Today is the birthday of Leo Fender

Bill W@Honeywell

I remember their music on the radio, she had a unique voice that could handle the machine-gun lyrics and tight harmonies, but you could understand every word she sang. They double/triple quadruple tracked everything live, and one mistake meant do it over. She and Les were married, but broke up over his refusal to stop touring, but they remained friends until her death in the mid 70's. Les still plays at a club in the Village every Saturday nite, the name escapes me. He's in his 90's, but still has that unique sound. "Aloysius Horatio Thomas the Cat (He ain't no Dog). If you remember that song, you're "of a certain age".

ScottMP

Leo Fender

was the manufacturer of the first mass-produced electric guitar. Leo founded the Fender Electric Instrument Manufacturing Company.

The invention of the electric amplified instrument helped herald in the demise of the Big Band era and the start of the small group band. Four or five members of a group could fill a hall with the same sound or more that a large band could.

His first instrument was the Broadcaster and then the Telecaster, but it was the Stratocaster that was the big mark in music. The "whammy bar" would change the way music sounded.

Although he could not play he was inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Country Music Halls of Fame.

Sort of the Gill Carlson of Rock and Roll

Scott


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Bill W@Honeywell

Big rivalry between Leo and Les Paul...

Les Paul was (and still is)one of the all-time guitar greats. His pioneering work with Mary Ford on vocals was some amazing stuff. Les played Gibson hollow-body guitars, developed jointly by himself and Gibson, and Gibson derided the Fender solid-bodies as toneless, too flashy etc. Les had developed a semi-solid body guitar on his own, and when Fender began to seriously erode Gibson's customer base, they were ready to listen to Les and the result was the legenday Les Paul Gibson, owned & played by every rock legend and country star. Fender was associated with the "West Coast" sound, car & surfer music; while Gibson was more common with East coast rockers and country singers. I have a retired Fender acoutic 12 string that went thru a lot with me back in the 60's, and some day I'll get it repaired. I remember(reluctantly) my first garage band with my cousin and serveral other neighborhood lowlives, with our Silvertone guitars and amps (Sears)...we dreamed of a Fender Strat or even a Tele, never realizing that talent was also required, not just a good guitar. AHH, the life of a rock star...NOT!

ScottMP

I saw a special on PBS

about Les Paul and Mary Ford. Having never really listened before , I was amazed, impressed and now understand why the man was held in such high esteem.

Scott

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Timco

If you check ebay, you will see some original early 50's strats and teles...some for $15K and more! I am a guild man. I think I will try Rickenbacker next...

T

radioconnection_2

Hey Scott, remember this?

Stillwater - Mindbender (Jimmy Hall on vocals)

While browsing through a pawnshop
I saw this old guitar
its keys were bent and rusted
its body scratched and scared
holy moses!
would you believe that guitar began to talk

I started thinkin
I wasn't stoned nor drinkin
when I heard that talkin guitar say

My daddy was a Gibson
my mother was a Fender
That's why they call me
Mindbender
Mindbender
that's my name
You better believe it
it was a mind bending thing

I said now listen guitar
what you tryin to do
people will think i'm crazy
if they see me talkin to you

I said you'd better hold your tongue
it started I was thinkin
I wasn't stoned nor drinkin
when I swear I heard that guitar say

My daddy was a Gibson
my mother was a Fender
that's why they call me
Minderbender
Mindbender
that's my name, my name

you'd better believe it brother
it was a mind bending thing
Oh no
Oh no
Oh no
Oh no

Steamhead (in transit)

I think

that may have been what inspired Peter Frampton's playing on "Show Me The Way".

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Mad Dog_2

Wow is he still alive?

And....dont forget the impact of the first electric bass...the Telecaster bass....and THEN the Bass that changed it all - The fender Precision. Mad Dog

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Ken D.

Fender

I own a twangy Telecaster guitar and I used to own a Gibson Coronado. I'm not an accomplished guitarist, by any means, so I don't have a Stratocaster or a Les Paul. I just like the Telecaster sound.

Perry_3

Les Paul returned to Wisconsin recently

to say hi to his freinds and give a concert in his home town...

Tough ticket to get... at any price... is a vast understatement of how dificult it was to get a ticket unless you had pre-subscribed to all concert tickets for the year or were one of the very luck ones who got there right away when it was announced.

I didn't make the concert... but do know some who tried to get tickets (and were not successful).

Perry

DanHolohan

Les Paul

plays every Monday night at Iridium in NYC. It's a small club and a great show.

Bill W@Honeywell

Thanks, Dan.

I couldn't remember which club it was. Iridium features some of the best music around. Catch the Les PAul show while you can. You don't get to see a living national treasure every day.

DanHolohan

And do it soon.

Les is 92 years old.

Ken D.

Les Paul

Was and is an innovator and creator in every sense of the word. So many musicians owe him a huge debt.

ScottMP

MAN

I wish I lived closer to the Big Apple. What a show to catch and Every Monday at 92 ????

I can only hope..

Scott

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mtfallsmikey

My fav Fender

Actually is the 'ole Jaguar. Is the Parsons-White stringbender, or similar device still made?

John_102

Les Paul story on NPR

Yesterday's broadcast included a Les Paul interview/story. Go to the NPR website if you missed it.

As coincidence occasionally conspires, I was in the midst of transferring New Sounds Vol 2. from LP to CD. Still remarkable after 55 years. More than I can say for myself....