The Les Paul Foundation, whose mission is to honor and share the life, spirit and legacy of Les Paul through generations has announced the annual Les Paul Spirit Award in partnership with Gibson Gives, the philanthropic division of Gibson. The prestigious award will be presented to legendary musical artist and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Peter Frampton on Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 6:30pm CT at a private event* held at the Gibson Garage Nashville located at 209 10th Ave S, Suite 209 in downtown Nashville, TN. The event will take place on what would have been Les Paul’s 109th birthday, and marks the third anniversary of the Gibson Garage Nashville.
The annual award is presented to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the late, great Les Paul through innovation, engineering, technology and/or music. In addition to the award, a grant from the Les Paul Foundation will be made in the honoree’s name to the charity of his choice. Like Les Paul, Peter Frampton personifies the spirit of excellence through musicianship and industry recognition. Frampton has also experimented with new technologies and music trends, apparent in his early recordings on albums Frampton and Frampton Comes Alive! and particularly his hit singles “Do You Feel Like We Do” and “Show Me the Way,” synonymous with the use of the talk box.
“I cannot think of anyone more fitting to be honored with this year’s Les Paul Spirit Award than Peter Frampton. Not only is he an extraordinary talent who has given us an amazing array of extraordinary music, but he is an innovator who understands music, technologies, and the spirit of Les Paul,” says Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of The Les Paul Foundation. “If Les were still alive today, I have absolutely no doubt that he and Peter would be experimenting together at Les’ house. I am personally thrilled to be able to present Peter with this award because I know he exemplifies everything Les was about and wanted to accomplish. I want to also thank the Gibson Gives Foundation for partnering with us on this exciting annual award and for everything they do to keep Les’ name alive.”
“At Gibson Gives, we are thrilled to celebrate the incredible contributions of Les Paul and partner with the Les Paul Foundation to bring awareness to Les Paul’s legacy as he continues to inspire musicians across generations and genres.” --Beth Heidt, Chief Marketing Officer at Gibson
“Peter Frampton personifies the spirit of excellence through his musicianship and industry recognition. Gibson Gives is proud to partner with the Les Paul Foundation to present the prestigious Les Paul Spirit Award to this legendary artist who embodies the innovative spirit of Les Paul himself and his landmark contributions to music.” --Erica Krusen, Global Executive Director at Gibson Gives
Peter Frampton is a rock star. Frampton grew up in England and joined a band when he was only 16. Two years later he joined the supergroup Humble Pie and achieved massive success across the United Kingdom. In 1971, Frampton left Humble Pie and released his first solo debut Winds of Change. Then in 1976 he recorded one of the greatest live albums of all time Frampton Comes Alive! Frampton’s use of the talk box to create a human and guitar hybrid sound was and is unprecedented in the music industry.
Other chart-topping hits showcased on the album included “Show Me the Way,” “Baby, I Love Your Way,” and “Do You Feel Like We Do.” All of them reached the Top 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 list. Frampton continues to write and perform despite sharing his diagnosis of inclusion body myositis in 2019. He is a true symbol of perseverance, hope and support. He is a GRAMMY Award, JUNO Award and People’s Choice Award winner and has been named a 2024 Inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The exclusive, physical Les Paul Spirit Award for Peter Frampton is made from actual hand-carved acoustic boards built by Les Paul that he used in his home studio. Les Paul designed and created this now historical memorabilia during his life. The acoustic wood piece is a unique presentation and supported by Les’ personal story. No two Les Paul Spirit Awards are exactly the same, given the unique nature of the studio pieces which are being used to create them and their intrinsic value as authentic Les Paul memorabilia.
About Gibson Gives:
For over 130 years, the iconic and leading American instrument brand Gibson has been shaping sound across generations and genres. Gibson, and its charitable division Gibson Gives believe in the power of music, and that getting instruments into the hands of those with a desire to make music is a life-changing event. Gibson Gives--a 501(c)(3) is committed to making the world a better place by supporting non-profit organizations and developing programs in our efforts to advance musicians through music education, and health and wellness initiatives worldwide. Gibson Gives is committed to cultivating LGBTQ-inclusive partnerships and offering steadfast support for all communities. 100% of all donations to and from Gibson Gives go towards giving the gift of music. In the last three years, Gibson Gives has raised over $4.5 million dollars and enabled $46 million in funding for key organizations through product donations and meaningful giving worldwide. For more information, visit: www.gibsongives.org.
About Les Paul Foundation:
The Les Paul Foundation inspires innovative and creative thinking by sharing the legacy of Les Paul through the support of music education, recording, innovation, exhibits about Les Paul and medical research related to hearing. The Les Paul Foundation is an approved IRC 501(c)3 organization that awards grants to organizations that share Les Paul’s legacy. The Foundation supports public exhibits which display Les Paul’s life achievements and that engage fans and students and periodically produce events to celebrate his achievements. For more information go to the official Les Paul website at www.les-paul.com.
