The event will take place on what would have been Les Paul’s 109th birthday and marks the third anniversary of the Gibson Garage Nashville.
The Les Paul Foundation, whose mission is to honor and share the life, spirit and legacy of Les Paul through generations has announced the annual Les Paul Spirit Award in partnership with Gibson Gives, the philanthropic division of Gibson. The prestigious award will be presented to legendary musical artist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Peter Frampton on Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 6:30pm CT at a private event* held at the Gibson Garage Nashville located at 209 10th Avenue S in Nashville.
The annual award is presented to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the late, great Les Paul through innovation, engineering, technology and/or music. In addition to the award, a grant from the Les Paul Foundation will be made in the honoree’s name to the charity of his choice.
Frampton has also experimented with new technologies and music trends, apparent in his early recordings on albums Frampton and Frampton Comes Alive! and particularly his hit singles “Do You Feel Like We Do” and “Show Me the Way,” synonymous with the use of the talk box.
“I cannot think of anyone more fitting to be honored with this year’s Les Paul Spirit Award than Peter Frampton. Not only is he an extraordinary talent who has given us an amazing array of extraordinary music, but he is an innovator who understands music, technologies, and the spirit of Les Paul,” said Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of The Les Paul Foundation. “If Les were still alive today, I have absolutely no doubt that he and Peter would be experimenting together at Les’ house. I am personally thrilled to be able to present Peter with this award because I know he exemplifies everything Les was about and wanted to accomplish. I want to also thank the Gibson Gives Foundation for partnering with us on this exciting annual award and for everything they do to keep Les’ name alive.”
“At Gibson Gives, we are thrilled to celebrate the incredible contributions of Les Paul and partner with the Les Paul Foundation to bring awareness to Les Paul’s legacy as he continues to inspire musicians across generations and genres.” --Beth Heidt, Chief Marketing Officer, Gibson.
“Peter Frampton personifies the spirit of excellence through his musicianship and industry recognition. Gibson Gives is proud to partner with the Les Paul Foundation to present the prestigious Les Paul Spirit Award to this legendary artist who embodies the innovative spirit of Les Paul himself and his landmark contributions to music.” --Erica Krusen, Global Executive Director, Gibson Gives.
The exclusive, physical Les Paul Spirit Award for Peter Frampton is made from actual hand-carved acoustic boards built by Les Paul that he used in his home studio. Les Paul designed and created this now historical memorabilia during his life. The acoustic wood piece is a unique presentation and supported by Les’ personal story. No two Les Paul Spirit Awards are exactly the same, given the unique nature of the studio pieces which are being used to create them and their intrinsic value as authentic Les Paul memorabilia.
ABOUT THE LES PAUL FOUNDATION
The Les Paul Foundation inspires innovative and creative thinking by sharing the legacy of Les Paul through the support of music education, recording, innovation, exhibits about Les Paul and medical research related to hearing. The Les Paul Foundation is an approved IRC 501(c)3 organization that awards grants to organizations that share Les Paul’s legacy. The Foundation supports public exhibits which display Les Paul’s life achievements and that engage fans and students and periodically produce events to celebrate his achievements. For more information go to the official Les Paul website at www.les-paul.com
Introducing the Jimmy Page 1969 EDS-1275 Doubleneck Collector’s Edition, a tribute to the Led Zeppelin guitarist and one of his most iconic guitars.
With its distinctive silhouette, Jimmy Page’s Gibson EDS-1275 Doubleneck has become one of the most iconic guitars in history. Jimmy defined the model from the moment his EDS-1275 was delivered to him, which allowed him to play the acoustic and electric 6-string and 12-string parts of the song “Stairway to Heaven” at live performances, and later using it for “The Song Remains the Same,” “The Rain Song,” “Celebration Day,” “Tangerine,” and most recently at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last November as a tribute to Link Wray. The EDS-1275 has become synonymous with Page’s legendary stage presence and the electrifying moments that defined a genre.
Every detail has been thoughtfully recreated, from the playing wear to the sonic character of this guitar. Only 50 Collector’s Edition guitars, all hand-signed and played by Jimmy Page, have been created by the expert luthiers of the Gibson Custom Shop in Nashville, Tennessee, and aged to match the original finish by the Murphy Lab as part of this extraordinary Collector’s Edition run.
The Jimmy Page 1969 EDS-1275 Doubleneck Collector’s Edition features a lavish collection of case candy curated by Jimmy Page that features a Certificate of Authenticity Book with a photo taken by Barrie Wentzell, a wooden Pick Display with Herco Flex pick played by Jimmy Page on the specific serialized guitar, a Premium Cherry/Black Leather Strap and Vintage Replica Strap, Schaller Strap Locks, an Embroidered Dragon Guitar Shroud, and a Gibson Doubleneck Stand.
Jimmy Page Gibson 1969 EDS-1275 Doubleneck Collector’s Edition
“One of the most influential musicians in history, Jimmy Page is an icon across all genres of music, art, and culture and co-founder of one of the biggest bands of all time, Led Zeppelin,” says Cesar Gueikian, Gibson CEO. “Being the main music writer in Led Zeppelin, Jimmy leveraged his blues and folk inspirations to orchestrate the pioneering rock sound that became the signature of the band and revolutionized rock across all of its future variations. We are grateful for Jimmy’s trust and partnership, and we look forward to paying tribute to him.”
For more information, please visit gibson.com.
Price: $49,999 USD.
Mr. Blues Power Jared James Nichols and John Bohlinger take the stage at the Gibson Garage in downtown Nashville to go over JJN's latest Epiphone Les Paul Custom that features a brand-new Seymour Duncan JJN P90 Silencer pickup. The duo talk shop, cover Nichols' other signature Epiphones and trade a few riffs.
Epiphone "Blues Power" Les Paul Custom
The Jared James Nichols “Blues Power” Les Paul Custom is the third signature model from the blues-rock powerhouse and Gibson Brand Ambassador who hails from Les Paul’s hometown of Waukesha, Wisconsin. The Jared James Nichols “Blues Power” Les Paul Custom pairs with the brushed nickel hardware, including Grover Locking Rotomatic tuners and a wraparound Lightning Bar bridge for rock-solid tuning stability. A single Seymour Duncan Jared James Nichols Signature JJN P90 Silencer in the bridge position ensures righteous tone and hum-free performance, and the included EpiLite soft guitar case helps keep this standout guitar safe and secure.
Learn more here.
Seymour Duncan JJN P90 Silencer
Jared James Nichols burst onto the scene as a throwback to the P90 playing power trio titans of the 70s. To deliver his signature sound, he needed a P90 that was voiced with limitless range that could cover everything from sparkling cleans to barking dirty tones. In his own words, he needed something “delicate and strong, like a grizzly bear and a paper airplane landing.”
After years on the road playing different venues coast to coast and abroad, he’s encountered a variety of unique hum inducing sources. Having a pickup that could retain the quintessential tone and appearance of the classic P90 pickup without hum was a must. The JJN P90 Silencer was custom voiced specifically to Jared’s unique tone without the hum. The pickups are drop-in replacements for any standard P90 route.
“Simply put, the Seymour Duncan Jared James Nichols P90 Silencer is my dream pickup.”
Learn more here.