LES PAUL FINAL MOMENTS

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Guitar legend Les Paul died telling stories – comforted by the knowledge he would soon be reunited with old friends Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.

He firmly believed in heaven because he said he had been there before!

In an exclusive interview, Paul’s son Rusty told The ENQUIRER that following a 1948 car crash, his dad came down with double pneumonia. As he began to slip away, Les "saw the light" – and old friends waiting for him on the other side.

The music icon – who pioneered the development of the electric guitar – recovered, but he came away convinced he would one day be with his late friends and family.

"He was awake until the end," Rusty told The ENQUIRER. "His family was with him and he was telling stories, joking and remembering the good times.

"He talked about Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra and all the musicians he had known. He knew he was going to leave us, and I believe he was very satisfied.

"He was looking forward to seeing his old friends and family again. The pneumonia just took over. Dad wasn’t fighting – and he wasn’t scared. He knew it was his time."

But Paul’s death August 13 at age 94 sent shockwaves through the music world.

His Les Paul model guitar had become the trademark instrument for rocker Jimmy Page, jazz great Al Di Meola and many others.

"I’ve gotten 350 calls," Rusty told The ENQUIRER. "Richie Sambora was in Hawaii and Al Di Meola was in Budapest – both of them said they were getting on an airplane to come home.

"Anyone from jazz to rock to blues to heavy metal and country guitarists – they are all grieving because my dad taught them all."

Amazingly, the celebrated musician and innovator was able to keep a promise he made to ENQUIRER readers back in 1996 when he vowed in an exclusive interview: "I’ll play until I die."

Paul, who enjoyed a huge recording and TV career in the 1950s with his then-wife Mary Ford, was beloved as a star who always had time for his fans. The duo had a string of hits, including "Vaya Con Dios" and "The World Is Waiting for the Sunrise."

Fueled by tremendous love of his art, he played a weekly gig at the Iridium Jazz Club in New York City until shortly before he was hospitalized for the final time.

"He didn’t need the money or the glory," says Rusty.

"He did it because it made him happy and it made his fans happy."