Guitar great and recording pioneer Les Paul was born 105 years this weekend and New Jersey’s Mahwah Museum, home to many items from the music legend’s collection, is planning a full-on celebration online.
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Paul’s contributions to designing the modern electric guitar, including the Gibson Les Paul, and his advancements in multi-track recording, not to mention his own virtuosity on the instrument are, of course, well-known to guitar fanatics worldwide. The Mahwah Museum’s plan is to ensure that future generations understand their long-time town resident’s contributions to the evolution of recorded music.
In an interview with NorthJersey.com, Ken Pokrowski, chairman of the museum’s Les Paul committee said: “We want to keep the Les Paul legacy alive… Many people in the music business know about Les Paul, the solid-body guitar and eight-track tapes. But we also want to reach out to younger people in elementary and high school.”
In that interview link, you can also watch a 2018 video with Charles Carreras, Chair of the Les Paul Committee, who gives a fascinating peek inside the Mahwah Museum’s Les Paul exhibit.
Online performances this weekend include:
Thom Bresh, son of Merle Travis, will perform on YouTube Saturday, June 6 at 5:30 EDT. Bresh is a fantastic player and fingerpicker, and often performs on a unique two-sided double-necked guitar.
Muriel Anderson will perform a 45-minute set on YouTube Saturday, June 6 at 7 pm EDT. Anderson is a National Fingerstyle Champion and host of the annual All-Star Guitar Night, which originated at the music industry’s annual NAMM Convention. She also co-hosted a show with Paul at the Ryman Auditorium.
Christened “the man of a million chords” by Keith Richards, Lou Pallo will perform on YouTube Sunday, June 7 at 4 pm EDT, with special guests Vinny Raniolo and Gary Mazzaroppi. Pallo accompanied Les Paul for hundreds of performances over the years, including a residency at Fat Tuesday’s in New York City which was a must-visit for guitarists, including Jimmy Page, Danny Gatton, Steve Miller, Jeff Beck and more.
The celebration concludes on Tuesday, June 9 at 7 pm EDT with a Zoom event conversation with Gene Paul, musician, producer/engineer and son of Les Paul. Gene will share stories of his father with moderator Charlie Carreras, Vice President, Mahwah Museum, Professor Emeritus of History, Ramapo College. Click here to register.
The official Les Paul Facebook page is also running a contest for fans to win a ‘Special Birthday Prize Pack’ which ends on June 9.
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