["Hip Billy Boogie" by Les Paul & Mary Ford]
- Les Paul was born Lester Polsfuss
in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
He became an internationally known jazz guitar player,
but he got his start in music
as a country entertainer in Wisconsin.
He even played the part of a hillbilly rube entertainer
named Rhubarb Red.
He was fascinated with both the guitar
and electronics all his life.
["Hip Billy Boogie" by Les Paul & Mary Ford]
He succeeded in perfecting a solid-body electric guitar that
was taken over by the Gibson company, and later,
with his then-wife Mary Ford, he did some overdubbing and
multi-tracking that was highly influential in music.
So, he well-deserved his membership in the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
[guitar note fades]