As the rock world seethes with anticipation about the Led Zep reunion, its frontman Robert Plant is enamoured with the most unlikely collaboration of his career.
The man regarded as a godfather of heavy metal has recorded an album with the queen of country and bluegrass, Alison Krauss. Little known here, she‘s won 20 Grammies – more than any other woman.
At 59 Plant is still considered one of the most powerful stage performers around, but as he gets ready to sing with Led Zeppelin once more, his new Nashville harmonies have brought a different critical success.
The album Raising Sand reaching number two in the American charts – number four here.
The old power sold 300 million albums worldwide, an appeal undiminished to the 20 million people who registered for tickets to see Led Zeppelin play once more this December – 25 years after they disbanded.
Plant – who resisted a reunion till now – says it’s a one night stand to honour the man who signed them in America – Atlantic Records boss Ahmet Ertegun who died last year.
Ertegun‘s Atlantic Records signed and then cultivated the sounds of Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Ben E King. But when he heard a Led Zeppelin demo in ’68 he added them to the roster.
While many are hoping the tribute concert will lead to a full scale Led Zeppelin tour, it seems for now Robert Plant is right at home working with Alison Krauss and their album‘s producer T Bone Burnett – who helped select old country and folk tracks to cover.
So for now it’s back to rehearsals with his old bandmates Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and, standing in for his late father on drums, John Bonham‘s son Jason.
Hopeful rumours have begun that they’re being courted for Glastonbury – but meanwhile people are paying thousands for reunion tickets, refusing to take the chance it really is a one off.
