Robert Plant

Born August 20, 1948 in Birmingham, England, Robert Plant is one of the most successful and influential artists in rock ‘n’ roll. Having spent the last four decades making music that has inspired genres and experimented in a range of influences, his status is legendary.

He made his mark in 1968, when as a blues singer he was discovered by guitarist Jimmy Page and bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones. The trio needed a drummer and Plant suggested his friend John Bonham. It was then that one of the greatest bands and stories in rock ‘n’ roll, Led Zeppelin, began. The group stylized what would become the metal genre, with Plant’s distinctive vocals and a heavy sound. After 12 years of big sales, tours, nine albums and a string of hits still heard on the radio today, Bonham died from alcohol poisoning in 1980, and the band was no longer.

In 1982, Plant launched his solo career with Pictures at Eleven, an album that stayed true to his former group. Bonham’s loss continued to be felt by Plant, who through the course of the next few years went through several respected drummers, like Phil Collins, Cozy Powell, Barriemore Barlow and Richie Hayward. His sophomore effort, The Principal of Moments was released in 1983 and explored a quieter side.

Plant showed his penchant for diversity when he strolled into roots rock territory in 1984 with The Honeydrippers Vol. 1, which housed the wildly popular and pretty “Sea Of Love.” Plant teamed with Page for the project. This also marked the first time Plant and he would collaborate throughout their individual solo careers. Plant changed directions once more with 1985’s Shaken ‘N’ Stirred, which utilized new-wave synth styles through keyboardist Jezz Woodroffe, guitarist Robbie Blunt and electric drums courtesy of Hayward. The album produced the hit, “Little By Little.”

By the mid-‘80s rumors began about a Zeppelin reunion, and hopes for that continue to this day (though Plant had dismissed that notion during an appearance at SxSW in 2005). In 1988 Plant gave the fans a taste of what they wanted with Now & Zen, which employed Zep samples and Led Zeppelin songs on the tour that followed. The album produced the hit “Tall Cool One.”

The early-‘90s proved to be a prolific time for Plant, with the release of 1990’s Manic Nirvana and Fate of Nations in 1993. Through the years Plant and Page would play together with Jones and notable drummers like Bonham’s son Jason and Collins. It was in 1994, however, that one of the most exciting reunions took place. Plant (joined by his own bassist Charlie Jones and their touring drummer, Michael Lee) and Page (who brought a British symphony orchestra and Middle Eastern musicians) returned for a CD and televised broadcast of their No Quarter concert during MTV’s “Unplugged.” Though John Paul Jones was snubbed as Plant and Jones had differences of opinion throughout their careers, the performance was a landmark moment. Taking Zep classics like “Since I’ve Been Loving You” and “Gallows Pole” and adding new twists with world blends proved to be an exciting experiment.

Jones continued on as a solo artist and a talented producer. Meanwhile, Plant and Page released a studio album in 1998, entitled Walking Into Clarksdale. In the new millennium Plant released 2001’s Dreamland, a blend of original songs and stellar covers. In 2005 Plant released Mighty Rearranger, a beautiful mix of songs that encompasses Plant’s experimental Middle-Eastern penchant, bluesy grit, psychedelic twists and that otherworldly voice that can conjure everything from poignancy to a vibrant wail.