Les Paul, acclaimed guitar player, entertainer and inventor, passed away on August 13th from complications of severe pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York, surrounded by family and loved ones. He had been receiving the best available treatment through this final battle and in keeping with his persona, he showed incredible strength, tenacity and courage. The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks for the thoughts and prayers from his dear friends and fans. Les Paul was 94.

Born Lester William Polsfuss on June 9th 1915, Les Paul went on to make many remarkable contributions to the music world—including multi-track recording, sound-on-sound, tape delay and close-miking vocals. The Digidesign and M-Audio team would like to thank Les Paul for the long-lasting impact he made on our industry.

Photo by Gene Martin.