Happy birthday, Mr. Les Paul

A number of noteworthy people are celebratin' their birthday today on the ninth of June... Princess Amidala is 31... Fake Captain Jack (a.k.a. Edward Scissorhands) is 49... Marty McFly is 51... Jackie Mason is 76... and Cole Porter would be 121.  Most importantly though, Les Paul would be 97, had he not passed away in 2009.  If you love rock-&-roll as much as I do, then by gods and by damn, you owe this man a huge debt... he pretty much invented the tools that make it possible.  The solid-body electric guitar, the 8-track tape recorder, just about everything else that makes rock sound like it does... he invented that.  Ever hear of the Gibson Les Paul guitar?  Yep... named after him.  His chording sequences and fretting techniques still inspire guitarists today.  Would you like to know more?  Check Wikipedia... I don't have time to list all his accomplishments... suffice to say that he was for all intents and purposes the Nikola Tesla of rock... he basically laid the groundwork for it all.  Not only that, but in 1948 he was in a car crash and the doctors told him he would have to either have his right arm amputated or set in a frozen position; he told them to set it at just off 90 degrees so he could keep playing guitar if nothing else!  Ladies and gents, that is hardcore, and we are all so very much the better for it!  Thank you, Mr. Paul... I would say "Rest in peace" but I'm sure you'd rather just keep on rockin'...!