R.I.P. Les Paul

Les Paul died at the age of 94 today. Here's a video of Les Paul and his wife Mary Ford performing "How High the Moon," using Les Paul's invention of layering tracks (her own voice harmonizing, his own guitar playing on lead and rhythm).


And "I Really Don't Want to Know":


We were actually thinking of buying me a Gibson Les Paul guitar or new camera for my birthday (tomorrow) this year, but last night John and I decided we would save and buy our much-needed family car this October. I know if I told John I really wanted the guitar, he would get it anyway, but I really don't need it...and it can wait. But it's still exciting to think about. When I used to work at Sam Ash music in CA selling guitars, I really only played Fenders, because that was what I was around, and what I learned on. I thought Gibsons were too heavy. But now with the styles I like to play (jazz chords etc) I really want one! I think the only Gibson I sold was close to $2,000...and in addition to the hefty commission I made on that, the customer also bought me this Record, since we talked about Astrud Gilberto:

I think I left it in NY somewhere...or the dogs chewed it up with the rest of em...
My dad taught me a couple of the songs she did with her husband Joao Gilberto, and then I just started learning them by ear not even knowing what the chords were called. It was fun. And I remember when I flew out in Dec 2005 to see my dad in the ICU, already in a coma, the hospital t.v. above him was playing elevator versions of standards etc. And these were the 2 I distinctly remember hearing (and feeling eerie!):


It was eerie, because those were 2 of the first songs my dad taught me, however frustrating it was for him since his diabetes had caused him to lose circulation to his fingers. It will have been 4 years since he passed in Dec 2005. I miss my dad. I wish he could've met Lucas. Now he gets to meet Les Paul :)
This was the most recent picture I had of my dad in 2004:

But this one is still my favorite: