Led Zeppelin. Black Dog.
Now, Robert Plant has quite the set of pipes. Just listen to “Black Dog.” He hit such high notes that I think he knew he couldn’t keep it up. You never hear him hit those notes in their live performances.
There’s no doubt that these guys were absolutely iconic in the hard rock scene of the 60’s and 70’s. But you know what? They’re not just getting old. They are old. Robert Plant will be 73 in just a few days (August 20th). But he’s still out there. Back in 2007, he collaborated with Alison Krauss on an album that won six Grammys. I heard nothing of it then — I don’t listen to much new music these days. But every so often, something catches my ear, and this time, a new collaboration. And I can see the appeal. They’re extremely tight, and Plant’s voice works beautifully with Krauss’s. On a side note, the work is produced by T Bone Burnett, whom I saw opening for The Who in 1983. He was mostly unmemorable then (the highlight of the show was The Clash, if you ask me).
Whoever would have thought that Plant — he of the tight pants and high, rocking voice — could be so mellow?