Legendary guitarist and innovator, Les Paul died from complication of severe pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in New York on Thursday August 13. You could say that he single-handedly influenced modern recorded music more than any person in the 20th century. He is credited with inventing the solid bodied guitar. Paul’s legacy will live on forever in his signature Gibson Les Paul guitar, which is one of the most widely recognizable guitars in the world. Some of the greatest guitarists of all time have played the iconic single cut-away guitar.

"What I enjoyed the most was playing in a little joint for the fun of it," Paul told NY1's Budd Mishkin in a 2008 interview. "Not to become known, not to capitalize on it, make a fortune or a big name, but just to have fun."

He loved to play and could often be found at his Iridium Club in New York on Monday nights until his health prevented it.

The world is morning the loss of this great icon. I for one would like to say, Thank you Les for all of your contributions and inspiration. We should all be so fortunate to love doing something that we do so well and have the opportunity to do it for as long as Les did.

Check out the great memorial to Les on Gibson.com to see comments from some of the musical greats who own their carrier to the man. Go Here.