This is everything you need to know about rock icon Robert Plant who calls Worcestershire home.
Robert Plant was born on August 20, 1948 in West Bromwich, and grew up in the West Midlands, including Worcestershire.
He developed an early interest in American blues and rock ‘n’ roll artists such as Elvis Presley and Muddy Waters.
Plant attended King Edward VI Grammar School for Boys in Stourbridge.
He later briefly trained as an accountant before pursuing music full-time.
He performed with a number of local Midlands bands, including Band of Joy, with future Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.
Led Zeppelin
In 1968, manager Peter Grant and guitarist Jimmy Page invited Plant to join The Yardbirds, which soon became Led Zeppelin.
Led Zeppelin’s classic line-up consisted of Plant, Page, John Paul Jones and Bonham.
The band became one of the most successful and influential rock acts in history.
As lead singer and principal lyricist, Plant became known for his powerful vocals, wide range and charismatic stage presence.
Songs associated with the band include Stairway to Heaven, Whole Lotta Love and Black Dog.
Led Zeppelin disbanded in 1980 following Bonham’s death.
Solo career and collaborations
Plant launched a successful solo career after Led Zeppelin, beginning with Pictures at Eleven (1982) and The Principle of Moments (1983).
Both reached the top 10 on the US Billboard 200.
He has repeatedly explored styles beyond hard rock, including folk, Americana, blues, country and world music.
During the 1980s, he enjoyed success with The Honeydrippers, including the hit Sea of Love.
In the 1990s, he reunited with Jimmy Page for the Page and Plant project, which produced two albums and won a Grammy Award for the song Most High.
One of his most acclaimed later projects was his partnership with American singer Alison Krauss.
Their album Raising Sand (2007) received major critical acclaim and Grammy recognition.
Plant has long maintained strong ties to the Black Country and Worcestershire, areas he has frequently referenced throughout his career.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest rock singers of all time, noted for helping define the sound of hard rock in the 1970s while continually reinventing himself as an artist afterwards.
He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to music in 2009.
In 2019, Plant formed the acoustic group Saving Grace.
The band features Suzi Dian (vocals), Oli Jefferson (drums), Tony Kelsey (guitar), Matt Worley (banjo, guitar and strings) and Barney Morse-Brown (cello).
Their music draws on folk, blues, Americana, country, gospel and traditional roots influences rather than hard rock.
Live performances often feature reworked traditional songs, American roots music and occasional reinterpretations of Led Zeppelin material.
In September 2025, Plant released Saving Grace, his first studio album with the group and his twelfth solo studio album overall.
As of 2026, Plant is actively touring with the band under the billing “Robert Plant’s Saving Grace featuring Suzi Dian”, including a North American tour and festival appearances such as Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco.
