Les Paul: 1915-2009

Les Paul, the jazz guitarist and inventor who changed the face of popular music, died today at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York, due to complications from pneumonia.

Early in his career, in addition to fronting the Les Paul Trio, he worked with many notable musicians including Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and the Andrews Sisters.

Paul is credited with inventing and popularizing one of the first solid-body guitars, thus making the sound of rock and roll possible.

Based on Paul's design, the Gibson Guitar Corporation manufactured the first Gibson Les Paul in the early 1950s, a model that remains one of the company's most popular guitars.

Paul was also a recording technology innovator, being among the first to use overdubbing, delay and phasing effects, and multitrack recording.

Many of these techniques were first heard on hit recordings Paul produced with his wife/ vocalist Mary Ford during the 1950s.

Paul was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1978, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988, the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2005, and the National Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2006.

He was 94 years old.