Les Paul left Waukesha, Wisconsin for Chicago in 1934 where he performed on the radio and made 78 rpm records as Rhubarb Red (his so-called hillbilly alterego). He went on to sell millions of records with collaborator Mary Ford. Les Paul pioneered the development of the solid-body electric guitar and invented multi-track recording, reverb and overdubbing. Throughout his career, he found himself propelled ahead by emerging technologies and his obsessive nature. Building on the playing style of Django Reinhardt and endless tinkering with electronics, Les Paul's influence as both a performer and inventor/innovator continues. His legacy is just beginning to be understood in books and films such as the PBS American Masters documentary Les Paul: Chasing Sound! made in 2006 just 3 years before his death at age 94.
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