Meet the members
Biography of the legends
Through session work, blues mentors, and stadium tours, Page, Plant, Jones, and Bonham built a sound that still feels vivid today.
Jimmy Page
Page began his career as a studio session musician in London and, by the mid-1960s, had become the most sought-after session guitarist in England. He was a member of the Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968 before founding Led Zeppelin later that year.
Rolling Stone described Page as "the pontiff of power riffing" and ranked him among the greatest guitarists of all time, while Gibson and Classic Rock magazines placed him near the top of every guitar hero list. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice—once with the Yardbirds and once with Led Zeppelin.
Quick facts
Birth name: James Patrick Page
Also known as: Jimmy, Pagey, Charles Obscure, S. Flavius Mercurius
Born: 9 January 1944, Heston, Middlesex, England
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE, is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. Best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of Led Zeppelin, he has also had a successful solo career.
With a career spanning more than 40 years and possessing a powerful wide vocal range—particularly his trademark high-pitched vocals—Plant is regarded as one of the greatest singers in rock history. He has influenced contemporaries and later vocalists such as Freddie Mercury, Axl Rose, and Chris Cornell; Hit Parader named him the "Greatest Metal Vocalist of All Time", and Planet Rock readers voted him "the greatest voice in rock". Rolling Stone editors ranked him within their top 20 singers, and in 2011 the magazine's readers placed him at the top of the best lead singers list.
Quick facts
Birth name: Robert Anthony Plant
Born: 20 August 1948, West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England
Origin: Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England
John Paul Jones
John Baldwin, known by the stage name John Paul Jones, is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, arranger, and record producer. Best known as the bassist, keyboardist, and co-songwriter for Led Zeppelin, Jones has since developed a prolific solo career.
Jones is celebrated for his versatility, playing organ, guitar, koto, lap steel guitar, mandolin, autoharp, violin, ukulele, sitar, cello, and even the recorder parts heard on "Stairway to Heaven". According to AllMusic, he "has left his mark on rock & roll music history as an innovative musician, arranger, and director", and he has influenced bassists like John Deacon, Geddy Lee, and Flea. Jones was also a member of Them Crooked Vultures and toured with the Dave Rawlings Machine.
Quick facts
Birth name: John Baldwin
Also known as: John Paul Jones, JPJ, Jonesy
Born: 3 January 1946, Sidcup, Greater London, England
John Bonham
John Henry Bonham was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer of Led Zeppelin. Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast right foot, distinctive sound, and feel for the groove, earning a reputation as one of rock's greatest drummers. Rolling Stone readers named him the "best drummer of all time" in 2011.
At the coroner's inquest it emerged that in the 24 hours before he died, Bonham consumed approximately forty shots of vodka, after which he vomited and aspirated, causing asphyxiation. An autopsy found no other drugs in his body. Bonham's ashes were interred at Rushock Parish Church, Worcestershire.
Quick facts
Birth name: John Henry Bonham
Also known as: Bonzo, The Beast
Born: 31 May 1948, Redditch, England
Died: 25 September 1980 (age 32), Clewer, England
"We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend and the deep respect we have for his family… have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were."
— Led Zeppelin, December 1980