Robert Plant
Robert Plant is a singer who became a rock 'n' roll legend as the front man for the band Led Zeppelin. He grew up in west central England and, influenced by American blues, began singing for rhythm & blues bands in the mid-1960s. He joined Jimmy Page, John Bonham and John Paul Jones in 1968 to form Led Zeppelin, a blues-based rock band considered one of the pioneers of heavy metal. During the 1970s Led Zeppelin was one of the most successful recording and touring acts in the world, and Plant and Page together wrote hits such as "Whole Lotta Love," "Immigrant Song" and "Stairway to Heaven." The group disbanded after Bonham's death in 1980, and Plant struck out on his own. He released his first solo albums in 1982 and '83 (Pictures at 11 and The Principle of Moments), and has since found success as a seasoned pro, reworking R&B favorites (hits in 1984-85 with The Honeydrippers, including "Sea of Love" and "Rockin' at Midnight"); adding synthesizers and samples (his 1988 hit, "Tall Cool One"); reuniting every now and then with Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page (from MTV shows to albums such as 1998's Walking Into Clarksdale); and performing around the world for fund-raising benefits. He collaborated with American country music artist Alison Krauss in 2007 for the album Raising Sand, an international hit and critical favorite that led to a 2008 world tour.