AMERICA 250 | WISCONSIN ORIGINALS Wisconsin Originals: Les Paul of Waukesha helped make Rock & Roll what it is today BARRY ADAMS Jun 28, 2026 58 mins ago × Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, we're recognizing Wisconsinites who have made unique contributions to the nation.k9C ^mkAm{6D !2F=’D 9@>6\DAF? :?G6?E:@?D 6=6G2E65 9:> E@ 2 A66C 8C@FA E92E :?4=F56D q6?;2>:? uC2?<=:? 2?5 %9@>2D t5:D@?]k^AmkAmxE H2D !2F=[ ?:4<?2>65 “%96 (:K2C5 @7 (2F<6D92[” H9@ 96=A65 >2<6 E96 D@F?5 @7 p>6C:42? #@4< V? #@== A@DD:3=6 H:E9 9:D D@=:5\3@5J 6=64EC:4 8F:E2CD 2?5 E96 C64@C5:?8 AC24E:46D 96 :?G6?E65 =:<6 @G6C5F33:?8 2?5 >F=E:\EC24< C64@C5:?8]k^Am kAmw:D v:3D@? {6D !2F= rFDE@> 8F:E2CD 92G6 366? 72G@C65 @G6C E96 J62CD 3J E96 =:<6D @7 y:>>J !286 @7 {65 +6AA6=:?[ sF2?6 p==>2? @7 E96 p==>2? qC@E96CD q2?5 2?5 #2?5J #9@25D @7 "F:6E #:@E]k^Am People are also reading… UW-Madison's food-delivery robots pulled off campus How the Packers' 6 draft picks have fared this offseason Why Packers' top draft pick says there's 'never enough' off-field work Concerns linger related to Central-Denison Elementary School Deadline set for Simple Food Group to complete purchase of Sheridan Springs Road property Natural Grocers opens first Wisconsin store in Lake Geneva Plans presented to demolish downtown Lake Geneva building Lake Geneva to use leftover funds for alley and beach projects Town of Delavan to host annual Lakefest on June 27 Brewers' Wisco Pop-Up event spotlights local businesses, Midwest streetwear culture Retail anomaly Johnson’s One Stop thrives in rural Crawford County Hollywood never made Fred MacMurray forget his Beaver Dam roots Lakeland Health Care Center renovations completed Thousands feared dead after two major earthquakes strike Venezuela kAm!2F=[ 2=D@ 2 46=63C2E65 ;2KK >FD:4:2?[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^C@4<92==]4@>^:?5F4E66D^=6D\A2F=^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmH2D :?5F4E65 :?E@ E96 #@4< U2>Aj #@== w2== @7 u2>6k^2m :? `hgg 2?5[ :? a__f[ EH@ J62CD 367@C6 9:D 562E9[ H2D 2H2C565 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]2CED]8@G^9@?@CD^>652=D^=6D\A2F=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm}2E:@?2= |652= @7 pCEDk^2m[ E96 9:896DE 2H2C5 8:G6? E@ 2CE:DED 3J E96 &]$] 8@G6C?>6?E]k^Am Les Paul, known for his innovations on the solid body electric guitar and in multitrack recording, was born in Waukesha. RICHARD DREW kAmq@C? {6DE6C !@=D7FDD :? `h`d[ !2F= 4C62E65 9:D 7:CDE 6=64EC:4 8F:E2C H96? 96 H2D 2 E66?286C 3J 4@33=:?8 E@86E96C A2CED 7C@> 9:D A2C6?ED’ C64@C5 A=2J6C] !2F= 5C@AA65 @FE @7 9:89 D49@@= E@ ;@:? E96 (@=G6CE@?’D #25:@ q2?5 @? z|~) :? $E] {@F:D[ 2?5 3J `hbc H2D :? r9:428@ A=2J:?8 3@E9 4@F?ECJ\H6DE6C? 2?5 ;2KK] w6 H@F=5 =2E6C 7@C> 2 EC:@ E92E A=2J65 324<FA 7@C }2E z:?8 r@=6 2?5 E96 p?5C6HD $:DE6CD]k^Am kAmx? `hc`[ !2F= 56D:8?65 2?5 3F:=E @?6 @7 E96 7:CDE D@=:5\3@5J 6=64EC:4 8F:E2CD] %92E =65 E@ 2 562= :? E96 `hd_D H:E9 E96 v:3D@? vF:E2C r@][ H9:49 H@F=5 8@ @? E@ AC@5F46 2 8F:E2C 244@C5:?8 E@ !2F=’D DA64:7:42E:@?D]k^Am kAm!2F= H@? 2 vC2>>J :? `hff 7@C E96 2=3F> “r96DE6C 2?5 {6DE6C[” 2 4@==64E:@? @7 A@A\;2KK 8F:E2C 5F6ED C64@C565 H:E9 9:D @=5 7C:6?5 r96E pE<:?D]k^AmkAmk2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^5:D4@G6CJH@C=5]@C8^6IA6C:6?46D^=6D\A2F=D\9@FD6\@7\D@F?5^Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qms:D4@G6CJ (@C=5 |FD6F> :? |:=H2F<66 92D 2 A6C>2?6?E 6I9:3:Ek^2m 565:42E65 E@ !2F=[ 2D 5@6D E96 (2F<6D92 r@F?EJ w:DE@C:42= $@4:6EJ U2>Aj |FD6F>] %96C6 2C6 2 D6C:6D @7 >FC2=D E9C@F89@FE (2F<6D92 9@?@C:?8 !2F=’D =:76[ H9:=6 9:D 8C2G6 2E !C2:C:6 w@>6 r6>6E6CJ :? (2F<6D92 762EFC6D 2 =2C86 >@?F>6?E H:E9 2 8F:E2C]k^Am Dive into hometown history With a weekly newsletter looking back at local history. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Take a tour of Homegrown: Pop Culture Wisconsin at the Milwaukee County Historical Society Watch Now: Related Video 'I thought I was going to die': Survivor recounts Venezuela earthquakes Venezuela: Survivors say rescue effort too slow Venezuela: Survivors say rescue effort too slow Iran Condemns US Strikes and Warns Over Strait of Hormuz Tensions Iran Condemns US Strikes and Warns Over Strait of Hormuz Tensions Top stories for June 26, 2026 Top stories for June 26, 2026 Watch Now: Related Video 'I thought I was going to die': Survivor recounts Venezuela earthquakes Venezuela: Survivors say rescue effort too slow Venezuela: Survivors say rescue effort too slow Iran Condemns US Strikes and Warns Over Strait of Hormuz Tensions Iran Condemns US Strikes and Warns Over Strait of Hormuz Tensions Top stories for June 26, 2026 Top stories for June 26, 2026
