In 1968, Led Zeppelin rose like a phoenix from the ashes of the Yardbirds, combining the explosive virtuosity of Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham. By the end of the decade, the band had released two groundbreaking albums and established themselves as serious challengers to their beloved contemporaries — The Who and The Rolling Stones.
Most bands could only dream of creating powerful anthems like “Good Times Bad Times,” “Dazed and Confused,” “Whole Lotta Love,” and “Ramble On,” yet for Led Zeppelin such songs were merely the beginning of a rock conquest of legendary proportions.
With every subsequent album, the band added new layers of complexity, both musically and lyrically. Led Zeppelin IV, the untitled 1971 album, featured two monumental creations: “Four Sticks,” often referred to as Bonham’s Everest, and the magnificent epic “Stairway to Heaven.”
Although countless devoted fans view “Stairway to Heaven” as one of the band’s most beautiful and refined songs, its popularity seems to have exhausted its singer. Plant once called the classic “that bloody wedding song,” and in a 1988 interview with the Los Angeles Times, he added: “I used to get headaches just knowing I’d have to sing that song — almost every night.”
In 2002, Plant donated $10,000 to Portland’s radio station KBOO, on the condition that they stop playing “Stairway to Heaven” continuously.
Jimmy Page, however, has only warm memories of the song. “I thought ‘Stairway’ was the essence of the band,” he told Rolling Stone. “It had everything in it and showed us at our best — as a fighting unit. We’re not talking about solos or anything like that; it contains everything. It was a milestone for us. Every musician wants to create something with lasting quality, something that will endure, and I guess we did that with ‘Stairway.’”
After Led Zeppelin disbanded, Page refused to let anyone else sing the song. He believed Plant was the only person who could give it the proper emotional weight. The band spent years fighting plagiarism accusations from the group Spirit, but Zeppelin ultimately won the case.
Robert Plant possesses a voice often described as cashmere-smooth, otherworldly, and limitless. He has been voted the greatest rock singer both in Britain and the United States in polls by two different radio stations.
Childhood
Robert Anthony Plant was born on August 20, 1948, in West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England, the son of Robert K. Plant, an engineer in the Royal Air Force, and Annie Celia Plant, who had Romani ancestry. He has a younger sister, Alison.
He attended King Edward VI Boys' High School in Stourbridge and was a fan of blues legends Willie Dixon and Robert Johnson. His passion led him to dive into music, performing with various local bands while supporting himself through jobs at Wimpy, construction work, and Woolworths.
When asked how he manages his iconic mane, Plant laughs: “It’s tough. My mother was a gypsy and had incredibly thick hair — she couldn’t even comb it. I was very lucky. And every time I go to get a haircut, the barbers refuse to do it.”
Plant remembers his childhood fondly, despite growing up in an area with heavily polluted air. His mother Annie was always cheerful, singing and dancing around the house, spreading joy. His father played the violin but gave it up to support the family. His parents hoped he would pursue a “serious” profession — perhaps accounting — but at 17 he left home and school to find his own path.
First Time on Stage
In 1963, several of Plants friends were in a band called The Jurymen. Guitarist Gary Tolley recalls how Plant initially only carried their equipment, too shy to sing. But when the singer Andy Long fell ill before a gig, the band said: “You know the songs. Come on!”
Plant stepped onto the small stage at the Bull’s Head Pub. He remembers it as confusing and nerve-racking — “I didn’t look at the audience at all… and that continued until 1968.” But drummer John Dudley remembers it differently: “When he got up there, he was full of confidence.”
His powerful voice made a strong impact, and soon he was performing with various local bands.
The Road to Led Zeppelin
By the late 1960s, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were already respected session musicians. Jones had worked with Donovan, Jeff Beck, and created the string arrangement for the Rolling Stones’ “She’s a Rainbow.”
Page was looking for a new singer. His first choice was the acclaimed Terry Reid, but when Reid declined due to touring commitments, he recommended Plant instead.
Auditioning with The Yardbirds was intimidating for the young singer: “Suddenly I was standing next to Page and Jones — giants. I was terrified.” Plant says he didn’t gain true confidence in his singing until around 1970–71.
In late 1968, The New Yardbirds began performing under their new name: Led Zeppelin. Their first concert took place at the Roundhouse in London on November 9. Immediately after the show, Plant married Maureen Wilson — at the same venue.
Accidents, Tragedies, and Loss
In 1975, while vacationing on the Greek island of Rhodes, the Plant family crashed their rental car into a tree. Everyone survived, but Robert was confined to a wheelchair and recorded the 1976 album Presence while recovering.
In 1977 came the greatest tragedy. During the band’s U.S. tour, Plant received a call: his five-year-old son Karac had fallen ill with a stomach virus. Later the same day, he received another call — Karac had died.
Led Zeppelin cancelled the tour immediately. Robert’s father later said: “Karac was Robert’s pride and joy — they adored each other.”
Robert and Maureen had been married for 15 years and had three children: Carmen Jane, Karac Pendragon, and Logan Romero. In 1991, Plant had a son, Jesse Lee, with Maureen’s sister, Shirley.
Karak’s death inspired the Led Zeppelin song “All of My Love” and the solo track “I Believe.”
Bonham’s death in 1980 also marked the end of Led Zeppelin for Plant. The two had been inseparable since youth. On the day Bonham died after drinking 40 vodkas, Plant recalls quarrelling with him during a rehearsal — a memory that haunted him.
Solo Career and Later Life
Plant’s early solo work was often criticized for lacking Zeppelin’s wild spontaneity, but he continued to evolve. He has released 13 solo studio albums, including Pictures at Eleven, Manic Nirvana, Fate of Nations, and Carry Fire.
He has also performed with projects such as Priory of Brian, Band of Joy, and Sensational Space Shifters.
Since 2007, he has collaborated with Alison Krauss, releasing several acclaimed albums together.
He was ranked No. 15 on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time (2008). Readers voted him the greatest singer in 2011.
In 2006, Hit Parader named him the greatest metal vocalist of all time. That same year, Planet Rock listeners voted him the greatest voice in rock.
Led Zeppelin entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995, and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
By Boryana...
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