Photos: Slash Receives 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award in Hollywood

Slash received the 2026 Les Paul Spirit Award this past Monday night (October 5, 2026), during an intimate celebration at The Les Paul Recording Studio at Universal Master Recordings in Hollywood.

Presented by the Les Paul Foundation in partnership with Gibson Gives, the philanthropic arm of Gibson, the private event brought together a room filled with music-industry luminaries, artists, media, friends, and special guests to honor Slash's extraordinary creative legacy, pioneering musicianship and enduring influence on generations of artists and fans.

The evening centered on the presentation of the one-of-a-kind Les Paul Spirit Award, recognizing Slash as an artist who embodies Les Paul's pioneering spirit through innovation, creativity, technology, and music. The celebration also included a reception and a tour of the historic recording studio, offering guests a closer look at the remarkable legacy of Les Paul and the continuing impact of his work on modern music and recording.

Slash and Les Paul shared a special friendship during Les Paul's lifetime and often played music together. That personal connection brought added meaning to the evening as guests celebrated not only two of the most recognizable guitarists in music history, but also two artists united by an enduring curiosity, an instinct for innovation and a lifelong commitment to expanding the expressive possibilities of the electric guitar.

'We are honored to present the Les Paul Spirit Award to Slash this year. He and Les shared a special friendship and often jammed together when they could,' said Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of the Les Paul Foundation. '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.'

The annual Les Paul Spirit Award is presented to an individual who exemplifies the spirit of the late Les Paul through innovation, engineering, technology, and music. The physical award presented to Slash was created from actual hand-carved acoustic boards that Les Paul built and used in his home recording studio. Because each award is fashioned from authentic studio materials personally created by Les Paul, no two Les Paul Spirit Awards are exactly alike.

Previous recipients of the Les Paul Spirit Award include Bob Weir, Nile Rodgers, the Edge, Peter Frampton, and Steve Miller. Slash now joins that distinguished group of artists whose creativity, originality, and contributions to music reflect the trailblazing spirit that defined Les Paul's life and career.

A GRAMMY Award-winning guitarist, songwriter, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Slash has helped define generations of rock music through his work with Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver, Slash's Snakepit, Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators, and Slash's Blues Ball Band. With more than 100 million albums sold worldwide, he has created some of the most iconic guitar performances in rock history while continuing to push his artistry into new territory. His most recent solo album, Orgy of the Damned, was released by Gibson Records in 2024 and topped the Billboard Blues Albums chart for 13 weeks.

Whether exploring the blues or recording rock albums with Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, Slash remains driven by the same instinctive, collaborative approach that has defined his career.

Prior to the award presentation, select members of the media were invited inside the Les Paul Recording Studio for an exclusive advance listening session featuring four songs from Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators' forthcoming album, FLYING BLIND. Guests heard 'Good Time Girl,' 'One of Your Kind,' 'Flying Blind,' and 'Looking for a Miracle,' offering an early glimpse at the band's next creative chapter.

Set for release on February 26, 2027, via Gibson Records, FLYING BLIND was recorded largely live with producer Michael 'Elvis' Baskette and captures the raw chemistry and unfiltered energy that have become hallmarks of the band's sound. The preview underscored that, even after decades at the forefront of rock music, Slash continues to create with the same passion, spontaneity, and commitment to collaboration that have defined his extraordinary career.

The FLYING BLIND WORLD TOUR 2027 will take Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators across Latin America, North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe, with stops at iconic venues including The Wiltern, Beacon Theatre, and Ryman Auditorium. Tickets are on sale now at home.slashonline.com/tour.

About SLASH

Slash, the iconic, GRAMMY Award-winning American rock guitarist, songwriter, and film producer, has sold more than 100 million albums, earned a GRAMMY Award and seven nominations, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and become a New York Times bestselling author. Considered one of the greatest rock guitarists of all time and one of the most recognizable figures in popular culture, Slash was ranked No. 2, behind Jimi Hendrix, on TIME magazine's list of 'The 10 Greatest Electric Guitar Players.'

As a member of Guns N' Roses, Slash created some of rock music's most enduring guitar moments, including the signature riffs on the No. 1 hit 'Sweet Child O' Mine' and 'Welcome to the Jungle.' He later earned critical acclaim with Slash's Snakepit and achieved global success with the supergroup Velvet Revolver before launching his solo career. Slash's chart-topping self-titled debut solo album, Slash (2010), featured collaborations with Ozzy Osbourne, Fergie, Myles Kennedy, and more.

He subsequently formed Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators, also known as SMKC, featuring Myles Kennedy on lead vocals, Todd Kerns on bass and vocals, Brent Fitz on drums, and Frank Sidoris on rhythm guitar. The band has toured the world and recorded music together for more than a decade and a half. SMKC released its debut album, Apocalyptic Love (2012), which debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and No. 1 on the Top Rock Albums chart. The album produced the band's first No. 1 rock-radio hits, 'You're a Lie' and 'Standing in the Sun.' The band followed with World on Fire, whose title track reached No. 1 at U.S. rock radio, and Living the Dream (2018), which earned 10 Top 10 chart placements around the world and featured the Top 5 rock-radio single 'Driving Rain.' In 2022, SMKC released 4 via Gibson Records. Produced by Dave Cobb and recorded live at Nashville's famed RCA Studio A, the album debuted as the No. 1 bestselling hard-rock album. Its lead single, 'The River Is Rising,' became SMKC's eighth consecutive Top 10 rock-radio single.

In 2016, Guns N' Roses reunited, with Slash joining Axl Rose and Duff McKagan for the band's historic return to the global stage.

Slash Ft. Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators will release their fifth studio album, FLYING BLIND, on Feb. 26, 2027, via Gibson Records, the band's first full-length studio album since 4. 'It's a fun, kind of spontaneous rock 'n' roll record,' says Slash. 'It's very simple and down to earth and raw.'

Recorded with producer Michael 'Elvis' Baskette, FLYING BLIND features 12 new tracks ranging from the driving attack of opener 'Avarice and Greed' and the talk-box hooks of 'Good Time Girl' to the aggressive crunch of 'One of Your Kind,' the instrumental guitar showcase 'Living the Dream,' the pedal steel-inflected 'Looking for a Miracle,' and the majestic closing track, 'Stem the Flow.' Hard-hitting, spontaneous, and wide-ranging, FLYING BLIND captures SMKC sounding as loose, raw, and locked-in as ever. The album's anthemic title track, 'Flying Blind,' will arrive as its first single on October 2, 2026.

Photo Credit: Julia Lofstrand