I thought it appropriate to segue from one guitar god to another, this time to Les Paul. For those who don’t know, old Les was one of the pioneers of electric guitar rock, inventing his own solid body guitar in 1940, arguably the first ever. He tried selling the design to Gibson, but they rejected it continuously until Leo Fender made waves with his telecaster and stratocaster solid bodies that hit the market in the late 40s. Les, mainly a brilliant jazz and country player himself, more so then a master inventor, lent his name to a series of electric guitars at the Gibson company, increasing his fame and mythic status in the rock world. His guitars, especially his 1958 and 1959 standard models, of which only 1700 exist, are the most collectable guitars in the world. You’d have to shell out about $750,000 for the right to claim ownership. Everyone from Keith Richards to Jeff Beck to Paul McCartney to Slash all have strapped one on in the name of extravagant rock and roll perfection. Like I mentioned, Les was himself an insanely amazing guitar player, a feat made more impressive after a ghastly car accident forced doctors to permanently set his right arm at an angle that would allow him to play guitar somewhat comfortably. In the 50s, he was married to country singer Mary Ford, a voice younger readers might recognize from traveling the wastelands of Fallout 3, the awesome post-apocalyptic video game. The marriage between Les and Mary didn’t last, but luckily the incredible clips from their TV show produced by Listerine Mouth Wash have. The spots featured Mary singing and Les picking, and by picking I mean playing his guitar like the world was about to end, and the only way to save it is for Les it beat the devil in a guitar contest. It’s that good. As for Les and Mary’s marriage? Perhaps one of them wasn’t using Listerine, as the bonus video below warns you. Remember, the key to any marriage, is a fresh smelling breath…
