Self-proclaimed at an early age as “The Wizard of Waukesha”, he deserved the monicker. Not for his legendary guitar-virtuosity, but for his advances in music technology.

My parents might blame Elvis, or Bill Haley, or Allen Freed for ruining radio with that darn rock-and-roll, but in fact it was mild-mannered, “Via Con Dios” playing and producing Les Paul who gave us the toys and tools to rock and roll.

Would there be “Stairway to Heaven” without the Les Paul guitar? Would there be “Sgt. Pepper” without the multi-track recorder? In fact, I doubt I would have had a career without the multi-track recorder. It’s the first purchase I made after Sorgel-Lee Multimedia sold a project. (I was making mix-tapes before you were born, sonny-Jim. Er, sorry. Got cranky there.)

Anyway, smash a Sears Silvertone tonight in honor of Les Paul. He needed tools, couldn’t find them, so he invented them.

Necessity.