Guitar pioneer Les Paul died today, it has been announced.
A statement released today confirmed his passing in New York, at the age of 94.
The news was broken by Gibson Guitar Corporation, who first released the seminal Les Paul model in 1952.
Paul's death at White Plains Hospital, NY, has been attributed to complications arising from a case of pneumonia.
Henry Juszkiewicz, chairman and CEO of Gibson, paid his respects in the statement.
"The world has lost a truly innovative and exceptional human being today. I cannot imagine life without Les Paul.
"He would walk into a room and put a smile on anyone's face. His musical charm was extraordinary and his techniques unmatched anywhere in the world", he said.
Beyond his work with guitars, Les Paul developed other influential techniques such as multi-track recording, overdubbing and the eight-track tape recorder.