You may not recognize his face, but if you’re into music you’ve certainly heard his name. Les Paul was considered by many in the music industry to be a genius, something of a catalyst for modern guitar playing. If nothing else, you’ve heard of the almost-legendary guitar named for him, the Gibson Les Paul.

Paul helped create modern music as we know it today, and he continued to make sweet melodies until he was into his 90s. He died quietly this week in New York, aged 94.

“We owe many of his inventions that made the rock ‘n roll sound of today to him, and was the founding father of modern music,” said B.B. King on Paul’s death. “This is a huge loss to the music community and the world.”

“He was the original guitar hero,” said Joe Satriani. “He was an still is an inspiration to us all.”

Paul, nicknamed the Wizard of Waukesha, played with the likes of Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and many other famous crooners. He was known for his quick licks, hot rhythms and incredible longevity in the music industry. During his life, Les Paul pioneered the multitrack recording that’s now a standard for musicians of today.

The Gibson Les Paul was introduced in 1952 after Paul reportedly “kept pounding at them and pounding at them” to try it out for ten years. Les Paul is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Grammy Hall of Fame, the Inventors Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has five great-grandchildren among many other family members.