Virtuoso guitarist and innovator Les Paul (1915 – 2009) was a supreme contributor to the music world as he is the creator of one of the first electric guitars as well as early multitrack recording technology. He kicked off his career as a country star in the 1920s under the pseudonyms Hot Rod Red and later Rhubarb Red, all the while sitting in with jazz greats Earl Hines and Coleman Hawkins on the side. In this 1999 Piano Jazz session, Paul tells McPartland that he was “torn between jazz and country” and ultimately chose jazz. Joined by Paul Nowinski and Lou Pallo, McPartland makes Paul’s trio a quartet for an hour of favorite tunes that need no introduction.
Artist site: http://www.les-paul.com/
Full episode: https://www.npr.org/2009/08/13/111865107/remembering-les-paul-on-piano-jazz