Slash Receives the 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award
Slash receives the 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award. The Les Paul Foundation recognizes his creativity and musicianship at the Les Paul Recording Studio in Hollywood.
Slash has received the 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award. The Les Paul Foundation confirms that it celebrated the guitarist at the Les Paul Recording Studio, recognizing the creativity, innovation and musicianship the award is intended to honor.
A guitar connection that goes beyond the name
The Foundation’s October 8 account dates the Hollywood presentation to October 5 and identifies Gibson Gives as its partner. It places the event at the Les Paul Recording Studio at Universal Master Recordings.
For readers who associate Slash with the Les Paul guitar, the connection is immediate. The award, however, is about a musician’s creative contribution. It is not the announcement of a new signature instrument or a guitar-product launch.
What the award recognizes
The Foundation describes its Spirit Award as celebrating artists who carry forward Les Paul’s creative and musical approach. The Foundation features Slash and the award on its official homepage.
The useful distinction for fans is between the ceremony date and the later news report: the presentation is dated October 5, even though the detailed account was published October 8.
Want to dig deeper into Slash’s guitars and gear? Read our full Slash guide.
Editorial illustration adapted from a 2025 photograph by AxeAdam20. Source photograph. CC0 1.0. Changes: illustrated composition, typography and color treatment. This is an illustration, not a photograph of the announced event.
