The Guns N’ Roses guitarist collected the honour at United Recording Studios, where media also heard the first tracks from his next album with Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators.
Slash received the 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award on Monday night at an intimate gathering inside The Les Paul Recording Studio at United Recording Studios in Hollywood, recognising the guitarist’s long connection to the instrument’s most influential innovator.
The private event, presented by the Les Paul Foundation in partnership with Gibson Gives, brought together industry figures, artists, media and friends to mark the presentation of the one-of-a-kind award. The physical trophy was fashioned from hand-carved acoustic boards that Les Paul himself built and used in his home recording studio, ensuring each Spirit Award remains unique.
Slash and Les Paul shared a genuine friendship during the inventor’s lifetime and often played music together. That personal history gave the evening extra weight.
“Les was so much more than a great guitarist and innovator,” Slash said. “He was an actual inventor who changed the instrument itself, built groundbreaking recording equipment, and completely reimagined how artists could record music. I feel incredibly lucky that I got to know him, hang out with him, and play music with him. I cherish the relationship we had, and receiving an award that carries his name and spirit is a tremendous honor.”
Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of the Les Paul Foundation, noted the same bond. “He and Les shared a special friendship and often jammed together when they could,” Braunstein said. “Not only does SLASH exemplify the creativity and curiosity Les had during his life, but he is also an extraordinary talent and a wonderful supporter of the Les Paul Foundation. If Les were still alive today, SLASH and he would be jamming onstage together somewhere regularly.”
Previous recipients of the Les Paul Spirit Award include Bob Weir, Nile Rodgers, the Edge, Peter Frampton and Steve Miller. The annual honour is given to an individual who reflects Les Paul’s pioneering approach through innovation, engineering, technology and music.
Before the formal presentation, selected media were invited into the studio for an advance listening session of four tracks from the forthcoming Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators album, Flying Blind. Guests heard “Good Time Girl,” “One of Your Kind,” “Flying Blind” and “Looking for a Miracle.” The record is scheduled for release on 26 February 2027 via Gibson Records. It was recorded largely live with producer Michael “Elvis” Baskette and is described by the band as capturing the raw, unfiltered energy that has defined their work together.
Flying Blind will be the fifth studio album from the group, following 4 in 2022. The title track is already positioned as the first single. Slash has characterised the new material as spontaneous and straightforward. “It’s a fun, kind of spontaneous rock ‘n’ roll record,” he said. “It’s very simple and down to earth and raw.”
The release will be supported by the Flying Blind World Tour 2027, which is set to cover Latin America, North America, the United Kingdom and Europe. Confirmed stops include The Wiltern, Beacon Theatre and Ryman Auditorium. Tickets are already on sale through the official site.
Slash’s most recent solo outing, Orgy of the Damned, arrived in 2024 on Gibson Records and spent 13 weeks at the top of the Billboard Blues Albums chart. Across his career with Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, Slash’s Snakepit and the Conspirators, he has sold more than 100 million albums and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Les Paul Spirit Award now places him alongside a short list of guitarists and innovators whose work continues the exploratory spirit Les Paul embodied.
The evening closed with a reception and a tour of the historic studio, giving guests a closer look at the space linked to Les Paul’s recording legacy. For Slash, the night was less about formal recognition and more about the friendship that once existed between two guitarists who both refused to leave the instrument where they found it.
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first—Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Bluesky
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
