The Guns N’ Roses guitarist was honored during a private ceremony at Universal Master Recordings on October 5.
Guns N’ Roses guitarist Slash received the 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award during a private celebration on October 5 at the Les Paul Recording Studio at Universal Master Recordings in Hollywood, California. Presented by the Les Paul Foundation in partnership with Gibson Gives, the award recognizes musicians who reflect Les Paul’s legacy of creativity, innovation, technology, and music. The event was attended by musicians, friends, and industry figures gathering to celebrate Slash’s influence on generations of guitarists.
The custom award trophy was constructed using hand-carved acoustic boards originally built and used by Les Paul in his home recording studio. Slash and Les Paul shared a friendship and frequently played together during Paul’s lifetime, an experience Slash highlighted when accepting the award. Les Paul Foundation Executive Director Michael Braunstein praised Slash’s talent and support of the foundation, noting that he joins past recipients including Bob Weir, Nile Rodgers, The Edge, Peter Frampton, and Steve Miller.
