Les Paul anniversary celebration to kick off in Times Square

NEW YORK — A year-long celebration marking guitarist Les Paul's 100th birthday kicks off in Times Square next week.

It'll begin with Neal Schon of the rock band Journey accepting a proclamation from the Les Paul Foundation declaring June 9 as Les Paul Day.

Organizers say other cities around the country also will declare Les Paul Day proclamations that day.

A 53-foot-long interactive mobile exhibition called Les Paul's Big Sound Experience will then open to the public — for one day only before going on a national tour.

That evening, the Hard Rock Cafe New York will host performances by musicians including Joe Bonamassa and Steve Miller.

A Les Paul memorabilia exhibition will run at the same venue through June 15.

Paul's hit songs include "How High the Moon." He died in 2009.