Robert Plant hadn’t performed the Led Zeppelin classic “Stairway to Heaven” in 16 years until this past Saturday (October 21st) at a cancer charity benefit concert organized by Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor.
It turns out that Plant, who had essentially forgone the iconic tune in recent years, apparently was motivated to perform the song after a donor made a significant six-figure bid for the rock icon to sing “Stairway” in particular.
Guitarist Kenwyn House (formerly of UK rock act Reef) revealed the tidbit in an interview with Led Zeppelin News. House performed alongside Plant at the benefit and recalled the sensation of rehearsing the song alongside the legendary rock singer.
“It was a combination between über excitement and terrifying,” said House, who was approached to play at the benefit on short notice. “I literally only had four days to learn everything.”
House continued: “When Robert Plant walked into the room and I had to play ‘Stairway to Heaven’ with him for the first time in a small enclosed environment, that was probably the most pressured professional situation I have ever, ever come across,” House said. “I’m in a small room with my hero playing the most famous of his songs.”
The guitarist then revealed that “Stairway to Heaven” was included in the set at the “request” of someone who had made a significant donation to the charity in question, The Cancer Platform at Soho Farmhouse in Oxfordshire.
“Someone bid a huge amount of money for him to sing this song,” House said. “There is a good circle of karma around it. That raised a six-figure sum for the charity, that one song.”
Plant put his personal qualms with “Stairway” aside for the charity performance. During an interview with the “Ultimate Classic Rock Nights” radio show [via Blabbermouth] in 2019, the singer praised the composition and integrity of the song, but admitted that he “can’t relate” to the lyrics and vocals.
“The construction of the song, the actual musical construction is very, very good,” Plant said. “It’s one of those moments that really can stand without a vocal — and, in fact, it will stand again without a vocal, I’m sure, because it’s a fine, fine piece of music.”
He continued: “Lyrically, now, I can’t relate to it, because it was so long ago. I would have no intention ever to write along those abstract lines anymore. I look at it and I tip my hat to it, and I think there are parts of it that are incredible. The way that Jimmy [Page] took the music through, and the way that the drums reached almost climaxed and then continued… It’s a very beautiful piece. But lyrically, now, and even vocally, I go, ‘I’m not sure about that.’”
You can revisit Plant’s performance of “Stairway to Heaven” at the charity event below.