The Associated Press reports:

Les Paul, the guitarist and inventor who changed the course of music with the electric guitar and multitrack recording and had a string of hits, many with wife Mary Ford, died on Thursday. He was 94.

According to Gibson Guitar, Paul died of complications from pneumonia at White Plains Hospital. His family and friends were by his side.

As an inventor, Paul helped bring about the rise of rock ‘n’ roll and multitrack recording, which enables artists to record different instruments at different times, sing harmony with themselves, and then carefully balance the “tracks” in the finished recording.

If you haven’t had the chance to visit the Virtual Les Paul exhibit at Discovery World in Milwaukee, it’s an absolute must. In addition to be able to get a “virtual” lesson from the guitar visionary himself, their collection of vintage Gibson Les Paul guitars is quite impressive.