Company name	Gibson Guitar Corporation
Company logo
Company slogan	"Prestige-Quality-Innovation."
Company type	Private
Foundation	c. 1890 Kalamazoo, Michigan
Founder	Orville Gibson
Location	Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Key people	Orville Gibson, Ted McCarty, Les Paul, Seth Lover
Area served	Global
Industry	Musical instruments
Subsid	Aeolian, Baldwin, Chickering, Electar, Epiphone, Garrison, Gibson Amphitheatre, Hamilton, Kramer, Maestro, MaGIC, Slingerland, Steinberger, Tobias, Valley Arts Guitar, Wurlitzer
Homepage	Gibson.com
Footnotes	}}

The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names.

History

Gibson dates from the late 19th century.

Instruments

Gibson is most well known for an electric, solid-body guitar model (instrument), the Les Paul.

Artists who use Gibson instruments

Gibson is a popular, well-regarded brand name and as a result many famous musicians have played its instruments.

Brand names

Gibson also owns and makes instruments under such brands as Baldwin, Epiphone, Kalamazoo, Kramer, Maestro, Slingerland, Steinberger, Tobias, Valley Arts and Wurlitzer.

Gibson purchased Garrison Guitars in 2007.

Gibson serial numbers

Gibson models may not be easily identified by serial number alone, and as of 1999 the company has used six distinct serial numbering systems. By 2006, that number had risen to seven.

In 1977, Gibson introduced the serial numbering system in use until 2006. An eight digit number on the back shows the date on which the instrument was produced, where it was produced and its order of production that day (e.g. first instrument stamped that day, second, etc.).

An exception is the year 1994, Gibson's centennial year; many 1994 serial numbers start with "94", followed by a 6-digit production number.

The Gibson website provides a book to help with serial number deciphering.

After 2006

In 2006 Gibson introduced a 9 digit serial number system. The system is largely the same as the 8 digit system used since 1977, but the 6th digit now represents a batch number.

Recent innovation

Innovation is created for and added to some Gibson instruments. The company also has an interest in electronic jukeboxes.

MaGIC

In 2003, Gibson debuted its ethernet-based communications protocol, MaGIC, which it had developed in partnership with 3COM, Advanced Micro Devices and Xilinx. Replacing traditional analog hook-ups with a digital connection that would, "satisfy the unique requirements of live audio performances" may have been the goal of this project.

This system may require a special pickup, but cabling is provided by standard Cat-5 ethernet cord.

Self-tuning guitar

The Gibson "self-tuning guitar", also known as a "robot model", an option on some newer Les Paul, SG, Flying V and Explorer instruments, will tune itself in little more than two seconds using robotics technology developed by Tronical GmbH.

CSR

Gibson does make CSR efforts including a participation in Music Rising, which facilitated the replacement of tens of thousands of privately-owned, hurricane-damaged instruments.

Unauthorized copies

Gibson has sought legal action against those that make and sell guitars too-similar to their own.

Hoshino/Elger

In 1977 Gibson sued Hoshino/Elger for copying the Gibson Les Paul.

Fernandes

In 2000, Gibson sued Fernandes Guitars in a Tokyo court for allegedly copying Gibson designs. Gibson did not prevail.

PRS

Gibson also sued PRS Guitars to stop them from making their Singlecut model. The lawsuit against PRS was initially successful. However; in 2005, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit reversed the lower court decision and ordered the dismissal of Gibson's suit against PRS.

Authorized Gibson designs

Gibson makes authorized copies of its most successful guitar designs. They are less expensive than those bearing the Gibson name.

Epiphone

A former competitor, Epiphone was purchased by Gibson and now makes competitively-priced Gibson models, such as the Les Paul, sold under the Epiphone brand.

Orville

In Japan, Orville by Gibson once made Gibson designs sold in that country.

Recent criticism and controversy

Gibson has been ranked as a "worst workplace in America" and has come under investigation for rare wood purchases.

Employee concerns

In 2008, the company was the 5th worst company to work for by employee reviews, with a score of 2.1/5, according to glassdoor.com.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Raid

The Nashville-based guitar manufacturer has been investigated for violating the Lacey Act. The Lacey act was amended in 2009 to include wood products. On November 17, 2009 federal authorities seized six guitars and several pallets of alleged endangered and illegal, rare ebony wood purchased by Gibson which was stored at the company's factory. Until the investigation has been concluded, Henry E. Juszkiewicz, CEO and Chairman of Gibson Guitar Corporation, has taken a leave of absence as a board member of the Rainforest Alliance. In June 2011, the United States Department of Justice filed a civil case against Gibson, stating: "Gibson sourced its unfinished ebony wood in the form of blanks (for use in the manufacture of fingerboards for Gibson guitars) from Nagel (in Germany), which obtained it exclusively from Roger Thunam (a supplier in Madagascar). Madagascar prohibits the harvest of ebony wood as well as the exportation of unfinished ebony wood." The filing also made mention of internal emails from 2008 and 2009 that discussed ebony species from Madagascar and plans to harvest it. The case against Gibson Guitar was the first under the amended Lacey Act, which requires importing companies to purchase legally harvested wood and follow the environmental laws of the producing countries regardless of corruption or lack of enforcement.

In January of 2011, Gibson Guitar filed a motion to recover the materials seized in the raid and to overturn the charges made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This motion was overturned, and according to reports quoting a special agent on the case, the material is expected to be used by the prosecution in anticipated indictments.

Gibson Guitar's offices and factories in Nashville and Memphis were raided again by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife on August 24, 2011, although no details were released about the nature of the raid or what was found due to the ongoing legal proceedings. However, according to a statement issued by Gibson Guitar the following day, these raids focused on rare wood imported from India. In the release, Juszkiewicz lashed out at the Justice Department, claiming that it was "bullying Gibson without filing charges" and stating further: "Gibson is innocent and will fight to protect its rights. Gibson has complied with foreign laws and believes it is innocent of any wrong doing. We will fight aggressively to prove our innocence." He also criticized the government's use of the Lacey Act because it interprets and enforces the laws of other nations, in this case India.

The charges against the company constitute a felony, and if proven, the company could face large fines and the executives involved could face jail terms. Gibson Guitar is considered a progressive company for its promotion of sustainability and forest certification. Although the Rainforest Alliance certified the wood used by Gibson Guitar, its FSC certificates only applied to specific product lines. In the case of the wood from Madagascar, the wood could not have been used in products labeled or sold as FSC-certified.

According to a story in the Wall Street Journal, the case has also caused concern for musicians who lack documentation of vintage instruments made of traditional, non-sustainable materials.

Allegations of politicization

The raids on Gibson Guitar's facilities became politicized following Juszkiewicz criticism of the federal government, when right-wing bloggers using OpenSecrets.org concluded that the raids and investigation were politically motivated since Juszkiewicz donated more to Republicans during the previous election season, whereas the C.E.O. of Gibson Guitar's competitor, C.F. Martin & Company supported Democratic candidates, yet his company was not raided despite also reportedly using the same wood.

Left-wing bloggers later criticized these accusations, while also noting an inconsistency in Gibson Guitar's press release. They pointed out that following the 2009 raid, Juszkiewicz began working with the Rainforest Alliance on developing a new wood sourcing plan—suggesting they were acknowledging a problem with the source of their wood—but following the 2011 raid, Juszkiewicz claimed to have sworn statements and documents from the Madagascar government proving the wood was legal.

See also

Fender Guitars

PRS Guitars

References

External links

Official website, Gibson Guitar Company

Category:Guitar manufacturing companies Category:Banjo manufacturing companies Category:Bass guitar manufacturing companies Category:Companies established in 1896 Category:Gibson electric guitars Category:Companies based in Nashville, Tennessee Category:Manufacturing companies based in Tennessee Category:Guitar amplifier manufacturers

bg:Гибсън Корпорейшън ca:Gibson cs:Gibson Guitar Corporation da:Gibson de:Gibson Guitar Corporation es:Gibson Guitar Corporation fa:شرکت گیتار گیبسون fr:Gibson Guitar Corporation ko:깁슨 (기업) hr:Gibson Guitar Corporation it:Gibson Guitar Corporation he:גיבסון (חברה) hu:Gibson Guitar Corporation nl:Gibson Guitar Corporation ja:ギブソン (楽器メーカー) no:Gibson Guitar Corporation nn:Gibson Guitar Corporation pl:Gibson Guitar Corporation pt:Gibson ru:Gibson sk:Gibson Guitar Corporation fi:Gibson Guitar Corporation sv:Gibson th:กิบซัน tr:Gibson uk:Gibson zh:吉普森結他公司

background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
birth name	Lester William Polsfuss
born	June 09, 1915Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States
died	August 12, 2009White Plains, New York, United States
genre	Jazz, country, blues, rock and roll
occupation	Innovator, Inventor, Musician, Songwriter
instrument	Guitar, Banjo, Harmonica
years active	1928–2009
website	lespaulonline.com
notable instruments	Gibson Les Paul }}

Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009)—known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations. Although he was not the first to use the technique, his early experiments with overdubbing (also known as sound on sound), delay effects such as tape delay, phasing effects and multitrack recording were among the first to attract widespread attention.

His innovative talents extended into his playing style, including licks, trills, chording sequences, fretting techniques and timing, which set him apart from his contemporaries and inspired many guitarists of the present day. He recorded with his wife Mary Ford in the 1950s, and they sold millions of records.

Among his many honors, Paul is one of a handful of artists with a permanent, stand-alone exhibit in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He is prominently named by the music museum on its website as an "architect" and a "key inductee" along with Sam Phillips and Alan Freed.

Biography

Early life

Les Paul was born Lester William Polsfuss outside Milwaukee, in Waukesha, Wisconsin, to George and Evelyn (1888–1989) (née Stutz) Polsfus. His family was of German ancestry. Paul's mother was related to the founders of Milwaukee's Valentin Blatz Brewing Company and the makers of the Stutz automobile. His parents divorced when he was a child. The Prussia family name was first simplified by his mother to Polfuss before he took his stage name of Les Paul. He also used the nicknames Red Hot Red and Rhubarb Red.

While living in Wisconsin, he first became interested in music at age eight when he began playing the harmonica. After an attempt at learning the banjo, he began to play the guitar. It was during this time that he invented a neck-worn harmonica holder, which allowed him to play the harmonica hands-free while accompanying himself on the guitar. Paul's device is still manufactured using his basic design. By age thirteen, Paul was performing semi-professionally as a country-music singer, guitarist and harmonica player. While playing at the Waukesha area drive-ins and 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 a radio speaker, using that to amplify his acoustic guitar. At age seventeen, Paul played with Rube Tronson's Texas Cowboys, and soon after he dropped out of high school to join Wolverton's Radio Band in St. Louis, Missouri, on KMOX.

Early career

Paul migrated to Chicago in 1934, where he continued to perform on radio. His first two records were released in 1936. One was credited to "Rhubarb Red", Paul's hillbilly ''alter ego'', and the other was as an accompanist for blues-artist Georgia White. It was during this time that he began playing jazz and adopted his stage name.

Paul's jazz-guitar style was strongly influenced by the music of Django Reinhardt, whom he greatly admired. Following World War II, Paul sought out and befriended Reinhardt. After Reinhardt's death in 1953, Paul furnished his headstone. One of Paul's prize possessions was a Selmer Maccaferri acoustic guitar given to him by Reinhardt's widow.

Paul formed a trio in 1937 with singer/rhythm guitarist Jim Atkins (older half-brother of guitarist Chet Atkins) and bassist/percussionist Ernie "Darius" Newton. They left Chicago for New York in 1939, landing a featured spot with ''Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians'' radio show. Chet Atkins later wrote that his brother, home on a family visit, presented the younger Atkins with an expensive Gibson archtop guitar that had been given to Jim Atkins by Les Paul. Chet recalled that it was the first professional-quality instrument he ever owned.

Paul was dissatisfied with acoustic-electric guitars and began experimenting at his apartment in Queens, NY with a few designs of his own. Famously, he created several versions of "The Log", which was nothing more than a length of common 4x4 lumber with a bridge, guitar neck and pickup attached. For the sake of appearance, he attached the body of an Epiphone hollow-body guitar, sawn lengthwise with The Log in the middle. This solved his two main problems: feedback, as the acoustic body no longer resonated with the amplified sound, and sustain, as the energy of the strings was not dissipated in generating sound through the guitar body. These instruments were constantly being improved and modified over the years, and Paul continued to use them in his recordings long after the development of his eponymous Gibson model.

While experimenting in his apartment in 1940, Paul nearly succumbed to electrocution. During two years of recuperation, he relocated to Hollywood, supporting himself by producing radio music and forming a new trio. He was drafted into the US Army shortly after the beginning of World War II, where he served in the Armed Forces Network, backing such artists as Bing Crosby, the Andrews Sisters, and performing in his own right. As a last-minute replacement for Oscar Moore, Paul played with Nat King Cole and other artists in the inaugural Jazz at the Philharmonic concert in Los Angeles, California, on July 2, 1944. The recording, still available as Jazz at the Philharmonic- the first concert- shows Paul at the top of his game, both in his solid four to the bar comping in the style of Freddie Green and for the originality of his solo lines. Paul's solo on 'Blues' is an astonishing tour de force and represents a memorable contest between himself and Nat 'King' Cole. Much later in his career, Paul declared that he had been the victor and that this had been conceded by Cole. His solo on Body and Soul is a fine demonstration both of his admiration for and emulation of the playing of Django Reinhardt, as well as his development of some very original lines.

Also that year, Paul's trio appeared on Bing Crosby's radio show. Crosby went on to sponsor Paul's recording experiments. The two also recorded together several times, including a 1945 number-one hit, "It's Been a Long, Long Time." In addition to backing Crosby, The Andrews Sisters and other artists, Paul's trio also recorded a few albums of their own on the Decca label in the late 1940s.

In January 1948, Paul shattered his right arm and elbow in a near-fatal automobile accident on an icy Route 66 just west of Davenport, Oklahoma. Mary Ford was driving the Buick convertible, which rolled several times down a creekbed; they were on their way back from Wisconsin to Los Angeles after performing at the opening of a restaurant owned by Paul's father. Doctors at Oklahoma City's Wesley Presbyterian Hospital told him that they could not rebuild his elbow so that he would regain movement; his arm would remain permanently in whatever position they placed it in. Their other option was amputation. Paul instructed surgeons, brought in from Los Angeles, to set his arm at an angle—just under 90 degrees—that would allow him to cradle and pick the guitar. It took him nearly a year and a half to recover.

Guitar builder

Paul's innovative guitar, "The Log", built after-hours in the Epiphone guitar factory in 1940, a 4" × 4" chunk of pine with strings and a pickup, was one of the first solid-body electric guitars. Paul Tutmarc of Audiovox Manufacturing Co. built a solid body electric bass in 1935 and Adolph Rickenbacker had marketed a solid-body guitar in the 1930s and Paul A. Bigsby had built one for Merle Travis in 1948 and Leo Fender also independently created his own in 1949. Although Paul approached the Gibson Guitar Corporation with his idea of a solid body electric guitar, they showed no interest until Fender began marketing its Esquire which later became known as the Telecaster models.

The arrangement persisted until 1961, when declining sales prompted Gibson to change the design without Paul's knowledge, creating a much thinner, lighter and more aggressive-looking instrument with two cutaway "horns" instead of one. Paul said he first saw the "new" Gibson Les Paul in a music-store window, and disliked it. Although his contract required him to pose with the guitar, he said it was not "his" instrument and asked Gibson to remove his name from the headstock. Others claimed that Paul ended his endorsement contract with Gibson during his divorce to avoid having his wife get his endorsement money. Gibson renamed the guitar "Gibson SG", which stands for "Solid Guitar", and it also became one of the company's best sellers.

The original Gibson Les Paul-guitar design regained popularity when Eric Clapton began playing the instrument a few years later, although he also played an SG and an ES-335. Paul resumed his relationship with Gibson and endorsed the original Gibson Les Paul guitar from that point onwards. His personal Gibson Les Pauls were much modified by him—Paul always used his own self-wound pickups and customized methods of switching between pickups on his guitars. To this day, various models of Gibson Les Paul guitars are used all over the world by both novice and professional guitarists. A less-expensive version of the Gibson Les Paul guitar is also manufactured for Gibson's lower-priced Epiphone brand.

On January 30, 1962, the US Patent and Trademark Office issued Paul a patent, Patent No. 3,018,680, for an "Electrical Music Instrument."

Multitrack-recording innovations

Paul had never been happy with the way his records sounded. During a post-recording session talk with Bing Crosby, the crooner suggested Paul try building his own recording studio so he might be able to get the sound he wanted. At first Paul discounted the idea only to give it a few more minutes thought before deciding Crosby was right. Paul started his own studio in the garage of his home on Hollywood's North Curson Street. The studio drew many other famous vocalists and musicians who wanted the benefit of Paul's expertise. The home and studio are still standing, but both had been moved to Pasadena at some point after Paul no longer owned the home.

In 1948, Les Paul was given one of the first Ampex Model 200A reel-to-reel audio tape recording decks by Crosby and went on to use Ampex's eight track "Sel-Sync" machines for Multitrack recording. Capitol Records released a recording that had begun as an experiment in Paul's garage, entitled "Lover (When You're Near Me)", which featured Paul playing eight different parts on electric guitar, some of them recorded at half-speed, hence "double-fast" when played back at normal speed for the master. ("Brazil", similarly recorded, was the B-side.) This was the first time that Les Paul used multitracking in a recording (Paul had been shopping his multitracking technique, unsuccessfully, since the '30s. Much to his dismay, Sidney Bechet used it in 1941 to play half a dozen instruments on "Sheik of Araby"). These recordings were made not with magnetic tape, but with acetate discs. Paul would record a track onto a disk, then record himself playing another part with the first. He built the multitrack recording with overlaid tracks, rather than parallel ones as he did later. By the time he had a result he was satisfied with, he had discarded some five hundred recording disks.

Paul even built his own disc-cutter assembly, based on automobile parts. He favored the flywheel from a Cadillac for its weight and flatness. Even in these early days, he used the acetate-disk setup to record parts at different speeds and with delay, resulting in his signature sound with echoes and birdsong-like guitar riffs. When he later began using magnetic tape, the major change was that he could take his recording rig on tour with him, even making episodes for his fifteen-minute radio show in his hotel room. He later worked with Ross Snyder in the design of the first eight-track recording deck (built for him by Ampex for his home studio.)

Electronics engineer Jack Mullin had been assigned to a U.S. Army Signal Corps unit stationed in France during World War II. On a mission in Germany near the end of the war, he acquired and later shipped home a German Magnetophon (tape recorder) and fifty reels of I.G. Farben plastic recording tape. Back in the U.S., Mullin rebuilt and developed the machine with the intention of selling it to the film industry, and held a series of demonstrations which quickly became the talk of the American audio industry.

Within a short time, Crosby had hired Mullin to record and produce his radio shows and master his studio recordings on tape, and he invested US$50,000 in a Northern California electronics firm, Ampex. With Crosby's backing, Mullin and Ampex created the Ampex Model 200, the world's first commercially produced reel-to-reel audio tape recorder. Crosby gave Les Paul the second Model 200 to be produced. Using this machine, Paul placed an additional playback head, located before the conventional erase/record/playback heads. This allowed Paul to play along with a previously recorded track, both of which were mixed together on to a new track. This was a mono tape recorder with just one track across the entire width of quarter-inch tape; thus, the recording was "destructive" in the sense that the original recording was permanently replaced with the new, mixed recording.

Paul's re-invention of the Ampex 200 inspired Ampex to develop two-track and three-track recorders, which allowed him to record as many tracks on one tape without erasing previous takes. These machines were the backbone of professional recording, radio and television studios in the 1950s and early 1960s. In 1954, Paul continued to develop this technology by commissioning Ampex to build the first 8-track (multitrack) tape recorder, at his own expense. His design became known as "Sel-Sync" (Selective Synchronization), in which specially modified electronics could either record or play back from the record head, which was not optimized for playback but which had acceptable sound quality for musicians to listen to for the purposes of recording an "overdub" (OD) in sync with the original recording. This is the core technology behind multitrack recording.

Les Paul & Mary Ford

Paul met country-western singer Colleen Summers in 1945. They began working together in 1948, at which time she adopted the stage name Mary Ford. They were married in 1949. The couple's hits included "How High the Moon", "Bye Bye Blues", "Song in Blue", "Don'cha Hear Them Bells", "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise", and "Vaya con Dios". These songs featured Ford harmonizing with herself.

Like Crosby, Paul and Ford used the now-ubiquitous recording technique known as close miking, where the microphone is less than from the singer's mouth. This produces a more-intimate, less-reverberant sound than is heard when a singer is or more from the microphone. When implemented using a cardioid-patterned microphone, it emphasizes low-frequency sounds in the voice due to a cardioid microphone's proximity effect and can give a more relaxed feel because the performer isn't working so hard. The result is a singing style which diverged strongly from unamplified theater-style singing, as might be heard in musical comedies of the 1930s and 1940s.

Radio and television programs

Paul had hosted a fifteen-minute radio program, ''The Les Paul Show'', on NBC radio in 1950, featuring his trio (himself, Ford and rhythm player Eddie Stapleton) and his electronics, recorded from their home and with gentle humor between Paul and Ford bridging musical selections, some of which had already been successful on records, some of which anticipated the couple's recordings, and many of which presented re-interpretations of such jazz and pop selections as "In the Mood", "Little Rock Getaway", "Brazil" and "Tiger Rag". Over ten of these shows survive among old-time radio collectors today.

The show also appeared on television a few years later with the same format, but excluding the trio and retitled ''The Les Paul & Mary Ford Show'' (also known as ''Les Paul & Mary Ford at Home'') with "Vaya Con Dios" as a theme song. Sponsored by Warner Lambert's Listerine mouthwash, it was widely syndicated during 1954–1955, and was only five minutes (one or two songs) long on film, therefore used as a brief interlude or fill-in in programming schedules. Since Paul created the entire show himself, including audio and video, he maintained the original recordings and was in the process of restoring them to current quality standards up until his death.

During his radio shows, Paul introduced the fictional "Les Paulverizer" device, which multiplies anything fed into it, like a guitar sound or a voice. Paul has stated that the idea was to explain to the audience how his single guitar could be multiplied to become a group of guitars. The device even became the subject of comedy, with Ford multiplying herself and her vacuum cleaner with it so she could finish the housework faster.

Later career

In 1965, Paul went into semi-retirement, although he did return to the studio occasionally. He and Ford had divorced in December 1962, as she could no longer cope with the traveling lifestyle their act required of them. Paul's most-recognizable recordings from then through the mid-1970s were an album for London Records/Phase 4 Stereo, ''Les Paul Now'' (1968), on which he updated some of his earlier hits; and, backed by some of Nashville's celebrated studio musicians, a meld of jazz and country improvisation with fellow guitar virtuoso Chet Atkins, ''Chester and Lester'' (1976), for RCA Victor.

By the late 1980s, Paul had returned to active live performance, continuing into his 80s even though he often found it painful to play the guitar because of arthritis in his hands. In 2006, at age 90, he won two Grammys at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards for his album ''Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played''. He also performed every Monday night, accompanied by a trio which included guitarist Lou Pallo, bassist Paul Nowinksi (and later, Nicki Parrott) and pianist John Colianni, originally at Fat Tuesdays, and later at the Iridium Jazz Club on Broadway in the Times Square area of New York City.

Composer Richard Stein (1909–1992) sued Paul for plagiarism, charging that Paul's "Johnny (Is the Boy for Me)" was taken from Stein's 1937 song "Sanie cu zurgălăi" (Romanian for "Sledge with Bells"). A 2000 cover version of "Johnny" by Belgian musical group Vaya Con Dios that credited Paul prompted another action by the Romanian Musical Performing and Mechanical Rights Society.

For many years Les Paul would sometimes surprise radio hosts Steve King and Johnnie Putman with a call to the "Life After Dark Show" on WGN (AM) in Chicago. These calls would take place in the wee hours of Tuesday Morning following his show at the Iridium Jazz Club. Steve and Johnnie continue to honor Les on Tuesday Mornings at 2:35 AM with their segment "A Little More Les" drawing from around 30 hours of recorded conversations with Les.

Death

On August 12, 2009, Paul died of complications from pneumonia at White Plains Hospital in White Plains, New York. His family and friends were by his side. Paul is survived by his four children and his companion Arlene Palmer. His attorney told the media Paul had been "in and out of the hospital" because of illness. His last concert took place a few weeks before his death.

Upon learning of his death many artists and popular musicians paid tribute by publicly expressing their sorrow. After learning of Paul's death, former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash called him "vibrant and full of positive energy.", while Richie Sambora, lead guitarist of Bon Jovi, referred to him as "revolutionary in the music business". U2 guitarist The Edge said, "His legacy as a musician and inventor will live on and his influence on rock and roll will never be forgotten."

On August 21, 2009, he was buried near Milwaukee in Waukesha, Wisconsin at Prairie Home Cemetery which indicated that his plot would be in an area where visitors can easily view it. Like his funeral in New York on August 19, the burial was private, but earlier in the day a public memorial viewing of the closed casket was held in Milwaukee at Discovery World with 1,500 attendees who were offered free admission to the Les Paul House of Sound exhibit for the day.

Awards and honors

Paul was initiated into the Gamma Delta chapter of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity at the University of Miami in 1952. He has earned the Presidential award from the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

In 1979, Paul and Ford's 1951 recording of "How High the Moon" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Paul received a Grammy Trustees Award for his lifetime achievements in 1983.

In 1988, Paul was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Jeff Beck, who said, "I've copied more licks from Les Paul than I'd like to admit." In 1991, the Mix Foundation established an annual award in his name; the Les Paul Award which honors "individuals or institutions that have set the highest standards of excellence in the creative application of audio technology". In 2005, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for his development of the solid-body electric guitar. In 2006, Paul was inducted into the National Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. He was named an honorary member of the Audio Engineering Society. In 2007, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.

A one-hour biographical documentary film ''The Wizard of Waukesha'' was shown at the Los Angeles International Film Exposition (FILMEX) March 4–21, 1980, and later on PBS television. A biographical, feature-length documentary titled ''Chasing Sound: Les Paul at 90'' made its world première on May 9, 2007, at the Downer Theater in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Paul appeared at the event and spoke briefly to the enthusiastic crowd. The film is distributed by Koch Entertainment and was broadcast on PBS on July 11, 2007, as part of its American Masters series and was broadcast on October 17, 2008, on BBC Four as part of its Guitar Night. The première coincided with the final part of a three-part documentary by the BBC broadcast on BBC ONE ''The Story of the Guitar''.

In June 2008, an exhibit showcasing his legacy and featuring items from his personal collection opened at Discovery World in Milwaukee. The exhibit was facilitated by a group of local musicians under the name Partnership for the Arts and Creative Excellence (PACE). Paul played a concert in Milwaukee to coincide with the opening of the exhibit.

Paul's hometown of Waukesha is planning a permanent exhibit to be called "The Les Paul experience."

In July 2005, a 90th-birthday tribute concert was held at Carnegie Hall in New York City. After performances by Steve Miller, Peter Frampton, Jose Feliciano and a number of other contemporary guitarists and vocalists, Paul was presented with a commemorative guitar from the Gibson Guitar Corporation.

On November 15, 2008, he received the American Music Masters award through the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at a tribute concert at the State Theater in Cleveland, Ohio. Among the many guest performers were Duane Eddy, Eric Carmen, Lonnie Mack, Jennifer Batten, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter, Dennis Coffey, James Burton, Billy Gibbons, Lenny Kaye, Steve Lukather, Barbara Lynn, Katy Moffatt, Alannah Myles, Richie Sambora, The Ventures and Slash.

In February 2009, only months prior to his death, Les Paul sat down with Scott Vollweiler of Broken Records Magazine, in which would be one of Les Paul's final interviews. His candid answers were direct and emotional. Broken Records Magazine had planned to run that cover feature the following month but due to delays was held until the summer. 3 days before the release, Les Paul died. The issue would be his final cover feature of his storied career.

In August, 2009, Paul was named one of the ten best electric guitar players of all-time by ''Time'' magazine.

On June 9, 2010, which would have been Les Paul's 95th birthday, a tribute concert featuring Jeff Beck, Imelda May, Gary U.S. Bonds and Brian Setzer among others, was held at the Iridium Jazz Club where Les Paul played nearly every week almost to the end of his life. The concert was released on the live album Rock 'n' Roll Party (Honoring Les Paul) in 2011.

On June 9–10, 2011 Google celebrated what would have been Paul's 96th birthday with a Google doodle of an interactive guitar.

Personal life

Paul married Virginia Webb in 1938. They had two children, Gene (Lester Jr.), born in 1941 and named after actor-songwriter Gene Lockhart, and Russell (Rusty), born 1944, before divorcing in 1949. Later that year, Paul and Mary Ford (born Iris Colleen Summers) were married. They adopted a girl, Colleen, in 1958 and their son Robert (Bobby) was born the following year. They had also lost a child, who was born prematurely and died only four days old. Les Paul and Mary Ford divorced in 1963.

Paul was the instructor of rock guitarist Steve Miller of the Steve Miller Band, to whom Paul gave his first guitar lesson. Miller's father was best man at Paul's 1949 wedding to Mary Ford.

Paul resided for many years in Mahwah, New Jersey.

Discography

Hit singles

Year	Single	Chart positions
		! style="width:35px;"	! style="width:35px;"	! style="width:35px;"	! style="width:35px;"
1945		1
1946		4
		21
	22
	11
		9
	21
	18
	6
		23
	2		7
	1	2
	12
	18
	2
	7
	5
	10
		2
	13
	14
	15
	14
	5
	15
	8
	7
		5
	10
	21
style="text-align:left;"	1			7
	15
	25
	13
		11
	6
	10
	19
		7
	38
	96
		91
	49
	91
1957		35
1958		32
		37
	105

Albums

''Feedback'' (1944)—compilation

''Les Paul Trio'' (1946)—compilation

''Hawaiian Paradise'' (1949)

''The New Sound'' (1950)

''Les Paul's New Sound, Volume 2'' (1951)

''Bye Bye Blues!'' (1952)

''Gallopin' Guitars'' (1952)—compilation

''The Hit Makers!'' (1953)

''Les and Mary'' (1955)

''Time to Dream'' (1957)

''Lover's Luau'' (1959)

''The Hits of Les and Mary'' (1960)—compilation

''Bouquet of Roses'' (1962)

''Warm and Wonderful'' (1962)

''Swingin' South'' (1963)

''Fabulous Les Paul and Mary Ford'' (1965)

''Les Paul Now!'' (1968)

''Guitar Tapestry''

''Lover''

''The Guitar Artistry of Les Paul'' (1971)

''The World is Still Waiting for the Sunrise'' (1974)—compilation

''The Best of Les Paul with Mary Ford'' (1974)—compilation

''Chester and Lester'' (1976)—with Chet Atkins

''Guitar Monsters'' (1977)—with Chet Atkins

''Les Paul and Mary Ford'' (1978)—compilation

''Multi Trackin' '' (1979)

''All-Time Greatest Hits'' (1983)—compilation

''The Very Best of Les Paul with Mary Ford'

''Famille Nombreuse'' (1992)—compilation

''The World Is Waiting'' (1992)—compilation

''The Best of the Capitol Masters: Selections From "The Legend and the Legacy" Box Set'' (1992)—compilation

''All-Time Greatest Hits'' (1992)—compilation

''Their All-Time Greatest Hits'' (1995)—compilation

''Les Paul: The Legend and the Legacy'' (1996; a four-CD box set chronicling his years with Capitol Records)

''16 Most Requested Songs'' (1996)—compilation

''The Complete Decca Trios—Plus (1936–1947)'' (1997)—compilation

''California Melodies'' (2003)

''Les Paul – The Legendary Fred Waring Broadcasts (2004)

''Les Paul & Friends: American Made World Played'' (2005)

''Les Paul And Friends: A Tribute To A Legend'' (2008)

Singles

"It's Been a Long, Long Time"—Bing Crosby & The Les Paul Trio (1945), #1 on Billboard Pop singles chart, 1 week, December 8

"Rumors Are Flying"—Andrews Sisters & Les Paul (1946)

"Guitar Boogie" (1947)

"Lover (When You're Near Me)" (1948)

"Brazil" (1948)

"What Is This Thing Called Love?" (1948)

"Nola" (1950)

"Goofus" (1950)

"Little Rock 69 Getaway" (1950/1951)

"Tennessee Waltz"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1950/1951), #1, Cashbox

"Mockingbird Hill"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1951), #1, Cashbox

"How High The Moon"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1951), #1, Billboard Pop singles chart, 9 weeks, April 21 – June 16; #1, Cashbox, 2 weeks; #2, R&B; chart

"I Wish I Had Never Seen Sunshine"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1951)

"The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1951), #2, Billboard; #3, Cashbox

"Just One More Chance"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1951)

"Jazz Me Blues" (1951)

"Josephine" (1951)

"Whispering" (1951)

"Jingle Bells" (1951)

"Tiger Rag"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1952), #2, Billboard; #8, Cashbox

"I'm Confessin' (That I Love You)"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1952)

"Carioca" (1952)

"In the Good Old Summertime"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1952)

"Smoke Rings"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1952)

"Meet Mister Callaghan" (1952), #5, Billboard

"Take Me In Your Arms And Hold Me"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1952)

"Lady of Spain" (1952)

"My Baby's Coming Home"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1952)

"Bye Bye Blues"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1953)

"I'm Sitting On Top Of The World"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1953)

"Sleep" (Fred Waring's theme song) (1953)

"Vaya Con Dios"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1953), #1, Billboard Pop singles chart, 11 weeks, August 8 – October 3, November 7–14; #1, Cashbox, 5 weeks

"Johnny (Is The Boy For Me)"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1953), #15, Billboard; #25, Cashbox

"Don'cha Hear Them Bells"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1953), #13, Billboard; #32, Cashbox

"The Kangaroo" (1953), #25, Billboard; #23, Cashbox

"I Really Don't Want To Know"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1954)

"I'm A Fool To Care"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1954)

"Whither Thou Goest"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1954)

"Mandolino"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1954), #19, Billboard

"Song in Blue"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1954), #17, Cashbox

"Hummingbird"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1955)

"Amukiriki (The Lord Willing)"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1955)

"Magic Melody"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1955)

"Texas Lady"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1956)

"Moritat" (Theme from "Three Penny Opera") (1956)

"Nuevo Laredo"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1956)

"Cinco Robles (Five Oaks)"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1957)

"Put A Ring On My Finger"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1958)

"Jura (I Swear I Love You)"—Les Paul & Mary Ford (1961)

"Love Sneakin' Up On You"-Les Paul, Joss Stone & Sting (2005)

Compositions

Les Paul was also a prolific composer. Some of the songs he wrote were "Song in Blue", "Cryin'", "Hip-billy Boogie", "Suspicion", "Mandolino", "Magic Melody", "Don'cha Hear Them Bells", "The Kangaroo", "Big-Eyed Gal", "All I Need is You", "Mammy's Boogie", and "Walkin' and Whistlin' Blues".

See also

Ampex

Discovery World

Gibson Les Paul

Gibson SG

List of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees

Mary Ford

References

External links

History of Les Paul

Les Paul: Chasing Sound (may require subscription) PBS Documentary on the life of Les Paul, including extended interviews with Paul.

Remembering Les Paul Photos and extended interviews with Les on WGN Chicago's Steve & Johnnie early morning show

Staff writer (August 13, 2009). "Les Paul", obituary at ''The Daily Telegraph'' (Accessed August 24, 2009)

"Les Paul, 'The Wizard of Waukesha'", a biography (undated) at the Wisconsin Historical Society's official website

''Les Paul – Discovery World 2005'' video (requires Adobe Flash) at Discovery World's (museum) official website

''The Les Paul Show'', archive of Paul's NBC radio show at the Internet Archive's official website (includes MP3 files (free) of eleven of their radio shows including their audition show)

lespaulfoundation.org, Les Paul Foundation website (includes Legacy, Foundation & Community websites)

"Les Paul: Legacy of a Guitar Hero" at LIFE

''The Wizard of Waukesha'' (1980) at Allmovie's official website

''Les Paul – 'Miles of Music''', two video interviews of and performances by Paul (5–6 minutes each; requires Adobe Flash) with Bob Miles on ''Miles of Music'' (milesofmusic.tv), a Public-access television cable TV program

CLASSIC TRACKS: Les Paul & Mary Ford 'How High The Moon'

Photo Library from performances at Iridium

Les Paul's final interview

Category:American jazz guitarists Category:American musical instrument makers Category:American radio personalities Category:Capitol Records artists Category:Columbia Records artists Category:Deaths from pneumonia Category:Decca Records artists Category:American musicians of German descent Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Guitar makers Category:Infectious disease deaths in New York Category:Inventors of musical instruments Category:Lead guitarists Category:Musicians from New Jersey Category:Musicians from Wisconsin Category:National Inventors Hall of Fame inductees Category:People from Mahwah, New Jersey Category:People from Waukesha, Wisconsin Category:RCA Victor artists Category:Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Category:United States National Medal of Arts recipients Category:1915 births Category:2009 deaths Category:American rock guitarists Category:American inventors Category:American blues guitarists

ar:لس بول zh-min-nan:Les Paul bg:Лес Пол ca:Les Paul cs:Les Paul cy:Les Paul da:Les Paul (musiker) de:Les Paul et:Les Paul es:Les Paul eo:Les Paul fa:لس پال fr:Les Paul ga:Les Paul gl:Les Paul hr:Les Paul io:Les Paul id:Les Paul is:Les Paul it:Les Paul he:לס פול la:Les Paul lv:Less Pols lb:Les Paul hu:Les Paul ml:ലെസ് പോൾ nl:Les Paul ja:レス・ポール no:Les Paul nn:Les Paul uz:Les Paul pl:Les Paul pt:Les Paul ro:Les Paul ru:Лес Пол simple:Les Paul sk:Les Paul szl:Les Paul fi:Les Paul sv:Les Paul th:เลส พอล tr:Les Paul uk:Лес Пол vi:Les Paul zh-yue:Les Paul zh:萊斯·保羅

name	Taj Gibson
number	22
position	Power forward
height ft	6
height in	9
weight lb	225
league	NBA
team	Chicago Bulls
birth date	June 24, 1985
birth place	Brooklyn, New York
nationality	American
high school	Calvary Christian(San Fernando, California)
college	USC (2006–2009)
draft year	2009
draft round	1
draft pick	26
draft team	Chicago Bulls
career start	2009
years1	2009–present
team1	Chicago Bulls
highlights	NBA All-Rookie First Team (2010)
bbr	gibsota01
letter	g
profile	taj_gibson }}

Taj Jami Gibson (born June 24, 1985) is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Following the 2010 signing of Carlos Boozer, he has played as the second string power forward. Gibson played three seasons of collegiate basketball for the USC Trojans and was selected 26th overall by the Bulls in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Early life

Gibson was born on June 24, 1985 in Brooklyn, N.Y. Gibson began his high school career at Telecommunications High in Brooklyn, N.Y. He then attended Stoneridge Prep as a sophomore and junior in Tarzana, California. During his senior year in 2006, he attended Calvary Christian in San Fernando, California.

College career

Gibson played at the University of Southern California, where he was a member of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. As one of the oldest freshmen in the country at age 21 in 2007 he was named to the Pac-10 All-Freshman team. He helped beat rival UCLA in 2008.

Gibson was named to the 2009 All-Pac 10 Tournament Team by helping the Trojans winning the Tournament Championship at the Staples Center.

NBA career

Chicago Bulls

2009-10 season

Gibson declared for the 2009 NBA Draft, and was selected 26th overall by the Chicago Bulls. He, along with fellow draft pick James Johnson, signed with the Bulls in July, 2009. Gibson was the starting power forward for most of his rookie season with the Bulls and impressed many people with his high energy and good defense. During the All-Star Weekend, Gibson played in the Rookie Challenge, where the Rookie team won for the first time since 2002. The Bulls made the playoffs securing the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. Taj averaged 7.6 points per game and 7.0 rebounds while the Bulls lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round. At the end of his first season, Taj was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

2010-11 season

During the off-season, the Bulls signed power forward Carlos Boozer, who was expected to start at the beginning of the season rather than Gibson. Prior to the pre-season though, Boozer broke his hand, so Gibson started the first 15 games of the season. After Boozer's return, Gibson moved into a bench role for most of the season. At the end of the season, the Bulls made the playoffs as a 1st seed in the Eastern Conference. On May 10, 2011, Gibson helped his team take a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals against Atlanta, making all of his 11 points in the fourth quarter.

Career statistics

College

32.4 32.1 33.7

College !! Year	! GP !! MPG !! SPG !! BPG !! RPG !! APG !! PPG !! FG%!! FT%!! 3P%
USC Trojans	USC	2006–07	37	|	.5	1.9	8.7	1.5	12.2	.558	.623	.000
USC Trojans	USC	2007–08	33	|	.7	2.5	7.8	1.3	10.8	.580	.594	.000
USC Trojans	USC	2008–09	35	|	1.0	2.9	9.0	1.3	14.3	.601	.659	.000

NBA

Regular season

|- | align="left" | 2009–10 | align="left" | Chicago | 82 || 70 || 26.9 || .494 || .000 || .646 || 7.5 || 0.9 || 0.6 || 1.3 || 9.0 |- | align="left" | 2010–11 | align="left" | Chicago | 80 || 19 || 21.8 || .466 || .125 || .680 || 5.7 || 0.7 || 0.5 || 1.3 || 7.1 |- | align="left" | Career | align="left" | | 162 || 89 || 24.4 || .482 || .125 || .659 || 6.6 || 0.8 || 0.6 || 1.3 || 8.0

Playoffs

|- | align="left" | 2010 | align="left" | Chicago | 5 || 5 || 29.0 || .421 || .000 || .545 || 7.0 || .6 || .2 || .8 || 7.6 |- | align="left" | 2011 | align="left" | Chicago | 16 || 0 || 17.8 || .566 || .000 || .600 || 4.1 || .6 || .3 || 1.4 || 5.9 |- | align="left" | Career | align="left" | | 21 || 5 || 20.4 || .518 || 0.0 || .577 || 4.8 || .6 || .3 || 1.2 || 6.3

References

External links

NBA.com profile

USC Bio

Category:1985 births Category:Living people Category:African American basketball players Category:Chicago Bulls draft picks Category:Power forwards (basketball) Category:USC Trojans men's basketball players Category:Chicago Bulls players Category:People from Brooklyn Category:People from New York City

de:Taj Gibson es:Taj Gibson fr:Taj Gibson gl:Taj Gibson hr:Taj Gibson it:Taj Gibson he:טאג' גיבסון lv:Tedžs Gibsons ja:タージ・ギブソン no:Taj Gibson pl:Taj Gibson pt:Taj Gibson tr:Taj Gibson

Andrea Gibson born April 22, 1975 is an award-winning poet and activist. She currently lives in Colorado. Her poetry focuses on gender norms, politics, and the struggles facing queer people today. Andrea disclosed that she chose to write what was in her bones and thus these subject matters are what came out. On top of using poetry to express what she feels and tackle real issues, she is involved in many group activists. She often performs at Take Back the Night Events, GLBT events, Pride events, Trans events, Anti-war rallies, Peace rallies, organizations against the occupation of Palestine, groups focused on examining the wrongs of capitalism, patriarchy and white supremacy. She also works with a group called Vox Feminista whose model is to "comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable" on all these issues.

Gibson grew up in Calais, Maine. She is the daughter of Mark and Shirley Gibson, and has one sister, Laura, whom she mentions in her poem 'Titanic'. She attended Saint Joseph's College of Maine. Later, she moved to New Orleans with her girlfriend. In 1999, the two moved to Boulder, Colorado. She went to her first open-mic in Denver. A four-time Denver Grand Slam Champion, Gibson finished fourth at the 2004 National Poetry Slam, and she finished third at both the 2006 and 2007 Individual World Poetry Slam. In 2008, Gibson became the first poet ever to win the Women of the World Poetry Slam (WOWps) in Detroit.

In June 2008, Write Bloody Publishing published ''Pole Dancing To Gospel Hymns,'' She has also self-published four books: ''Trees that Grow in Cemeteries'', ''Yellow Bird'', ''What the Yarn Knows of Sweaters,'' and ''Pole Dancing to Gospel Hymns''.

''' Discography: Yellowbird (2009) When the bough breaks (2006) Swarm (2004) Bullets and Windchimes (2003)

Yellowbird is her most recent album incorporates music and song throughout the album. Andrea professes that she always writes to music and so it was natural to put music together for the album. This album was also her effort to write about what she was afraid to write about.

References

External links

Official website

Audio of "Andrew," "For Eli," "See-Through," "Walmart," "Swingset," and "Blue Blanket" (among others) on Indiefeed Performance Poetry Channel

Video of Andrea Gibson from June 2009 at Da Poetry Lounge in West Hollywood, CA - on Poetry.LA

http://voxfeminista.org/

Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:American poets Category:Bowdoin College alumni Category:Saint Joseph's College of Maine alumni Category:People from Calais, Maine Category:Spoken word poets

Name	Deborah Gibson
Background	solo_singer
Birth name	Deborah Ann Gibson
Born	August 31, 1970Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Instrument	Vocals, piano
Genre	Pop, dance-pop, house, freestyle, bubblegum pop, pop rock
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, record producer, actress, teen idol
Years active	1986–present
Label	Atlantic EMISMEJ
Associated acts	Jordan KnightEric MartinTiffany
Website	Official Site
Notable instruments	Liberace grand piano: Baldwin SD10, Serial No. pendingFinish: Austrian rhinestones }}

Deborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson (born August 31, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. In 1987 she was pronounced the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a No. 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100, with her song "Foolish Beat" and she remains the youngest female to write, record, and perform a No. 1 single to date.

She appeared on the covers of teen magazines (in the USA), such as ''Tiger Beat.'' She has gone on to starring roles on Broadway and touring musicals, as well as independent film and television work. She continues to record, and reached the ''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart as high as No. 24 during 2006 in a duet with Jordan Knight titled "Say Goodbye."

Early life

Gibson was born in Brooklyn, New York, the third daughter of four for Diane and Joseph Gibson. She grew up in the Long Island suburb of Merrick and was raised Catholic. At the age of five, she began performing in community theater with her sisters Karen, Michele and Denise and cousin T.J Normandin and wrote her first song, "Make Sure You Know Your Classroom." At age eight, she sang in the children's chorus at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. She began playing the ukulele and taking piano lessons soon after, including with American pianist Morton Estrin. Gibson said that her household was probably the only one where bystanders would hear kids fighting over piano playing time.

Music career

1987–1990

In 1987, while performing around the United States at nightclub venues, Gibson was recording what would become her debut album, "Out Of The Blue." The album was recorded in four weeks. Four singles from ''Out Of The Blue'' reached the Top 5 of the Billboard Top 100: "Only in My Dreams", "Shake Your Love", "Out Of The Blue", and the No. 1 hit "Foolish Beat", followed by "Staying Together", which performed more modestly, reaching No. 22. "Foolish Beat" set a record for Gibson, making her (at 17) the youngest artist ever to write, produce, and perform a Billboard No. 1 single, as entered in the 1988 Guinness Book of World Records, and she remains the youngest female artist to write, record, and perform a No. 1 single to date. By the time ''Out Of The Blue'' was established as a hit album, and she had success in the UK, as well as in Japan and southeast Asia, with her ''Out Of The Blue'' tour. By the end of 1988, ''Out of the Blue'' had gone triple platinum. The Out Of The Blue music videos on VHS was certified platinum by the RIAA, as well as Live In Concert "The Out of The Blue tour VHS video was certified 2x platinum by the RIAA.

In October 1988, Gibson sang the national anthem for Game One of the Major League Baseball World Series. Throughout 1988 and early 1989, Gibson was racking up studio time recording her second album release. ''Electric Youth'' was released in January 1989, and spent five weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 200 Album Chart. The first single released, "Lost in Your Eyes", was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks, garnering Debbie with another achievement Electric Youth album and single "Lost In Your Eyes" simultaneously at No. 1. She shared ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award 1989 with Bruce Springsteen. Subsequent singles from this album missed the Top 10: Electric Youth (No. 11), No More Rhyme (No. 17) and We Could Be Together (No. 71). The ''Electric Youth'' album was certified 2x platinum by the RIAA. Another successful "The Electric Youth" world tour, and Live Around the World tour on vhs certified 2x platinum by the RIAA followed.

In tandem with the album, she created a perfume called Electric Youth that was distributed by Revlon, and other makeup essentials for young girls that were distributed nationwide through Natural Wonder Cosmetics, another of her sponsors at the time.

For all her success of the era, Gibson also attracted a lot of detractors. She was the subject of the Mojo Nixon parody song "Debbie Gibson Is Pregnant with My Two-Headed Love Child", which peaked at No. 15 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in 1989 (though it should be clarified that Nixon's song was a parody of tabloid gossip and not an attack on Gibson personally), and was a frequently ridiculed by stand-up comedian Bill Hicks, most notably in his 1989 ''Sane Man'' performance.

1990–1995

Gibson recorded two more albums for Atlantic Records: ''Anything Is Possible'' (1990), and ''Body Mind Soul'' (1993). "Anything Is Possible", co-written with Motown mainstay Lamont Dozier, peaked at No. 26 on Billboard's Hot 100 in January 1991. Subsequent singles from ''Anything Is Possible'' failed to chart on The Billboard Hot 100, although "One Step Ahead" scored on the Billboard Hot Maxi Singles and Hot Dance chart, peaking at No. 21 and No. 18 respectively. ''Body Mind Soul'', which was released in February 1993, spawned another minor hit in "Losin' Myself", which was accompanied by a somewhat controversial video clip featuring Gibson as a stripper. And while second single "Shock Your Mama" would become a minor hit in Europe and the UK, "Losin' Myself" remains Gibson's last American Billboard Hot 100 chart appearance to date. Atlantic released a greatest hits package in 1995.

During this time, Gibson was part of a supergroup that recorded the charity single ''Voices that Care'' which peaked at No. 11 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

In 1995, she signed with EMI's SBK Records division and recorded what would be her only album for the label, ''Think With Your Heart''. This album is an Adult Contemporary heavy album consisting of piano ballads and keyboard ballads. The album's producer, Niko Bolas (usually Neil Young's co-producer), was producing the reunion album for veteran punk band Circle Jerks, and invited Gibson to a recording session for that band's album. She sang background vocals on the song "I Wanna Destroy You," as well as appearing at and participating in the Circle Jerks' performance at punk venue CBGB, wearing one of the band's t-shirts and sharing a microphone with frontman Keith Morris.

Independent releases

After parting company with EMI, Gibson formed her own record label, Espiritu, to release her original material. Her sixth album, ''Deborah'', marked her full return to dance-pop. ''Deborah'' includes the lead single "Only Words." "Only Words" (Dance Edit) became a Top 40 Hot Dance Music/Club Play hit. The album's other single is the ballad, "Naturally." ''Deborah'' was well received and remains respected, though it only sold 20,000 in the US.

In 2001, Gibson released her seventh album on her then-new record label, Golden Egg, titled ''M.Y.O.B.'' (AKA ''Mind Your Own Business''). It features the three singles, the sensual pop song "What You Want," the Latin-infused Dance-pop song "Your Secret," and the bass heavy "M.Y.O.B." Highlights from the album include the sultry Latin flavored Smooth Jazz song "In Blue," her vintage style ballad "Wishing You Were Here," "Jaded," and a remix of "M.Y.O.B." Her single M.Y.O.B. had the background vocals of her two nieces.

In 2005, Gibson co-wrote and recorded a song titled "Someone You Love" with the O'Neill Brothers. With the O'Neill Brothers, Gibson released an updated, acoustic version of her former No. 1 hit "Lost in Your Eyes." There was a PBS special late 2005, and it was Emmy nominated in February 2006.

Theater career

Gibson debuted on Broadway in 1992, playing Eponine in ''Les Misérables''. She then went to London, starring as Sandy (tried out for by 800 other girls before producers chose Gibson) in the West End production of ''Grease'' to sold out shows, breaking box office sales records. The single version of "You're the One That I Want", a duet with Craig McLachlan, taken from the Original Cast Recording, reached No. 13 on the UK charts in 1993.

On returning to the States, she appeared in the Broadway touring production, this time playing Rizzo. She played Fanny Brice in a revamped ''Funny Girl'' tour. She has had many successful theater credits; she was among the many actresses who took the starring role of Belle in the Broadway production of ''Beauty and the Beast''. She replaced Kerry Butler in July 1997 and was in the show until 1998 when she was then succeeded by Kim Huber. She also starred the critically lauded production of ''Gypsy'' (in a production staged at The Paper Mill Playhouse). She starred as Louise opposite Broadway legend Betty Buckley. She participated in the national tour of ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', where she played the part of The Narrator, and starred as Cinderella in the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical with Eartha Kitt as the Fairy Godmother. In October 2002, she starred as Velma Kelly in the Boston production of ''Chicago''. In 2003, she played Sally Bowles in the Broadway revival of ''Cabaret''. From March to April 2004, she played the role of 'Marta' in the UCLA Reprise! production of ''Company''.

Gibson starred as Anna Leonowens in Cabrillo Music Theatre's production of the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical ''The King and I'' which began October 17, 2008 in the Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and ran through October 26.

Reality television

In mid-2003, Gibson was a judge on the ''American Idol'' spin-off ''American Juniors'' which lasted one season.

In January 2006, she joined the cast of ''Skating with Celebrities'' on Fox Television, partnered with former Canadian World Champion figure skater Kurt Browning. She was voted out in the third episode.

Music 2005–present

The March 2005 issue of ''Playboy'' featured a nude pictorial of Gibson, coinciding with the release of her single, "Naked". She has said that the magazine had asked her five times to pose for them since she turned 18. She agreed to pose in an effort to revamp her image, describing how one casting call called her agent, not realizing that Gibson had long since outgrown her teenage image. The single peaked No. 35 on the Billboard "Hot single sales" chart in March 2005.

Following her ''Skating with Celebrities'' appearance, she has had a resurgence of popularity in niche markets. Her single "Your Secret" came back from its dormant state and became popular on some radio stations including Super 91.7 WMPH in Wilmington, Delaware. "Your Secret" has been on their request show, ''Total Control Radio,'' for 12 months. "Your Secret" reached No. 1 on its third week on that station's chart in May 2006. It charted along with a few of her other singles, "M.Y.O.B." and "Only Words" (Dance Edit) which is a Eurodance mix of the song. They all have become recurrent hits on the station since.

Gibson continues to tour and has become a popular attraction at Gay Pride parades and various charity and music festivals around the US. Her 2006 single, "Say Goodbye," featuring dance-pop artist Jordan Knight, has made a good impression on the Soft AC and Hot AC radio formats, becoming the third-most added single on the format during summer 2006. It debuted at No. 35 on the Billboard magazine Hot Contemporary chart, peaking at No. 24 in early September through late November. The same year, Gibson appeared in the independent film ''Coffee Date'' with Wilson Cruz and Jonathan Silverman.

On November 14, 2006, Gibson released the song "Famous" on her official website. The song was written by Gibson and Tiziano Lugli, and the recording was produced by T. Lugli. On May 2007 the world premiere of ''Electric Youth: The Musical'' was unveiled at The Starlight Theatre in Orlando, FL. The musical featured 14 of Gibsons's songs and was directed by Dean Parker. On August 24, 2007, Gibson and Frankie Avalon hosted ''Time Life Presents Dick Clark's American Bandstand 50th Anniversary Collection''.

On September 2007, Gibson considered creating a camp on the West Coast. She is the founder and creator of Camp Electric Youth, a children's summer day camp which ran from July 7–18, 2008. It claims to be the first camp of its kind in the Los Angeles area. The camp was reportedly attended by "over 120 talented singers, actors and dancers" from around the world.

Gibson was a judge for the online talent competition, Total Pop Star, along with Andrew Van Slee (producer and judge), and Joey Lawrence (from ''Blossom''). The first season ran from Nov 12, 2007 – May 30, 2008, though it was later extended to June.

In January 2008, Gibson announced that she would revive and perform her 80s hits—along with her Broadway role songs—during a three-run week in May 2008 at Harrah's in Atlantic City.

She later appeared on the April 2008 cover of ''Lavender Magazine'' (a GLBT magazine in Minnesota) and was interviewed about her career and upcoming projects. Then on the 24th, Gibson hosted and performed on Spotlightlive 80's Karaoke Experience in New York singing songs such as "Only in My Dreams", "Out of the Blue", "Love Shack" (an original hit for the B-52's) and "9 to 5".

She performed with Samantha Fox, Tiffany, & Rick Astley at the Colisee Pepsi in Quebec City, Canada on April 10, 2009.

Gibson has confirmed in interviews that she is working on a new album. Previews of possible singles were played on her YouTube channel in June 2009 through a video she uploaded herself.

She performed as Mother Nature in Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy at Foxwoods/MGM Casino from July 27 to September 1, 2010.

It was announced on her official website that "I Love You", the first single off her newest album ''Ms Vocalist'', is No. 1 on the international cable radio charts for the week of November 3. Debbie covered J-Pop tunes for the ''Ms Vocalist'' album that were originally sung by Japanese artists like Chage and Aska (Say Yes), Yutaka Ozaki (I love you), Sekaiju no Dareyori Kitto (by Miho Nakayama & WANDS) among others, plus Japanese/English version of her hit No. 1 song Lost in your eyes and a duet with Eric Martin. The first official music video from the new album is "I Love You" which was released on Gibson Official YouTube site on October 19, 2010.

Her song "Rise", from the forthcoming documentary "3 Billion and Counting", is included on the short list for an Academy Award for Best Song in a Film in 2010.

In January 2011, Gibson released the song "Snake Charmer" for the film ''Mega Python vs. Gatoroid''.

On April 18, 2011, Gibson confirmed via Twitter that she will be touring with fellow 80s pop princess Tiffany during the summer of 2011. Tiffany also made the announcement via the New York Post.

In June 2011, Gibson appeared in Katy Perry's music video "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" alongside several other guest stars.

On August 13, 2011, the final night of the Journey Through The 80s Tour, Gibson and Tiffany sold out Chicago's House of Blues.

Movies and television

On January 6, 2008 Gibson appeared on ''Deal or No Deal'' along with Corey Feldman as part of an '80s special.

Gibson co-starred with actor Lorenzo Lamas in the low-budget action/adventure film ''Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus'', produced by The Asylum and released on May 19, 2009. The film's trailer has become a viral hit, scoring over one million hits on MTV.com and YouTube. The film premiered at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. Ironically, Gibson's former music rival Tiffany had her film ''Necrosis'' (a.k.a. ''Blood Snow'') premiere at the Cannes as well.

Tiffany and Debbie Gibson starred in a Syfy original movie entitled ''Mega Python vs. Gatoroid'', aired on January 29, 2011. The pairing was at the suggestion of Tiffany, who wanted to play off their supposed rivalry.

Personal life

Over the years, Gibson has been the subject of stalkers. Robert Bardo, who was convicted for murdering actress Rebecca Schaeffer in 1989, had a wall in his house adorned with pictures of Gibson and Tiffany. In May 1998, Michael Falkner, a disgruntled fan from Eau Claire, WI, was arrested outside Manhattan's Palace Theater, where Gibson was performing in the live musical adaptation of Disney's ''Beauty and the Beast''. This was after Gibson received threatening letters, emails and faxes from Falkner, who used the alias 'Starcade'. On April 15, 2008, Gibson filed for a restraining order against Bassas Jorge Puigdollers, a fan club member from Spain who had been allegedly stalking her since 2002. However, a temporary restraining order was not issued by the court, and a court date was set to determine if a restraining order was appropriate in the matter. The proceeding was dismissed when Gibson failed to show up at the courthouse for the hearing to present her case.

Gibson dated actor Chris Bruno, Jonathan Kanterman, and is currently in a relationship with Dr. Rutledge Taylor.

Discography

Studio albums

''Out of the Blue'' (1987)

''Electric Youth'' (1989)

''Anything Is Possible'' (1990)

''Body Mind Soul'' (1993)

''Think With Your Heart'' (1995)

''Deborah'' (1997)

''M.Y.O.B.'' (2001)

''Colored Lights: The Broadway Album'' (2003)

''Ms. Vocalist'' (2010)

Charted singles

The following singles charted in the U.S., the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, Republic of Ireland and/or the Netherlands.

Year	Single	Peak positions	Album
!width="35"	!width="35"	!width="35"	!width="35"	style="text-align:center; width:35px;"	CAN	! style="text-align:center; width:35px;"	! style="text-align:center; width:35px;"	! style="text-align:center; width:35px;"	! style="text-align:center; width:35px;"	! style="text-align:center; width:35px;"
		4	12	31	11	6	—	—	—	46	20
	4	6	—	7	10	27	—	19	24	3
	align="left"	3	44	16	19	21	71	—	—	88	19
	1	—	8	9	1	49	—	10	8	5
	22	—	—	53	29	—	—	—	—	15
		1	—	3	34	5	8	—	—	45	18
align="left"	11	3	—	14	15	17	—	—	35	13
	17	—	13	—	25	59	—	—	—	—
	71	—	—	22	—	53	—	—	—	23
	align="left"	—	—	—	—	—	—	26	—	—	—		single only (Japan)
align="left"	26	—	48	51	17	63	—	—	—	—
	align="left"	—	18	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—	—	—	90	—	—	—
	86	46	49	—	73	—	—	—	—	—
		—	—	—	74	—	—	—	—	—	—
1993	align="left"	—	—	—	13	—	—	—	—	—	24
2006		—	—	24	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2010		—	—	—	—	—	—	1	—	—	—	''Ms Vocalist''

Filmography

Film

''Ghostbusters'' (1984) (uncredited)

''My Girlfriend's Boyfriend'' (1999)

''Wedding Band'' (2001)

''Soulkeeper'' (2001)

''Celeste in the City'' (2004)

''Coffee Date'' (2006)

''Body/Antibody'' (2007)

''Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus'' (2009)

''Mega Python vs. Gatoroid'' (2011)

Television

''Beverly Hills, 90210'' (1991)

''Street Justice'' (1991)

''Step by Step'' (1995)

''That '80s Show'' (2002)

''American Juniors'' (2003)

''Skating with Celebrities'' (2006)

''Celebrity Ghost Stories'' (2010)

Awards and achievements

Career highlights

''Youngest person to ever write, produce and perform a No. 1 single'' (1988)

''Debut Album of the Year - "Out of the Blue" - New York Music Awards'' (1989)

''Debut Artist of the Year - New York Music Awards'' (1989)

''ASCAP Songwriter of the Year (tied with Bruce Springsteen)'' (1989)

''Nominated Favorite Female Music Performer - People's Choice Awards'' (1990)

''Rock Producer of the Year - American Songwriter Awards'' (1990)

''Nominated Best Pop Female Vocalist - American Music Awards'' (1990)

''Artist of the Year - New York Music Awards'' (1990)

''Song of the Year - "Lost In Your Eyes" - New York Music Awards'' (1990)

''Best Pop Female Vocalist - New York Music Awards'' (1990)

Active supporter of charities

Pediatric AIDS Foundation

The Make-A-Wish Foundation

St. Mary's Children & Families Foundation

Red Cross Clothes Drive

Children International

Long Island Head Injury Association

References

External links

Official website: Deborah-Gibson.com

Deborah Gibson Interview

Category:1970 births Category:American dance musicians Category:American female singers Category:American house musicians Category:American musical theatre actors Category:American pianists Category:American pop singers Category:American Roman Catholics Category:American record producers Category:American singer-songwriters Category:Atlantic Records artists Category:Bubblegum pop Category:Freestyle musicians Category:Living people Category:Musicians from New York Category:People from Brooklyn Category:People from Nassau County, New York

de:Debbie Gibson es:Debbie Gibson fr:Deborah Gibson ko:데비 깁슨 id:Deborah Gibson it:Debbie Gibson ka:დები გიბსონი nl:Debbie Gibson ja:デボラ・ギブソン pt:Debbie Gibson ru:Гибсон, Дебби simple:Debbie Gibson fi:Deborah Gibson sv:Debbie Gibson th:เดบบี กิบสัน