Les Balls  

In his later years, Les Paul suffered from arthritis in his hands.  Despite that he soldiered on doing weekly shows in NYC.  Since my late mother, a retired secretary, had the same affliction, I knew the pain he had to be going through. While on a business trip to Hong Kong I picked up some Chinese Tone Balls. By holding the  ornately colored balls  in the palm on one’s hand and rotating them, a musical  sound would be emitted that was purportedly  therapeutic .  When I returned I brought the tone balls to one of Les Paul’s shows at Fat Tuesday’s.  After having him autograph a t-shirt, I presented Les with my gift and explained how they worked.  To wit Les Paul quickly retorted, ‘Hell, you can poke a hole in your pocket and do the same damn thing.’

-Rick Gaeta