timeline
This timeline provides only some highlights of Les Paul’s illustrious, almost century-long career.

1915
-
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.)
1915

1920s
-
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.
1920s

1930s
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.
1930s

1940s
1941
-
Builds the “Log” in NYC Epiphone factory where he is allowed access on Sundays.
-
Gibson executives laugh at Les’ suggestion to build a solid-body electric guitar.
-
Performs and records with his “Klunker,” an Epiphone hollow body with super-hot pickups.
-
Suffers extreme electric shock, resulting in severe burns to his hands and weeks in the hospital.
-
Trio splits.
-
Moves back to Chicago. Becomes music director for WIND and WJJD.
1942
-
Builds headless guitar from sheet of aluminum.
1943
-
Moves to Los Angeles to team with Bing Crosby.
-
New Les Paul Trio is hired by NBC radio.
-
Drafted into Armed Forces Radio Service, where he creates V-Disc recordings AFRS radio shows, does transcriptions and learns about recording.
1944
-
Performs with Nat Cole at first Jazz at the Philharmonic concert in Los Angeles, jazz’s most famous jam sessions.
1945
-
Plays guitar on Bing Crosby’s post-war hit “It’s Been a Long, Long Time”.
-
Converts Hollywood garage into cutting-edge recording studio to record the stars.
-
Plays guitar in several movies.
-
Gene Autry introduces Iris Colleen Summers (Mary Ford) to Les.
-
Revives Rhubarb Red persona for hillbilly radio shows with Mary.
1946
-
Trio tours U.S. with Andrew Sisters.
-
Les’ mother complains that every guitar player sounds like Les.
-
Leaves Andrew Sisters tour. Returns to Hollywood garage studio.
-
Spends two years inventing revolutionary recording techniques to create his “New Sound.”
-
Makes first sound-on-sound commercial recordings using disks.
1947
-
Appears in movie, Sarge Goes to College.
-
Plays “Lover” for brand new recording company, Capitol Records.
-
Signs recording contract with Capitol.
1948
-
January 26 Les and Mary are in horrific car accident in Oklahoma during winter storm.
-
Doctors recommend amputating Les’ badly damaged right arm.
-
Persuades doctors to set arm so he can continue to play.
-
Capitol releases “Lover” and “Brazil”, Les’ first “New Sound” recordings with overdubbed guitars.
1949
-
Les and Mary play their guitars together for first time in public at opening of Waukesha’s Club 400, owned by Les’ dad and brother, George and Ralph Polsfuss.
-
Les chooses Mary’s stage name of “Ford” from Milwaukee phone book.
-
Bing Crosby commissions Ampex Corp. to produce first U.S. tape recorders. Gives first Ampex model to Les.
-
Orders additional recording head and invents Sound-on-Sound tape machine.
-
Hosts radio show, Les Paul at Home, which airs for 23 weeks.
-
Les and Mary are married December 29, 1949 in Milwaukee.
1940s

1950s
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.
1950s

1960s
-
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.
1960s

1970s
-
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”.
1970s

1980s
-
Undergoes quintuple by-pass heart surgery at Cleveland Clinic.
-
Plays on TV concert series Rock ‘n’ Roll Tonight with Jeff Beck and others.
-
Receives Trustees Award from Recording Academy.
-
Launches regular Monday night gig with his trio in New York City at Fat Tuesdays. Performs until 1994.
-
Inducted into Hollywood Guitar Center’s Rock Walk of Fame.
-
Featured in Cinemax, Les Paul: He Changed the Music.
-
Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as “Architect of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
1980s

1990s
-
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.”
1990s

2000s
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.
2000s

2010s
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
2010s

2020s
2020
- First series of Les Paul collectible cards distributed to grantee organizations and others
- Joni Mitchell receives Les Paul Innovation Award
- Lou Pallo, longtime member of the Les Paul Trio passes away
- The Les Paul Foundation provides COVID-19 Relief to Grantees
- The Les Paul exhibit was expanded at the Waukesha County Historical Museum
- Associate Professor Sean McClowry produces first video explaining Les’ recording innovations
2021
- The Official Les Paul Website launches
- AES (Audio Engineering Society) NY Holds Les Paul Historical Presentation
- Les Paul Named One of the Top 50 Musicians with the Biggest Impact in Wisconsin
- The Rock Hall Expands Archives of Les Paul
2022
- A Tribute To Les Paul Concert is held at the Chicago Music Institute. A presentation about the Les Paul Foundation was also included.
- Carol Kaye receives Les Paul Innovation Award
- Les Paul Thru the Lens traveling exhibit begins touring the US
- Les Paul Advisory Council Announced
- Les Paul Festival Concert at Ramapo College
- A Tribute to Les Paul Presented by The Chicago Music Institute
2020s