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==Early life==
Les Paul was born Lester William Polsfuss<ref>Farber, Jim (August 13, 2009). [http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2009/08/14/2009-08-14_electric_guitar_hero_les_paul_dead_at_94_career_spanned_from_hitmaker_to_musical.html "Electric Guitar Hero Les Paul Dead at 94: Hit-Maker, Musical Designer, Pioneer"]. ''[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News)]]''. Accessed August 24, 2009.</ref> in [[Waukesha, Wisconsin|Waukesha]], Wisconsin, to George<ref name="Les Paul Foundation2"/> and Evelyn (Stutz) Polsfuss. His family was of German ancestry.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/the-les-paul-legacy/ |title=Book Excerpt: The Early Years of the Les Paul Legacy 1915–1963 |publisher=Gibson.com |accessdate=March 27, 2011}}</ref> Paul's mother was related to the founders of Milwaukee's [[Valentin Blatz Brewing Company]] and the makers of the [[Stutz Motor Company|Stutz]] automobile.<ref name="bookref1">{{cite book|last=Masino|first=Susan|authorlink=|author2=Paul, Les |title=Famous Wisconsin Musicians|publisher=Badger Books|year=2003|location=Oregon, Wisconsin|pages=9–11|url=|isbn=1-878569-88-0}}</ref> His parents divorced when he was a child.<ref>Henry, David (August 13, 2009). [https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aD_WpRVvFQwk "Les Paul, Pioneer of Electric Guitar, Inventor, Dies at 94"]. ''[[Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg]]''. Accessed August 24, 2009.</ref> His mother simplified their Prussian family name first to Polfuss, then to Polfus, although Les Paul never legally changed his name. Before taking the stage name Les Paul, he also performed as Red Hot Red<ref name=thirteen>[http://www.thirteen.org/pressroom/release.php?get=2539 American Masters (2007 Season)—"Les Paul: Chasing Sound"]—thirteen WNET New York</ref> and Rhubarb Red.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://classicjazzguitar.com/articles/article.jsp?article=25 |title=Articles |publisher=Classic Jazz Guitar |author= |accessdate=March 27, 2011 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708163155/http://classicjazzguitar.com/articles/article.jsp?article=25 |archivedate=July 8, 2011 |df= }}</ref>
At the age of eight, Paul began playing the harmonica. After trying to learn the piano, he switched to the guitar. It was during this time that he invented a neck-worn harmonica holder, which allowed him to play both sides of the harmonica hands-free while accompanying himself on the guitar. It is still manufactured using his basic design.<ref>(August 14, 2009). [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/14/arts/music/14paul.html] ''[[The New York Times]]'' (website registration required).</ref> By age thirteen, Paul was performing semi-professionally as a [[country music|country-music]] singer, guitarist, and harmonica player. While playing at the Waukesha area drive-ins and [[roadhouse (facility)#USA and Canada|roadhouses]], Paul began his first experiment with sound. Wanting to make himself heard by more people at the local venues, he wired a [[phonograph]] needle to his guitar and connected it to a radio speaker, using that to amplify his acoustic guitar.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CfNYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=doUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1140,3217614&dq=grammy+hall+of+fame+jo+stafford&hl=en|title=Cinemax to honor 'Edison' of music|date=October 22, 2009|author=Ladd, Patty|publisher=The Vindicator|accessdate=May 4, 2011}}</ref> As a teen Paul experimented with sustain by using a 2-foot piece of rail from a nearby train line.<ref name="Les Paul Foundation3">{{cite web|title=Les Paul: Inventor and Performer|url=http://www.lespaulfoundation.org/blog/les-paul-inventor-and-performer/|work=Les Paul Foundation website|publisher=Les Paul Foundation|accessdate=February 4, 2014|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://archive.is/20140204014322/http://www.lespaulfoundation.org/blog/les-paul-inventor-and-performer/|archivedate=February 4, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> At age seventeen, Paul played with Rube Tronson's Texas Cowboys, and soon after he dropped out of high school to team up with Sunny Joe Wolverton's Radio Band in [[St. Louis, Missouri|St. Louis]], Missouri, on [[KMOX]].
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