Four years ago, Les Paul enthusiast Jimmy Murray founded the Les Paul Jam and Tone Conference in Greensboro, N.C. Dubbed the “Brotherhood of Tone,” the event was created to enable Les Paul players and collectors who were corresponding on the Internet to meet in person. The Jam is a celebration of the legacy, beauty and tone of the Gibson Les Paul.
At the event, players get a chance to compare guitars, jam with a backup band and share the fellowship of “everything Les Paul.” The Jam is bi-annual and is held in Murray’s apparel factory, Revi Technical Wear. The usual schedule is Friday night and all day Saturday of jamming. Thursday and Sunday jams are not uncommon, in addition.
This year’s event, held from Oct. 10-11, was highlighted by an amp giveaway from Epiphone and a seminar about guitar set-up by Gibson Custom luthier Jay Kolanda. Gibson Pro Audio also shipped in a Valve Jr stack, a Gibson GA42 and an Epiphone Blues Custom 30 amp for attendees to try out. Gibson Custom provided tee-shirts.
Jam participants come from Ohio, Illinois, Virginia, West Virginia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, California, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky regularly.
“You don’t have to own a Les Paul to join us, you just have to love them,” said Murray.
The event is a collective effort and there is no charge.
This year’s prize for the Les Paul Conventioneers was a Valve Junior Head and Extension Cab. Shown is Jimmy Murray (left) presenting the head to the winner on the right, Dean Ulmer of Cincinnati, Ohio.