz guitarist, a banjoist, a radio personality, a musical instrument maker, a guitarist, a musician, a inventor and a composer, born in Wisconsin (1915–2009).

Connections to Wisconsin

Les Paul was born in Waukesha, Wisconsin in 1915. Explore other notable figures from Wisconsin, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Wisconsin

Other historical figures born in Wisconsin, ranked by historical prominence.

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John Bardeen
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Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy
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Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
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Jeffrey Dahmer
American serial killer (1960–1994)

Frequently asked about Les Paul

Who was Les Paul?
Les Paul was American jazz guitarist, country guitarist, songwriter and inventor (1915–2009), born in Wisconsin (1915 – 2009).
When and where was Les Paul born?
Les Paul was born on 1915-06-09 in Waukesha.
When did Les Paul die?
Les died on 2009-08-11.
What was Les Paul known for?
Les Paul is recorded as a jazz guitarist, a banjoist, a radio personality, a musical instrument maker, a guitarist, a musician, a inventor and a composer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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