from the LA Times:
Les Paul was born Lester William Polfuss on June 9, 1915, the younger son of George Polfuss, who owned a car repair service in Waukesha, and Evelyn Polfuss has passed at the age of 94.
The couple separated when Paul was 8.
Always curious and musical, Paul would as a child pump his mother’s upright player piano, punching holes on the piano roll to make new notes and taping over the holes if he didn’t like what came out.
By 9, he learned to play the harmonica by listening to blues and country artists on the radio. Not long after, he paid a few dollars for his first guitar from Sears, Roebuck.
By his late teens, Paul had dropped out of school and was on KMOX radio in St. Louis and then performing in Chicago. During the day, he would play country music using the name Rhubarb Red, and at night would jam in the jazz clubs with his new stage name, Les Paul.
In the late 1930s, he formed a trio with bassist Ernie Newton and Jimmy Atkins, a vocalist and rhythm guitarist who was the half-brother of Chet. It was with the Les Paul Trio that Paul made his way to New York City, where the group played for several years with Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians on Waring’s radio program.
In off hours, Paul would go to Harlem nightclubs where he would sit in with such greats as pianist Art Tatum and guitarist Charlie Christian.
During World War II, Paul entertained the troops as part of the Armed Forces Radio Service. In 1944, he was a last-minute replacement for Nat “King” Cole’s guitarist Oscar Moore and played with other leading musicians at Norman Granz’s inaugural Jazz at the Philharmonic concert at Philharmonic Hall in Los Angeles.
He finally achieved his long-sought chance to work with Bing Crosby, backing the crooner on his NBC radio shows and, in 1945, recording “It’s Been a Long, Long Time” with Crosby — which quickly hit No. 1 on the charts.
Paul built his own sound studio in the garage of his Hollywood home, where he recorded many tunes, including the 1946 hit song “Rumors Are Flying” with the Andrew Sisters.
By then, Paul had linked up with singer Colleen Summers, whom he later gave the stage name Mary Ford.
In early 1948, a serious automobile accident badly injured his arm and interrupted his work.
As he slowly resumed performing, Paul drew Ford into his act and, by the early 1950s, the couple had mastered the sound that opened the door to their huge popularity. “How High the Moon,” which was made with a dozen overdubs, stayed at the top of the charts for more than two months in 1951.
After their divorce in 1964, Paul recorded two albums with Chet Atkins, including “Chester and Lester.”
Ford died in 1977.
Following heart bypass surgery in the early 1980s, Paul began his weekly appearances at Fat Tuesdays in Manhattan and, after it closed, at the Iridium.
Though Paul had hearing aids in both ears and his hands were so arthritic that he could barely hold a pick, he still played with the sensitivity and sweetness that had made him famous — although, as he wryly commented, he didn’t use as many notes.
Paul’s first new studio album since 1978 — a rock-oriented collection featuring him playing with Steve Miller, Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, Sting and others — was released in 2005.Paul’s original Log is housed at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville; a replica produced by Gibson is at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.
Paul is survived by his three sons, Lester (Rus), Gene and Robert; his daughter, Colleen Wess; longtime friend Arlene Palmer; five grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
A private funeral service will be held in New York. A service in Waukesha will be announced at a later date, as will public memorial tributes.
