Led Zeppelin made Robert Plant’s solo career possible. The singer worked laying asphalt roads and gigging with pre-Zeppelin bands that found modest success at best. He found fame with the band but faced a sudden shift when Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham died. Plant loves Peoria, Illinois, because it was the sight of his “turning point” when he started his solo career after the band broke up.
Robert Plant loves Peoria, Illinois: ‘It’s a place that’s very special to me’
Led Zeppelin broke up when Bonham died, but not only because his playing was impossible to replicate. His irreplaceable chemistry with his bandmates was a major reason they couldn’t carry on without Bonzo.
Plant’s solo debut Pictures at Eleven hit stores in 1982, nearly two years after Bonham’s death. He toured behind the record, and he recalled to Twisted Sister singer Dee Snider (via SoundCloud) how the first stop in Peoria led to the river city holding a special place in his heart:
“It’s a place that’s very special to me, you know that. When we lost Bonzo back in 1980, the first show I ever did on my own, carrying on regardless, was in Peoria, Illinois. I think it was about 1982. I remember walking out in the stadium feeling fearful, and I was incredibly lonely. I strode out there … and the powerhouse I was surrounded by was really encouraging. I got Phil Collins, whose career was just starting as a solo artist. … It was a huge turning point for me.”
Robert Plant
Plant’s Peoria show was his first concert without Led Zeppelin. It was his first time performing in the United States since 1977. Striding out in front of thousands of fans without his friends and bandmates behind him left him feeling lonely and uncertain. Something clicked that night. The sensation of a warm reception while getting his post-Led Zeppelin career off the ground helped Plant fall in love with Peoria. He has been releasing solo and collaborative music and touring behind it ever since.
Plant and Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page made two albums together. The 1994 No Quarter project (seemingly a slap in the face to bandmate John Paul Jones) saw them play stripped-down Zep songs and a few new tunes. Page and Plant reconvened to make an album of all-new originals with 1998’s Walking Into Clarksdale.
The collaborative spirit continued into the 21st century. Plant’s work with Alison Krauss has proven to be incredibly successful and achieved what Led Zeppelin never could. The duo won the Grammy for best pop collaboration at the 2007 awards. They cleaned up the following year. Plant and Krauss’ won five Grammys in 2008, including album of the year and best contemporary folk/Americana album for Raising Sand. Three songs from the record — “Please Read the Letter,” “Rich Woman,” and “Killing the Blues” — won awards, too.
The former Led Zeppelin singer has worked with various backing bands, including those billed as the Strange Sensation and the Sensational Space Shifters. Plant and Krause recorded again in 2021 and planned a 2023 tour in support of their work.
Robert Plant felt the love in Peoria, Illinois, as Phil Collins helped the singer get back to work in 1982 after Led Zeppelin disbanded. Getting a little boost in the Midwest launched Plant’s award-winning, decades-long solo career. It’s little wonder he’s so fond of central Illinois’ river city.
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