Robert Plant has paid tribute to the late English musician Terry Reid, the man who turned down the singing role in Led Zeppelin and recommended Plant instead.
As previously reported, Reid’s death at the age of 75 was announced on Tuesday (August 5th). The singer-guitarist had been battling cancer and had recently canceled tour dates prior to his passing.
Reid’s claim to fame, beyond his own vaunted solo work throughout the 1960s and 1970s, was that he declined an invitation from Jimmy Page to become the singer of what would eventually become Led Zeppelin. At the time, Reid had committed to supporting the Rolling Stones’ US tour, and the conflict forced him to pass on Page’s offer. There are varying accounts of how this played out exactly, though a late-career interview with Reid appeared to confirm this version of it.
Related Video
Reid would still play a vital part in Zeppelin’s history, however, instead recommending Page recruit a young singer named Robert Plant and his drummer John Bonham, this after Reid witnessed the two perform together in The Band of Joy.
“Terry Reid’s enthusiasm and encouragement were incredible back then,” wrote Robert Plant in a Facebook post. “Still teenagers, we crashed each others’ gigs and crucified ‘Season of the Witch’ time and time again. So much fun. So on it. He was all of everything. Such charisma.”
Plant continued: “His voice, his range. His songs, capturing that carefree era. Superlungs, indeed. He catapulted me into an intense new world he chose to decline. I listen now to his album The River and shed a tear for my brother in arms.”
You can see Plant’s tribute post below.
Content shared from consequence.net.