Friday, August 14, 2009

R.I.P. Les Paul


A Giant walks among us no more...If nothing else, he put the lie to Fitzgerald's riff about American lives having no second act. Indeed, anyone who was multi.track recording in 1947 (!?), had an illustrious performing career (w/wife Mary Ford), not even considering the instrument that bore his name...what a life!

Tanya who's now in Milwaukee had a poignant twitter post (@tanyac) about driving by the sign that said 'Home of Les Paul' when she heard the news...

L.A. Times has done their usual bang up job if you feel the need for a quick history lesson...

Lift your glasses to a life lived large...




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6 comments:

  1. wajAugust 15, 2009 at 2:40 PM

    Just heard that Jim Dickinson, the Memphis Maestro, passed away...When it rains it pours...i'll post an obit link when i see one...my two cents: larger than life character in Memphis for decades as studio musician, producer, hell raiser, and all around bon vivant. His sons are founding members of the North Mississippi All Stars...
    Rest in Peace, Big Man...

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  2. DCWAugust 17, 2009 at 10:00 PM

    ...and another legend exits the stage of life. Such an incredible contributor to music.

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  3. wajAugust 17, 2009 at 10:21 PM

    Ageed...& add Rashied Ali to the list to make it three...free jazz stalwart from Philly who teamed w Coltrane in his last years. Crazy sense of time, & still cooking. Played in a trio w/William Parker last weekend at Newport, a heavyweight to the end. Anyone stone craZy enough to fill elvin jones' shoes is a cat to be reckoned with. Go in peace, bro. Ali

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  4. wajAugust 17, 2009 at 10:31 PM

    Also, great new documentary out by Davis guggenheim (Inconvenient Truth) called 'it might get loud in here', focusing on Jimmy page, Jack white, and the Edge. Find it inconceivable to see this without feeling Les paul's ghost hovering above. Final word, what I'll miss most about Les Paul was his quiet dignity. Seems like were facing a serious 'classy' deficit w/this year's passings.

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  5. DCWAugust 17, 2009 at 10:40 PM

    I couldn't agree with you more on that last statement. And I've heard good things already about the Phillip Davis Guggenheim movie. I plan on checking it out whenever it makes it way around here.

    G'night!

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  6. wajAugust 17, 2009 at 11:01 PM

    Memphis Commercial Appeal piece on Mr Dickinson:
    http://tinyurl.com/mtgybk

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