Robert Plant’s “Saving Grace”: A Graceful Exit

Robert Plant could’ve dined out on his status as the charismatic frontman of Led Zeppelin for the rest of his life. But that achievement, which has earned him entry into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a Kennedy Center Honor, and acclaim as one of the most distinctive voices in rock, is simply not enough. Since Zep’s breakup in 1980, his musical curiosity has taken him from Marrakesh to Nashville and Austin, and finally back home to the wild West Country of England, where he grew up.

At 77, Plant is diving into the old folk tunes and sounds that are woven deeply into his neck of the woods. It’s the same place where J.R.R. Tolkien lived and which inspired The Lord of the Rings (and, in turn, many of his Zeppelin lyrics). Plant has noted that there’s a certain energy to the mysterious terrain that Tolkien once walked. As a child, Plant’s parents took him on similar hikes through this wondrous region. And that’s essentially the genesis of his newest project, Saving Grace.

The album began in his local pub.  Plant connected with other locals who played traditional instruments like the banjo and cello. They were passionate about digging into the old songs of England and Wales. In 2019, they began playing informal jams around the area; when the pandemic halted everything, they retreated to a small studio to record an album.

One of the most interesting things in Plant’s development is his new appreciation of sharing vocal duties with another singer. He jokingly told Stephen Colbert that he was used to being on his own at “the sharp edge” of the stage – and how it didn’t always work. Fortunately, he joked that Zeppelin could be a “great instrumental band” in those faltering moments.

His collaboration with Allison Krauss resulted in dynamic interpretations of Zeppelin classics, plus exciting rock-tinged Americana.

Their 2007 album, Raising Sand, was produced by T Bone Burnett, who drew on a stable of Nashville’s best pickers. Plant notes that Krauss immersed him in the homegrown harmonies of Appalachia and introduced him to classic Country artists like Bill Monroe.

After his time in Nashville with Krauss, Plant spent time in Austin, re-forming Band of Joy (an early group he’d shared with John Bonham) with his then-partner, Patty Griffin. With this new project, he shares vocals with Suzi Dian.

The Saving Grace project (named for how it “saved his sanity” during lockdown) has brought Plant’s music full circle. He notes the crossover of the American roots music he’s been steeping in these last years with the traditional songs he’s playing with the new band; he calls it “Anglicana.”  And it’s freed him in intriguing new ways.

In recent months, the group has been performing small shows around the U.S. I’ve caught clips online. Beyond savory re-imaginings of Zeppelin classics like “Ramble On,” they’ve folded in some really intriguing covers, like Neil Young’s “For the Turnstiles.”

As Plant’s career quiets down, its full arc reflects his restless Romani side (from his mother).

He’s roamed over the Welsh hills (and far away), hopped its misty mountains, and explored the vast musical territory of America, from blues and rock to traditional folk and bluegrass. It’s gratifying to see how his status as a bona fide 70s rock god just isn’t enough for him; he’s still got miles to go on his musical wanderings.

-Cindy Grogan

Photo: Robert Plant, 2007  (Ella Mullins via Wikimedia Commons)