DEATHS ; Notable Passings; The Thread to Pay Last Respects

[Tomasso]

American Made, World Played: Les Paul.

 

[John in Covina]

Les Paul - guitarist extrordinaire, and a great guitar designer too!

Randy Bachmann has a story about meeting Les Paul for the 1st and 2nd time that is a hoot. Randy was a young teen and could not get into a club that Les was playing at, some how a worker there got him backstage off the kitchen to see Les play. Either coming on or off stage Les passes Randy and stops and asks this teen to hold his guitar while he straightens his clothes. Decade or so later Randy meets Les Paul again, and Les says: "Hey you're the kid that held my guitar for me at the So and So Club!" Randy was blown away.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090813/ap_en_mu/us_obit_les_paul

Rest in peace Les.

 

[Mocheman]

Godspeed Mr. Les Paul

The contributions Les Paul made to popular music cannot be over stated. If he had only invented multi-track recording that would be enough in itself.

But to me as a guitar player of over 27 years it was his innovative style and speed of playing that has left an indelible mark on how the electric guitar is played. He was doing runs 50 years ago that most guitarist today would have trouble even coming close to replicating. He not only was responsible for the electric guitar, but he was a pioneer of its playing.

He will be greatly missed by myself and every modern guitar player. And we all owe a huge debt of gratitude to this man.

 

[Chas]

I'm mighty sorry that I didn't catch him at Iridium in March. He had to cancel because of ill health, and I was hoping that he'd stick around so I could hear him play. Oh, well. C'est la vie, such as it is.

 

[mayserwegener]

Check the end (6.55) of this youtube for insight. Les Paul was the late great Danny Gatton's hero.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fBrcjMub_E

 

[MrBern]

Les Paul

I often went to see LesPaul at Fat Tuesdays back in the `80s & `90s.
He was quite a showman despite his immobile elbow & extensive arthritis in both hands.
And a mischievous rascal filled with sordid stories & blue jokes.

So many old-timers seem to fade away, it was always refreshing to see him appreciated by contemporary crowds.

Last year with Shearer

BTW, this obit has a few sound files, enjoy:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/arts/music/14paul.html

And this NYT blog has some nice things including Les' thoughts on Hendrix
http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/les-paul-on-seeing-jimi-hendrix-audition/

 

[MrBern]

Molly Ringwald on John Hughes

A remembrance of John Hughes by Molly Ringwald titled The NEVERLAND CLUB

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/opinion/12ringwald.html

and theres this multi-media piece: The Quotable John Huges

John Hughes's films helped to define a young generation both with their characters and their words. Below is a selection of memorable moments from his filmography.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/08/07/movies/2009-john-hughes-movies.html

 

[jamespowers]

A remembrance of John Hughes by Molly Ringwald titled The NEVERLAND CLUB

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/opinion/12ringwald.html

Uh, I need a user name and password.

 

[phyllis1753]

Adios, Les Paul

"Vaya Con Dios", Les. Thanks for all the licks and tricks you taught us down the years. You've earned your rest (and how!) I started noodling with guitars over 40 years ago and it's usually said among guitarists said that Les probably did some guitar trick long before you ever thought of it

 

[Tomasso]

Uh, I need a user name and password.

Registration is quick and free.

 

[MrBern]

Uh, I need a user name and password.

Most people do.

 

[Barrelhouse]

Les Paul....

There are very few people who truly deserved to be called legend or genius but even those terms seem too insignificant to describe Les Paul. Anyone who has picked up a guitar or walked into a recording studio in the last 60+ years owes this man a profound dept.

I can't say I grieve for him. He was blessed with a long life, a quick passing, a true love, professional and artistic success, and a lasting impact on his art form at which the rest of us can only marvel. I mourn the tremendous silence that will now follow.

Rest in peace.

 

[Edward]

Rhubarb Red, Lester Polfus....

RIP Les..... now he can go to guitar-designer's heaven and referee between Paul Bigsby and Leo Fender.... lol

I truly regret not having the option to go see him when I was in NYC in 04. As has already been said, a genius of a man. It's a shame, really, that what he contributed in terms of guitar design has overshadowed his other contributions, especially multi-tracking, without which the recording industry as we know itg today would be very, very different. For those of you who have access to the BBC iPlayer, there was an excellent documentary on there a while back, which may still be available, that covered all Les' other contributions to music beyond simply that guitar.

 

[Barrelhouse]

Jim Dickinson

I am sad to report the passing of Jim Dickinson on August 15, 2009. Many folks in the lounge may not know that name which is to me a pity, but certainly understandable. Jim Dickinson was legendary in the music industry as a producer and sessions musician best remembered for producing the seminal Big Star 3rd album and playing on more classic tracks then I could list here in a week.

What I think of when I think of Mr. Jim is what won't be written in most obituaries and tributes to him: his passion for and lifelong labor to both preserve, promote, and deeply understand that quintessential American art form: country blues. Like Alan Lomax a generation before him, Mr Jim and his cohort of like minded friends sought out long forgotten and shamefully neglected masters of delta style blues. But he went beyond Lomax's merely preserving their art for posterity, he actively sought to promote their music, improve the quality of their lives, and more importantly to learn to play their music. He approached them not as an academic or mere fanboy but as an accolyte just as Robert "Poor Bob" Johnson learned his craft from Son House and Willie Brown and generations of earlier musician learned the blues from the feet of master bluesmen.

I am constantly amazed at the diversity of the folks I meet here in the Lounge but one thing we all have in common is our love for the best of what came before us. This is why I know you all will join me in mourning the lose of Jim Dickinson because he did so much, thanklessly and selflessly, to preserve a heritage which, in the 1950's and 1960's, was not considered worth preserving in many quarters. Anytime a blues fan listens to Mose Allison, Bukka White, Furry Lewis, Fred McDowell or a recording by a score of other artist we have Jim Dickinson and his farsighted friends to thank for sounding the call that these artists are worth our attention.

For a more complete tribute and pictures check out Robert Nighthawk's most recent posting at www.Americanbluesblog.com

Peter Guralnick's Sweet Soul Music and Robert Gordon's It Came from Memphis also document some of this amazing man's life. They will always have my heartfelt thanks for that.

 

[MrBern]

Les Paul funeral

http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/funeral-plans-announced-for-les-paul/

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090818/ap_en_mu/us_les_paul_burial

 

[Marc Chevalier]

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Dean Mora's mother passed away a few days ago.



.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Virginia Davis (1918-2009)

http://d23.disney.go.com/articles/081709_NF_FEAT_VirginiaDavis.html

She was "Alice" in the silent era, but she is best remembered by me as little Joan Blondell in Three On A Match (1932)

 

[MrBern]

John E Carter of the Flamingos & The DELLS

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/25/arts/music/25carter.html

snippet:

Mr. Carter, known as Johnny, was a founding member of the Flamingos and later sang for nearly half a century with the Dells, adding his pure, almost ethereal top notes to songs now regarded as doo-wop and rhythm and blues classics.
Some were national hits, while others achieved belated recognition by doo-wop connoisseurs. They included “Golden Teardrops” and “I’ll Be Home” with the Flamingos and, with the Dells, “Stay in My Corner,” “There Is” and the 1969 reissue of the 1956 hit, “Oh, What a Night.”

“When he sang lead, which was not all that often, it was a nice voice,” said Marv Goldberg, who documents the history of doo-wop groups on his Web site, uncamarvy.com. “But when he did high tenor backup, it was simply amazing.”

 

[Lady Day]

Ted Kennedy just died.

LD