Latest news with #LesPaul
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Les Paul: The Man And The Guitar
One hundred ten years ago yesterday in Waukesha, Wisconsin, Lester William Polsfuss was born. The world would soon come to know him as Les Paul. (Forgive me for not getting to my keyboard in time to publish this on his birthday; recovering from a broken hip is not a smooth path.) Although Paul was an accomplished guitarist (jazz, country, and blues), and also a songwriter and luthier, he will always be remembered as a pioneer of the solid-body electric guitar. With that, he changed music forever. That makes Les Paul an undisputed leader, one of 20th century America's singular figures. And as leadership is one of the topics about which I am charged to write here, paying attention and tribute to Les Paul seems like a good – and fun – idea. Being a guitarist myself makes this even more fun, Les Paul was not first. There were others doing the same thing – producing guitar music via electricity rather than acoustics – even before him: Paul Tutmarc (1935) and Adolph Rickenbacker (also 1930s) predated his first attempt in 1940. And Leo Fender became a big name in solid-body guitars in the 1940s, as the Fender Guitar company affirms. But when Les Paul aligned himself with the Gibson Guitar Company, they ultimately produced the iconic Gibson Les Paul, one of the most widely played electric guitars in the world for the last 85 years. It is as much a rock and roll icon as anything or anyone else. Leaders achieve and maintain leadership status many ways, including by forging alliances. Les Paul and the Gibson Guitar Company are a truly great example – to this day. Les was performing by 1928 (age 13) and continued all his life. He was a regular at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York. He played there nearly every week until just before his death at 94 in 2009. How 'bout that? Among his many honors, Les Paul is one of the very few artists with a permanent, stand-alone exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is prominently named by the music museum on its website as an "architect" and a "key inductee" – and is the only inductee in both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the National Inventors Hall of Fame. And whatever your experience with Rock and Roll, Les Paul is a part of it. Not a guitarist ever lived who hasn't played on or performed on a Les Paul. Not a rock concert goer hasn't been serenaded by or blown away by a Gibson Les Paul guitar. Leadership is about more than the future; it is also about the legacy you leave behind.
The Market Online
30-05-2025
- The Market Online
Canopy Growth trims losses, eyes profit in 2026
A small town appeal with great amenities! What makes Pewaukee different from other places that claim they're a 'big city with a small-town appeal'? Owning one of the homes for sale in Pewaukee WI allows you to adore the rolling green hills or the sparkling lake. Pewaukee Lake is the largest among the 77 lakes in Waukesha County. It is almost 2,500 acres and is known as the heart of Pewaukee. Not only that, it offers a wide range of water activities such as swimming, sailing, and water skiing. It is also the best place for musky fishing in southeastern Wisconsin. From boat shows to ski shows, marathons to river runs, golfing to museum hopping, there are many activities that will keep you busy in Pewaukee. This is the village where fun and adventure equates to 'home.' A neighborhood that cares Pewaukee offers not only a small town charm but also a community that genuinely cares. The on-going projects and programs are about building the community and nurturing relationships. In addition, relationships with beloved animals are cherished in this area. There are facilities to go to in case you lost your pet. The addresses and phone numbers of these facilities are readily available and easy to access. The city is concerned about the welfare of the locals and the preservation of the environment. Routine checks are done on the beach every week to make sure the water is safe to swim in. Recycling efforts are also taken seriously in this village. A special place to call home! With flourishing businesses and excellent schools, Pewaukee is ideal for thriving individuals. The varied home designs of lakefront homes for sale in Pewaukee WI make this village a great place to put down roots. What else makes Pewaukee special? It is the world headquarters of the world renowned sailboat and yacht gear manufacturer, Harken Inc. The famous inventor of the solid body electric guitar, Les Paul, lived here. It is also home to the screenplay writer David Koepp who wrote Mission Impossible, Jurassic Park, and Spiderman, just to name a few. In 2012, nearby Waukesha belonged to the list of the 100 Best Communities in the United States for Young People, as stated by America's Promise Alliance. According to 24/7 Wall Street, Waukesha was 8th on the list of America's 50 Best Cities to Live in 2015. Market Report for April 2025 There are 51 active listings in Pewaukee Wisconsin, including 14 new ones. Among these active ones, 12 listings are under contract. Prices range from $336,500 to $1.8 Million. Pewaukee WI Homes for Sale 51 Homes — Traditional Sales — Average List Price: $720,946 0 Short Sales 0 Bank-Owned/REOs 20 homes sold in April 2025 in Pewaukee. The average sale price was $737,178 Click here for the current list of homes for sale in Pewaukee WI. Do you want to know more about the home value in Pewaukee Wisconsin? Call me, Kristin Johnston, today at 414-254-6647 to learn more about the real estate market in Pewaukee. With my knowledge and experience, I can help you look for the perfect condo for sale or lakefront home for sale that will suit your needs. GIVING BACK WITH EACH HOME SOLD! Kristin Johnston Realtor, ABR, EPRO RE/MAX Platinum 414 254 6647 kjohnston5@
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Museums, and others, to celebrate the Wizard of Waukesha, Les Paul, on his 110th birthday
Like an unforgettable song, Les Paul has remained on the minds of local history and musical buffs, though other people are still tuned in as well. At least, Sue Baker, the program director for the Les Paul Foundation, has seen the lingering connection that the Wizard of Waukesha has with people in general and especially with those whose own lives revolve around music. Some seek music grants through the foundation. But there are others. As Baker sees it, Paul's life, sprinkled with troubles early on but later an inspiration to those facing their own challenges, builds even deeper connections. Their devotion probably would've surprised Paul himself. "In one of the last conversations I had with Les, he said to me, 'Oh, I don't know if anyone is going to remember me after I pass.' And I said, 'Well, you're wrong,'" Baker said in a May 27 phone interview. "He said, 'How can you be so sure?' So I said, 'Because I'm going to tell your story.'" For what would have been Paul's 110th birthday, on June 9, Baker is still telling his story now nearly 16 years after his death. She led an effort to put together a 12-day series of events — a mix of activities in Waukesha, Milwaukee and wholly online — for his milestone birthday. "I'm always delighted when more people can know the backstory of Les," she said. "He's more than a guitar." Three events in Waukesha are all tied to the Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum, 101 W. Main St., where a Les Paul exhibit remains a cultural centerpiece in the city where he has been remembered in so many ways. From 6:30 to 9 p.m. June 6, the museum will staff a booth during Friday Night Live in downtown Waukesha to promote Paul, including the exhibit. As part of a free day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 7 at the museum, guests can tour the immersive Les Paul exhibit, which explores his innovations and details his steps along the way. Museum staff will also demonstrate the "Les Paulverizer" and Log re-creations made by Dr. VJ Manzo and his students from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. Free Les Paul Maker Kits will be available that allows people to explore for themselves how sound works. From 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 10, Baker, who befriended Paul in his final decade as she helped put together an exhibit honoring him, will share stories about his life and career, which included his solid-body guitar, breakthrough recording techniques and dozens of gold records. It's a ticketed event. Though he hailed from Waukesha, Paul had a presence in Milwaukee County, too, and Discovery World, 500 Harbor Drive, reflects on other aspects of the man. The first includes hands-on activities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 14. Civic Music MKE, Girls Rock MKE, Kaltron Synthesizers to follow Paul's story from his humble beginnings in Wisconsin to his travels around the world. The museum hosts the Les Paul House of Sound exhibit, where from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. visitors can join in an activity exploring sound, music and design, facilitated by Julie Palkowski, Les Paul Foundation education coordinator. Participants also create their own DIY Guitar project in the Kohl's Design It! Lab, included in price of admission. Educators get two specialized opportunities to celebrate Paul's birthday. From 6 to 7 p.m. June 5, they can join what planners are calling "a virtual birthday party." The online event, which requires pre-registration by May 29 to gain access to link for the virtual session, includes trivia and fun activities, and, of course, music. It's a nod toward Paul's role as an innovator, inventor and musical influencer. Palkowski is the contact for those with questions on the program. She can be reached via email at julie@ The second event, Morning at the Museum, is from 10 a.m. to noon June 17 at Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum. It features a tour of the Les Paul Experience, with a focus on reinforcing classroom studies, and includes free classroom resources. Those interested must register by June 10. Baker will also unveil a new book she penned on Paul. Titled "Les Paul celebrating 110 years," it's 72 pages offering insights into his life and inventions, including his years growing up in Waukesha, personal conversations between Paul and Baker and many photos not commonly seen to date. It's drawn from many sources, including her own work. She also writes for Paul's official website, which she said provides "the broadest reach," with individual tabs covering his history, his music and his foundation. Baker also gives live presentations about Paul. The $7 booklet will be available at the Waukesha County Historical Society and Museum, beginning June 6. (The gift shop can be accessed without museum admission.) Baker, whose interaction with Paul began in the late 1990s with long planning process for an exhibit the Waukesha museum, grew to be a "good friend" with the icon. She even assisted in helping him decide on his burial site, at Prairie Home Cemetery along with his mother, and the memorial there. After his death in 2009, she also began working for his estate and two years later with the Les Paul Foundation. Her connection with Paul gave her a deeper appreciation of his life and what people should likewise appreciate. She even discussed that topic with Paul, addressing how he overcame obstacles, including "a rough childhood," and how he could serve as an inspiration. "I said to Les that I worked with little kids when I held other positions, and I have seen so many kids who have felt insecure and lack self-confidence," Baker said. "They sometimes say it's because they have had a rough life. ... I think that his life is a wonderful inspiration not only for the kids who are going through tough times, but for that little kid that's inside all of us. "He persisted. He didn't give up. And that's a great message for all of us," she added. Contact reporter Jim Riccioli at This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Waukesha and Milwaukee events celebrate Les Paul's 110th birthday
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'It's the Kinks meets AC/DC': Jim Babjak revisits 5 classic Smithereens riffs
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. The Smithereens are, without a doubt, one of the greatest guitar bands to come out of New Jersey, which – scientifically speaking! – means Smithereens guitarist Jim Babjak has recorded some of the greatest riffs to come out of New Jersey. Below, Babjak goes to town on the roots and gear behind five of those riffs. And if you're gonna try to play them yourself, remember to tune down half a step, à la Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughan. 'Pat came up with the opening riff, but I helped him out on some of the chords. There's an F chord in there, but I don't know what it's called, and I do a sort of unorthodox thing with the E minor. The solo is all mine. I played it on the demo because the song was originally planned for Cameron Crowe's Say Anything. In fact, that's why Pat sings, 'I'll say anything' at the end. 'We were definitely going for a heavier sound, and I needed something even tougher than my SG. I said, 'I gotta get a Les Paul.' I've never been one of those guys who will go into a guitar store and start playing Stairway to Heaven. I was always kind of embarrassed by that sort of thing. 'We were recording in California, so I went with one of our assistant engineers to a used-guitar shop by the studio. I pointed to Les Paul and said, 'Can you plug that in to see what it sounds like?' He did, and I said, 'Okay, I'll take that one.' It was 1975 Les Paul. I put it through my Marshall, and it sounded great. I still have it – I don't want to give it up.' 'There's a chord with the pinky on the E and the B of the fourth fret – I don't know what you call it. I was watching Del Shannon doing Runaway, and he was playing that chord. I was like, 'Wow, that's really cool. I'm going to start doing that.' For the riff I play in the beginning of this song, I'm keeping my pinky on the E and the B while I move around with the other fingers. 'Around this time, I bought a new SG to get a heavier sound. It was a 1987 SG with regular humbuckers. Later on I put P90s in it. It was a good guitar and worked out fine, but I think an SG from 1967 or '68 would have been better.' 'I used the same SG that I played on Drown in My Own Tears. Same Marshall, too. I never veered too much from a winning combination. It's kind of funny, though; in the video, I play a Rickenbacker because we had an endorsement with them. 'The riff is pretty Kinks-ish, but heavier. It's the Kinks meets AC/DC. I had to play around with the riff because I didn't want it to sound like You Really Got Me – you don't wanna get sued or anything. We worked everything out in rehearsals during pre-production. Mike came in with his basslines, so it all came together.' 'I came up with that riff during a soundcheck in Madrid on our first tour. There's always a lot of waiting and goofing around at soundcheck – people aren't always ready at the same time. So it's a good chance to play around with new ideas to see if anybody reacts. Back then, if you played something good, you had to play it over and over so you could remember it. 'The minute I played this riff, I was like, 'I think there's a song here.' The other guys looked at me – 'What was that?' When we got back to the States, Pat put some chords to it and wrote the lyrics, which were different at the time. 'We went to a rehearsal studio before recording the album and worked out the parts. When we recorded the song, I used the SG for the rhythm, but I played the riff with a Strat. The Strat just sounded better with the part. Don Dixon put some sort of effect on it, and it sounded weird but good.' 'Capitol wanted another A Girl Like You. It was like the Kinks following up You Really Got Me with All Day and All of the Night. We were like, 'All right, we gotta give the record company that type of song again.' They told us that's what they wanted; they even said we had to use a click track. I was like, 'Are you fucking kidding me? That would stifle the drums.' Dennis actually got really good at playing with a click, though I wasn't a fan of it. 'We did the demo of it, but I don't think Pat had all the lyrics yet. The song is in the key of A, just like A Girl Like You, and I thought, 'How am I going to make it sound different?' I don't like to play solos on demos because I want them to be fresh in the studio. I just wait till we're recording and then I do a few passes. Eventually, the producer will say, 'Okay, we got it.' 'Sonically, I tried to make the song different from A Girl Like You in that I added an acoustic guitar under the electric on the opening riff. It added a little bit of texture and made it sound different. The electric was the '75 Les Paul I bought in L.A. The acoustic was a big-body Guild D-50.' This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Classic Rock Legend, 81, Has Exciting Career News
Steve Miller has been a powerful force of rock for decades, with hits like 'The Joker,' 'Take the Money and Run,' and 'Fly Like an Eagle.' His legacy will be celebrated when he receives the Les Paul Spirit Award. Named after Les Paul, the guitarist and designer who pioneered the solid-body electric guitar, the Les Paul Spirit Award is given to someone who 'exemplifies the spirit of the late, great Les Paul through innovation, engineering, technology and/or music,' according to a press release. 'Not only is he an extraordinary talent and a wonderful friend of the Les Paul Foundation, Steve holds the very distinct title of being Les' godson,' said Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of The Les Paul Foundation. 'They had a very unique relationship, which Les cherished," he added. "If anyone understands the 'spirit' of Les Paul, it's Steve.' Les and Steve's connection began when Miller's parents attended performances by Les Paul and his then-wife Mary Ford in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Steve's parents introduced him to Les, who then gave Miller his first informal guitar lessons. The connection between Steve and Les continued throughout the decades. Miller would join Paul on stage for the latter's 90th birthday concert in New York City. 'If Les were still alive today, Steve and he would be jamming at his house regularly,' added Michael Braunstein. 'I am personally thrilled to be able to present Steve with this award because I know he exemplifies everything Les was about and wanted to accomplish. I want to also thank the Gibson Gives Foundation for partnering with us on this exciting annual award and for everything they do to keep Les' name alive.' (Les Paul died in 2009 at age 94.) Steve Miller is a classic rock legend. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022. His album, Fly Like an Eagle, was recently inducted into the Library of Congress's National Recording Registry. And a new generation was introduced to Steve Miller's music when sampled 'Abracadabra' for his recent hit, 'Houdini.' The Les Paul Spirit Award ceremony takes place on June 9 (Les Paul's 100th birthday!) at the Gibson Garage Nashville. In addition to the award, a grant from the Les Paul Foundation will be made to the charity of Steve Miller's choice.
