Those who pick an electric guitar (no matter the style — country, pop, hard rock, rock or jazz) owe a debt of gratitude to Les Paul.

He created and designed the solid-body electric guitar.

Paul died Thursday at age 94.

Most over age 50 know he had a TV show. Others older than 50 know Paul had a trio and sang with folks like Nat King Cole.

But younger people might not know how influential Paul was on a whole school of musicians with whom they are familiar.

Tad Kubler said, “He shared his gifts with all of us and brought people together with his brilliance and devotion to music and the art of sound.”

John Mayer said, “Just happened to have his namesake Gibson around my shoulder the last few days. Pictures of Les Paul all over the studio today.”

And Keith Richards, who knows no age barriers summed up for many in rock music when he told Rolling Stone, “We must all own up that without Les Paul, generations of flash little punks like us would be in jail or cleaning toilets.”

Leesha Faulkner is executive editor of The Selma Times-Journal and selmatimesjournal.com. Call her at 410-1730 or e-mail leesha.faulkner@selmatimesjournal.com