timeline

• Lester William Polsfuss is born June 9 in Waukesha, Wisconsin, to George and Evelyn Polsfuss. (Lester’s mother changed spelling of their last name, but Lester never legally changed his name.)

• Punches new holes into his mother’s player piano rolls, creating multi-track effect.

• Receives first harmonica from a ditch-digger.

• Builds crystal radio set and learns about sound electronics from WTMJ radio engineer.

• Receives first guitar, a Sears, Roebuck Troubadour.

• Invents flip-able harmonica holder so he can play both sides while playing guitar.

• Meets idol Pie Plant Pete when he toured with Chicago’s WLS Barn Dance shows.

• Amplifies and electrifies his guitar at Beekman’s Bar-B-Q where he performs for tips.

• Attempts first solid-body electric guitar by filling his acoustic guitar with Plaster of Paris.

• Stretches guitar string over a section of train rail, adds telephone microphone as pickup and amplifies it, the beginning of the solid body electric guitar.

• Builds first disc-cutting lathe with Cadillac flywheel, dental belts and nail.

Early 1930s

• Meets mentor Sunny Joe Wolverton.

• Plays on Milwaukee area radio stations with Sunny Joe Wolverton.

• Great Depression leaves many without jobs.

• Sunny Joe and Rhubarb Red perform for hillbilly radio stations in St. Louis and Springfield, MO.

• Starts to play electric guitar.

• Rhubarb Red and Sunny Joe move to Chicago. Perform on WBBM radio and at World’s Fair.

• Jams with jazz greats on Chicago’s Southside as Les Paul at night.

• Does jazz show with organ and guitar on WIND radio; plays jazz on WJJD radio.

• For short time, plays piano instead of guitar.

• Converts Bell & Howell movie speaker into guitar amplifier.

• Forms first Les Paul Trio with Ernie Newton and Jimmie Atkins (Chet Atkin’s half-brother).

1936

• Makes first professional recordings as Rhubarb Red on Montgomery Ward’s record label.

• Records 20 sides on Decca with blues singer Georgia White.

• Continues to experiment with designing solid-body electric guitar.

• Performs on several Chicago radio stations with various hillbilly bands.

• Records first sound-on-sound.

1938

• Moves to New York and joins Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians on NBC radio.

• Installs two pickups on his hollow body electric guitar for first time.

1939

• Plays electric guitar on Waring’s national radio show. No one else is playing electric guitars on radio.

• Performs in White House concert for President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

• Uses Philco radio/record player to create pirate radio station in basement of his NYC apartment.

• Cuts first commercial records with trio, doing four sides for Columbia.

• Appears in Gibson’s catalog with a Super 400 guitar.

1950

• After nearly 10 years of Les trying to convince Gibson to build solid body electric guitars, company begins to design the electric guitar with input from Les.

• Has three instrumental hits.

1951

• Les and Mary have seven hits including “How High the Moon.” Sell six million records.

• Les and Mary play London Palladium and Grand Ole Opry among countless venues.

• Records popular jingle for Rheingold Beer.

• Voted number one guitarist in country by Down Beat magazine.

• Signs with Gibson.

1952

• Les and Mary have eight hits.

• Gibson introduces Les Paul solid-body electric guitar.

• Gibson makes two mini-guitars for Les to use during live performances.

• Move to Mahwah, New Jersey.

1953

• Release of Les and Mary’s biggest hit, “Vaya Con Dios”.

• Listerine sponsors Les Paul and Mary Ford At Home, 5-minute television shows (170 episodes) recorded in their Mahwah, NJ home.

• Envisions 8-track tape recorder. Works with Ampex to refine and manufacture 8-track.

• Explains sound-on-sound on TV with Alistair Cooke.

1955

• Proposes use of light for recording sound as guest speaker at Audio Engineers Society convention.

• Designs Capitol Records’ echo chambers and recording studios for iconic California building.

1956

• Debuts The Les Paulverizer, a remote-control attached to his guitar to manipulate taped accompaniments he and Mary use during White House concert for President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

• Receives patent for Combined Bridge and Tail Piece for Stringed Instruments.

1957

• From 1947 to 1957 sells over 10 million records while with Capitol.

• Ampex delivers first operational 8-track recorder to Les.

• Capitol Records contract ends as rock and roll pushes Les and Mary off the charts.

• Les and Mary sign with Mitch Miller at Columbia Records.

1958

• Inducted as honorary member of Audio Engineering Society.

• Receives Hollywood Walk of Fame star with Mary Ford.

• Receives patent for Electrical Musical Instrument, Les’ design for single magnetic pickup.

• Les and Mary divorce.

• Performs in Japan with son Gene.

• Retires from performing.

• Continues to experiment with pickup designs and other electronics.

• Right eardrum breaks. Almost dies in surgery to repair ear. Needs additional surgeries on his ear.

• Begins work on improving hearing aids.

• Gives Gibson all his guitar drawings and guitar secrets.

• Gibson produces Les Paul Recording Guitar incorporating Les’ design with low impedance pickups.

• Receives patent for Method for Electronically Reproducing Music and Improved Electrical Pickup.

• Capitol releases album of Les and Mary’s greatest hits.

• Les and Bucky Pizzarelli play Town Hall in New York, appear on ABC and perform at Carnegie Hall.

• Les’ left eardrum breaks. Additional surgeries result in permanent hearing impairment.

• Emerges from retirement to record Chester & Lester and Guitar Monsters with Chet Atkins.

• Receives Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance for Chester and Lester.

• Mary Ford dies September 30 in Los Angeles after lapsing into diabetic coma.

• Receives Recording Academy’s Grammy Hall of Fame Award for “How High the Moon”.

• Inducted into Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame.

• Designs and builds sound diffusing wall for Studio 2 in Mahwah home.

• TEC Hall of Fame inaugurates annual Les Paul Award. Les is first recipient.

• Launches two Monday night gigs at New York’s Iridium Jazz Club. Performs until two months before he passes in 2009.

• Inducted into New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame.

• Receives John Smithson Bicentennial Medal from Smithsonian Institution.

• Featured in popular Coors beer commercial: Young guitarist: “What’s your name?” Les replies: “It’s on your guitar.”

2001

• Awarded Technical Grammy by Recording Academy.

2002

• City of Waukesha renames major road Les Paul Parkway
• Les Paul is presented with Les Paul Parkway sign

2003

• “Famous Wisconsin Musicians” includes forward by Les Paul

2004

• Receives Emmy Lifetime Achievement in Engineering.

• Les Paul exhibit opens at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

2005

• 90th birthday tribute concert held at Carnegie Hall.

• Inducted into National Inventors Hall of Fame.

• Receives Sammy Cahn Lifetime Achievement Award from Songwriters Hall of Fame.

• Receives Grammy award for Best Pop Instrumental Performance for “Caravan”.

• Receives second Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance for ”69 Freedom Special”. Both recordings are from Les Paul & Friends (Capitol), his first new album in almost 30 years. Among Les’ musical partners for recording were: Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, and Buddy Guy.

• Named Inventor of the Year by EQ Magazine.

2007

• Receives National Medal of Arts from U.S. President George W. Bush.

• Release of documentary, Les Paul: Chasing Sound.

• Les Paul attends premiere of “Les Paul Chasing Sound” shown at Milwaukee’s historic Downer’s Theater
• Les Paul performs to sold-out concert benefiting the Waukesha County Museum

2008

• Receives American Music Masters Award from Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

• Les Paul headlines sold-out concert at Milwaukee’s historic Pabst Theatre celebrating his 93rd birthday
• Les Paul attends opening of Les Paul House of Sound exhibit at Milwaukee’s Discovery World
• “Les Paul In His Own Words” book is published

2009

• Les Paul passes at the age of 94.

• Named One of the Ten Best Electric Guitar Players of all Time by Time Magazine.

• Receives Bravery in Radio Award from William Patterson University’s Brave New Radio Station for his 1950s’ radio shows.

• The Grammy Awards paid tribute to Les Paul within the telecast with a tribute video.

2010

• Receives Honorary New York Emmy.
• Receives Joe Meek Award for Innovation in Production from Music Producers Guild.
• Inducted into New Jersey Hall of Fame.
• Les Paul Exhibit Opens at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame & Museum
• Jeff Beck Records “Rock n Roll Party” Album honoring Les Paul at The Iridium in NY

2011

• Google Doodle commemorates Les Paul’s 96th birthday with playable guitar
• Receives star on Nashville’s Walk of Fame.
• Included among Rolling Stone Magazine’s 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.
• Lindsey Buckingham Receives Les Paul Innovation Award 
• Les Paul Monument Unveiled in Waukesha
• Les Paul in Mahwah exhibit opens at Mahwah Museum
• “Christmas Cheer” Les Paul & Mary Ford Album made available

2012

• “Les Paul Guitar Wizard,” a children’s book, published by Wisconsin Historical Society with input from Les Paul Foundation
• Steve Vai receives Les Paul Innovation Award
• The Les Paul Estate Memorabilia Auction Takes Place in Los Angeles
• Lou Pallo releases “Thank You Les” CD in August
• The PBS Documentary “Thank You Les” is produced 
• Les Paul Foundation distributes first grants

2013

• Les Paul Experience exhibit opens at the Waukesha County Museum
• Pete Townshend receives Les Paul Innovation Award

2014

• “Les Paul and the Perfect Pitch,” a children’s book, is released with input from the Les Paul Foundation
• Todd Rundgren receives Les Paul Innovation Award
• Waukesha School renamed the Les Paul Middle School
• Les Paul Middle School celebrates its new name with support from Les Paul Foundation and presentation by Executive Director Michael Braunstein

2015

• Thousands of signatures gathered on a petition for Les Paul USPS stamp, submitted to USPS
• Slash receives Les Paul Innovation Award
• Grateful Dead Founding Member Bob Weir Receives First Les Paul Spirit Award at the Bonnaroo Music Festival
• Les Paul’s 100th Birthday is Celebrated in New York Times Square
• Les Paul’s Big Sound Experience Tour Kicks off in New York City and Tours the US
• Les Paul Named one of the “100 Best Guitarists of All Time” By Rolling Stone Magazine
• An exclusive Les Paul exhibit launches at Hard Rock New York for a limited engagement
• “A Little More Les” by Steve King and Johnnie Putman released with input from Les Paul Foundation

2016

• Don Was receives Les Paul Innovation Award
• U2’s The Edge Receives the Les Paul Spirit Award at the Bonnaroo Music Festival
• Lester “Rusty” G. Paul,  son of Les Paul dies at the age of 74

2017

• Kalamazoo Valley Science Center opens the Les Paul exhibit with help from the Les Paul Foundation
• Joe Perry receives Les Paul Innovation Award
• Musician-Composer Nile Rogers Receives the Les Paul Spirit Award at the Bonnaroo Music Festival
• Les Paul Archives Project begins at Library of Congress 
• The Les Paul Garage opens at Les Paul Middle School
• AXS TV pays tribute to Les Paul with premiere of “Les Paul & Friends: 90th Birthday Salute”
• First series of Les Paul posters designed and made available on website

2018

• Inducted as first person into Audio Engineering Society of Wisconsin’s Hall of Fame.
• Les Paul Foundation gives presentation at AES convention in NYC’s Javits Center
• Jackson Browne receives Les Paul Innovation Award
• Library of Congress Project Concludes

2019

• “Guitar Genius,” the award-winning children’s book by Kim Tomsic is released with input from Les Paul Foundation
• Peter Frampton receives Les Paul Innovation Award