Les Paul. - Telegraph (UK):

Les Paul, the jazz guitarist who died on August 13 aged 94, invented the solid body electric guitar and revolutionised the sound of pop music recordings.

Known as "the Thomas Edison of the music industry", Les Paul pioneered multi-tracking - whereby instruments in a band or orchestra are recorded through separate, independently adjustable channels - and overdubbing, in which additional sound or music can be added after the original recording is made.

Before the invention of the microchip, before even the transistor, Les Paul was adapting the guitar with electronics - warping notes, experimenting with echo and feedback, and twiddling knobs to alter its sound.

Yet he had no training whatsoever in either electronics or music. None the less, he is responsible for an instrument that has carved his name in the annals of music - the Gibson Les Paul - which became the guitar of choice for stars of the rock and pop era...

Les Paul at 90.

Both stories above are good. His remarkable and substantial story is told in unusually exhaustive detail at Wikipedia. He made rock and roll possible.