New monument to mark Les Paul's grave in Wisconsin

[September 07, 2011]  WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) -- Music legend Les Paul is getting a new granite memorial to mark his gravesite in southeast Wisconsin.

His family and friends are planning a public dedication ceremony on Saturday at his grave at Prairie Home Cemetery, Waukesha.

The Les Paul Estate commissioned Rock of Ages of Vermont to design, build and install the 500 square foot granite monument. Ford Construction of Waukesha laid the foundation and New Eden Landscape Architecture of Milwaukee designed the landscaping.

The site will include granite slabs containing Paul's biography.

Nicknamed the "Wizard of Waukesha," Paul created the first solid-body electric guitar and developed technology and recording techniques that set the standard in the industry, like tape echo, multitrack recordings and overdubs.

Paul died in 2009 at age 94.

[Associated Press]

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