Without question, Les Paul was as important in the development of electric guitar and multi-track recording as anyone in the history of music. An inventor, visionary, and master guitar player himself, Paul's excursions into the arena of sounds in his primitive home recording studio would ultimately lead to the creation of overdubbing, echo, sound-on-sound, and a host of other things that would revolutionize the recording industry.

Here, Les Paul--born Lester William Polfuss in 1915 in Waukesha, Wisconsin--tells his story in his own words. It is a remarkable tale about a young boy growing up listening to his mother play piano while he conducted an imaginary orchestra in the kitchen by banging on pots and pans. He talks about his brother Ralph, his beloved father, and his fixation with electronics. Ample space is devoted to Mary Ford, his wife and singing partner, as well as to his meeting with Gibson and the legendary work he'd do there.

This is a beautifully laid-out book with photos on virtually every page. Reading Paul's story in his own words makes you realize how humble, funny, and insanely bright the man truly was.

A remarkable book about a remarkable man. If you've ever listened to music and heard the sound of an electric guitar, the man named here probably had something to do with it.