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.
