Happy Birthday Les.
You were born 100 years ago today.
Rest well.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Les' 100th Birthday Celebration
Lester William Polsfuss was born on June 9, 1915.
Am glad to see Les' birthplace coming together to raise a little hell in his honor. This will be a party Les would be proud of with events at his final resting place, Prairie Home Cemetery, as well as the museum, library, several special performances at the Les Paul Performance Center, and one at Les Paul Middle School. But the event interesting me most would be the five bands and 25 musicians performing a special pre-BluesFest concert out at Naga-Waukee Park on Aug. 6th. These are some of the performers I'm familiar with, so I know it will be a great time.
the following is from the 4/15/15 Waukesha Freeman:
Les Paul centennial birthday planned for BluesFest weekend
Tickets for BluesFest go on sale today
WAUKESHA — Tickets go on sale today for Waukesha BluesFest, and this year the festival will feature a Thursday evening celebration of Les Paul’s 100th birthday.
According to a press release from the Waukesha Rotary Club, which puts on the event, BluesFest will take place Aug. 7 and 8 at Naga-Waukee Park in Delafield.
The Les Paul celebration is planned for Aug. 6 and will feature a Les Paul All-Star Guitar Band led by Wisconsin axe master Greg Koch, a Les Paul & Mary Ford tribute by Chris Hanson and Robin Pluer, the Sam Llanas Band, Guitars 4 Vets Five-Star Band and the 2015 Les Paul Launchpad award-wining band.
The night will kick off with a mass guitar strumalong, with everyone invited to join in the fun. Items from the Waukesha County Museum’s Wizard of Waukesha exhibit, including one-of-akind guitars and other unique displays and activities, will be part of the celebration and throughout the weekend, according to the release.
Tickets for the Les Paul celebration are $25 in advance and children 12 and younger get in free with a paying adult. Parking is included in the ticket price. Tickets are available at www.waukeshabluesfest. com. All ticket proceeds from the Les Paul celebration will benefit the Waukesha County Museum.
The BluesFest entertainment lineup will include Greg Koch and The Tone Controls, Chris King Robinson, Cadillac Pete and The Heat, Zach Pietrini and The Broken Bones, Ralph Jr. and The Blackjack Blues Band and Matt Tyner on Aug. 7, and The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Son Little, Damon Fowler, Josh Hoyer and The Shadow Boxers, Billy Flynn Blues Band, Mojo Radio and the Les Paul Launchpad Award finalist on Aug. 8.
Advance tickets go on sale online today.
Today through May 31, oneday tickets are $12 and twoday tickets are $21. Beginning June 1, prices increase to $17 for one-day tickets and $29 for two-day tickets. Prices at the gate will be $22 for one-day and $39 for a two-day ticket. Children ages 8 and younger get in free with a paying adult.
Tickets are available online at www.waukeshabluesfest. com and will also be available in person starting May 1 at all Waukesha State Bank locations, all White House of Music locations and Almont Gallery in downtown Waukesha.
New this year, Waukesha BluesFest is offering an “Elite Experience” seating option which will give fans a front-and-center reserved seat. These advance ticket seats will be numbered and issued on a first-come basis as they are sold for each day. The ticket also includes admission to the grounds and parking as well as two complimentary beverages of your choice and a souvenir festival art poster. The tickets are priced at $45 per day. Only a limited number of Elite Experience tickets will be available for sale.
Proceeds from Waukesha BluesFest go back into the community through the Waukesha Rotary Club Charitable Fund, Inc. a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
For more information, visit www.waukeshabluesfest.com.
— Freeman Staff
Am glad to see Les' birthplace coming together to raise a little hell in his honor. This will be a party Les would be proud of with events at his final resting place, Prairie Home Cemetery, as well as the museum, library, several special performances at the Les Paul Performance Center, and one at Les Paul Middle School. But the event interesting me most would be the five bands and 25 musicians performing a special pre-BluesFest concert out at Naga-Waukee Park on Aug. 6th. These are some of the performers I'm familiar with, so I know it will be a great time.
the following is from the 4/15/15 Waukesha Freeman:
Les Paul centennial birthday planned for BluesFest weekend
Tickets for BluesFest go on sale today
WAUKESHA — Tickets go on sale today for Waukesha BluesFest, and this year the festival will feature a Thursday evening celebration of Les Paul’s 100th birthday.
According to a press release from the Waukesha Rotary Club, which puts on the event, BluesFest will take place Aug. 7 and 8 at Naga-Waukee Park in Delafield.
The Les Paul celebration is planned for Aug. 6 and will feature a Les Paul All-Star Guitar Band led by Wisconsin axe master Greg Koch, a Les Paul & Mary Ford tribute by Chris Hanson and Robin Pluer, the Sam Llanas Band, Guitars 4 Vets Five-Star Band and the 2015 Les Paul Launchpad award-wining band.
The night will kick off with a mass guitar strumalong, with everyone invited to join in the fun. Items from the Waukesha County Museum’s Wizard of Waukesha exhibit, including one-of-akind guitars and other unique displays and activities, will be part of the celebration and throughout the weekend, according to the release.
Tickets for the Les Paul celebration are $25 in advance and children 12 and younger get in free with a paying adult. Parking is included in the ticket price. Tickets are available at www.waukeshabluesfest. com. All ticket proceeds from the Les Paul celebration will benefit the Waukesha County Museum.
The BluesFest entertainment lineup will include Greg Koch and The Tone Controls, Chris King Robinson, Cadillac Pete and The Heat, Zach Pietrini and The Broken Bones, Ralph Jr. and The Blackjack Blues Band and Matt Tyner on Aug. 7, and The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Son Little, Damon Fowler, Josh Hoyer and The Shadow Boxers, Billy Flynn Blues Band, Mojo Radio and the Les Paul Launchpad Award finalist on Aug. 8.
Advance tickets go on sale online today.
Today through May 31, oneday tickets are $12 and twoday tickets are $21. Beginning June 1, prices increase to $17 for one-day tickets and $29 for two-day tickets. Prices at the gate will be $22 for one-day and $39 for a two-day ticket. Children ages 8 and younger get in free with a paying adult.
Tickets are available online at www.waukeshabluesfest. com and will also be available in person starting May 1 at all Waukesha State Bank locations, all White House of Music locations and Almont Gallery in downtown Waukesha.
New this year, Waukesha BluesFest is offering an “Elite Experience” seating option which will give fans a front-and-center reserved seat. These advance ticket seats will be numbered and issued on a first-come basis as they are sold for each day. The ticket also includes admission to the grounds and parking as well as two complimentary beverages of your choice and a souvenir festival art poster. The tickets are priced at $45 per day. Only a limited number of Elite Experience tickets will be available for sale.
Proceeds from Waukesha BluesFest go back into the community through the Waukesha Rotary Club Charitable Fund, Inc. a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
For more information, visit www.waukeshabluesfest.com.
— Freeman Staff
Sunday, April 28, 2013
brochures available
The Les Paul Foundation has produced a brochure briefly describing highlights in Les' life and maps to Waukesha locations prominent in his youth. Brochures available at Waukesha County Museum and Pewaukee Convention and Visitor Bureau.
Friday, April 12, 2013
The Way Home
Learned this week the Waukesha County Museum's exhibit: "Les Paul: The Wizard of Waukesha" finally opens June 9th, on what would've been Les' 98th birthday.
Sam Llanas of the BoDeans worked with the museum to produce a pretty nice video featuring his song The Way Home. He's playing one of Les' early guitars and visiting several Waukesha sites.
Sam Llanas of the BoDeans worked with the museum to produce a pretty nice video featuring his song The Way Home. He's playing one of Les' early guitars and visiting several Waukesha sites.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
The 39
Here is the link to the individuals and teams taking control of fifteen 10' guitar sculptures and 24 playable Les Pauls for the 2013 version of GuitarTown II. I went to the packed Bernie's Tap Room for the artist unveiling and came away with the feeling that 39 guitars may be too much to add to the ten 10' and 17 playable already on display in Waukesha. I'm sure I'll be proven wrong, but that was just my feeling at the time. I also had reservations about some of the chosen artists which, again, I'm sure will be proven otherwise. Three standard and one ten-footer for middle school students? Please forgive my nervousness.
Several are returning artists from last year, so we already what quality to expect. I'm familiar with the high level of Carroll University and Waukesha's North and West art, but wouldn't know what to expect from Team La Casa de Esperanza or Team Saratoga STEM Academy. I'm glad to see artist Cecelia Blenker got a Les Paul. I've seen her studio in the Springs Gallery and like what she does with pets and children. Charles Lichtie makes me a little nervous as I remember his art as being very dark.
Last year I was nervous about the quality of art we'd see and I was totally relieved. It was phenomenal! This year, with all the students participating, I get the same queasy feeling. I'm positive we will be pleasantly surprised! Waukesha has a lot of talent and I can't wait to see it.
The standard Les Pauls were distributed March 18th at Bernie's and at least one, Tom Noll's, is already finished. The ten foot sculptures were delivered, and picked up, last Wednesday.
Several are returning artists from last year, so we already what quality to expect. I'm familiar with the high level of Carroll University and Waukesha's North and West art, but wouldn't know what to expect from Team La Casa de Esperanza or Team Saratoga STEM Academy. I'm glad to see artist Cecelia Blenker got a Les Paul. I've seen her studio in the Springs Gallery and like what she does with pets and children. Charles Lichtie makes me a little nervous as I remember his art as being very dark.
Last year I was nervous about the quality of art we'd see and I was totally relieved. It was phenomenal! This year, with all the students participating, I get the same queasy feeling. I'm positive we will be pleasantly surprised! Waukesha has a lot of talent and I can't wait to see it.
The standard Les Pauls were distributed March 18th at Bernie's and at least one, Tom Noll's, is already finished. The ten foot sculptures were delivered, and picked up, last Wednesday.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
2013 Encore
Fifteen more ten-foot sculptures, as well as 24 playable guitars, will be added to the streets and businesses of Waukesha in 2013 thanks to Gibson Guitar Corp. and the Waukesha GuitarTown committee. Chosen artists will be announced Monday, March 18th, and sculptures unveiled June 7th.
Something new this year will be a mural marathon. The Walldogs are coming to Waukesha! We will be seeing many previously blank walls covered in music, Les Paul and Waukesha related themes within a very short time frame sometime this summer.
From the Freeman:
GuitarTown: Encore!
Artists to be announced at Monday reception
By Sarah Pryor
Freeman Staff
WAUKESHA – It may still feel like winter outside right now, but one sure sign of summer approaching is the rapidly solidifying plans for Gibson GuitarTown Encore, which will officially kick off in June.
Monday evening, the Waukesha GuitarTown Steering Committee will announce the artists selected to design the next round of 15 10-foot fiberglass replicas and 24 playable Les Paul guitars in the public art project.
According to a press release from the steering committee, the free reception is open to the public and will take place at Bernie’s Tap Room, 351 W. Main St., at 5 p.m.
Last year, the project included 10 10-foot and 20 playable guitars decorated by local artists with everything from stove coils to leather and more, all of which were displayed both indoors and out in downtown Waukesha.
This year, the project has grown to 15 ten-foot guitars and to 24 playable showcase guitars, for a two-year total of 25 10-foot guitars and 44 regulation- sized playable ones, according to the release.
A committee headed by Lynn Gaffey, owner of the Almont Gallery and artistic director of the Waukesha GuitarTown Project, selected the artists. Artists were required to submit a bio, portfolio and proposed conceptual ideas, and selection was based on artistic merit as well as the guidelines for public art provided by Gibson and Waukesha’s Public Art Committee, according to the release.
This year’s sponsors will be able to display the guitars at their places of business, as well as on an area map of Waukesha like last year’s guitar pick map, according to the release.
Playable guitars will once again be sent to Gibson for the addition of strings and related hardware before being returned to Waukesha for indoor display.
All the guitars will be displayed in downtown Waukesha during the opening weekend of summer music festival Waukesha’s Freeman Friday Night Live on June 7.
The joint efforts of the Gibson Guitar Foundation and local sponsorships are providing funding for this project, according to the release. For sponsorship information, contact Waukesha GuitarTown President Rick Congdon via www.waukeshaguitartown. com
Email: spryor@conleynet.com
Something new this year will be a mural marathon. The Walldogs are coming to Waukesha! We will be seeing many previously blank walls covered in music, Les Paul and Waukesha related themes within a very short time frame sometime this summer.
From the Freeman:
GuitarTown: Encore!
Artists to be announced at Monday reception
By Sarah Pryor
Freeman Staff
WAUKESHA – It may still feel like winter outside right now, but one sure sign of summer approaching is the rapidly solidifying plans for Gibson GuitarTown Encore, which will officially kick off in June.
Monday evening, the Waukesha GuitarTown Steering Committee will announce the artists selected to design the next round of 15 10-foot fiberglass replicas and 24 playable Les Paul guitars in the public art project.
According to a press release from the steering committee, the free reception is open to the public and will take place at Bernie’s Tap Room, 351 W. Main St., at 5 p.m.
Last year, the project included 10 10-foot and 20 playable guitars decorated by local artists with everything from stove coils to leather and more, all of which were displayed both indoors and out in downtown Waukesha.
This year, the project has grown to 15 ten-foot guitars and to 24 playable showcase guitars, for a two-year total of 25 10-foot guitars and 44 regulation- sized playable ones, according to the release.
A committee headed by Lynn Gaffey, owner of the Almont Gallery and artistic director of the Waukesha GuitarTown Project, selected the artists. Artists were required to submit a bio, portfolio and proposed conceptual ideas, and selection was based on artistic merit as well as the guidelines for public art provided by Gibson and Waukesha’s Public Art Committee, according to the release.
This year’s sponsors will be able to display the guitars at their places of business, as well as on an area map of Waukesha like last year’s guitar pick map, according to the release.
Playable guitars will once again be sent to Gibson for the addition of strings and related hardware before being returned to Waukesha for indoor display.
All the guitars will be displayed in downtown Waukesha during the opening weekend of summer music festival Waukesha’s Freeman Friday Night Live on June 7.
The joint efforts of the Gibson Guitar Foundation and local sponsorships are providing funding for this project, according to the release. For sponsorship information, contact Waukesha GuitarTown President Rick Congdon via www.waukeshaguitartown. com
Email: spryor@conleynet.com
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Les would've been 97
Today marks Les' 97th birthday. Happy Birthday Les!
I took a look at the hundreds of Les Paul items Julien's is auctioning this weekend in it's fundraiser for the Les Paul Foundation. Amazed because so much of what I'm seeing seems like priceless, museum-quality material. I suppose he just had so much stuff accumulated over his 94 years, but selling lifetime achievement awards and such to the public?
Last weekend's Waukesha Gibson GuitarTown Gala and public unveiling was a huge success. I wanted to go to the Gala in the worst way, but didn't find out I was going until the day before. Very glad I could make it. Though not all GuitarTown artists were there I did meet a few.
After the Gala but before heading home I wandered across the street from The Rotunda, where the Gala was held, to maybe get a look inside the Gibson coach. It looked like all the movers and shakers were inside and I didn't want to intrude, but Lou Pallo, guitar player in the Les Paul trio, told me I could go inside.
There was a little cool rain for Thursday's Gala and Friday's unveiling, but not enough to dampen the crowds. All the ten foot sculptures were out around the five points Friday surrounding the Couri Insurance Main Stage, but again not all the artists were there. The Gibson coach was nearby and served as a green room for the Les Paul Trio and Sam Llanas band, but people were allowed to tour it also.
I enjoyed the Freeman Friday Night Live bands in the first WFFNL of the season and Sam Llanas played past 10:00 p.m.
The weather warmed and cleared up by Saturday so I thought I'd try the walking tour to see where the 17 standard and 10 ten-foot sculptures ended up. Couldn't have asked for nicer weather! Saw most of the guitars, but not all establishments having them were open at the time. Love the locations for the ten-footers, though probably would've placed one nearer one of the heavily traveled streets through town to attract visitors downtown.
The video I put together from all three days of GuitarTown events says it all. The audio is something I found on YouTube, but it does sound a lot like Les' playing.
I took a look at the hundreds of Les Paul items Julien's is auctioning this weekend in it's fundraiser for the Les Paul Foundation. Amazed because so much of what I'm seeing seems like priceless, museum-quality material. I suppose he just had so much stuff accumulated over his 94 years, but selling lifetime achievement awards and such to the public?
Last weekend's Waukesha Gibson GuitarTown Gala and public unveiling was a huge success. I wanted to go to the Gala in the worst way, but didn't find out I was going until the day before. Very glad I could make it. Though not all GuitarTown artists were there I did meet a few.
After the Gala but before heading home I wandered across the street from The Rotunda, where the Gala was held, to maybe get a look inside the Gibson coach. It looked like all the movers and shakers were inside and I didn't want to intrude, but Lou Pallo, guitar player in the Les Paul trio, told me I could go inside.
There was a little cool rain for Thursday's Gala and Friday's unveiling, but not enough to dampen the crowds. All the ten foot sculptures were out around the five points Friday surrounding the Couri Insurance Main Stage, but again not all the artists were there. The Gibson coach was nearby and served as a green room for the Les Paul Trio and Sam Llanas band, but people were allowed to tour it also.
I enjoyed the Freeman Friday Night Live bands in the first WFFNL of the season and Sam Llanas played past 10:00 p.m.
The weather warmed and cleared up by Saturday so I thought I'd try the walking tour to see where the 17 standard and 10 ten-foot sculptures ended up. Couldn't have asked for nicer weather! Saw most of the guitars, but not all establishments having them were open at the time. Love the locations for the ten-footers, though probably would've placed one nearer one of the heavily traveled streets through town to attract visitors downtown.
The video I put together from all three days of GuitarTown events says it all. The audio is something I found on YouTube, but it does sound a lot like Les' playing.
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