Group meeting tours taking place in 2021 and 2022
Reunion: Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (2022; no dates yet)
The backstory: Their collaborative chemistry, aptly described by a British magazine as “so sweet, attentive and respectfully intimate, it feels like a court dance”, blew us away 14 years ago when Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant met bluegrass sweetheart Alison Krauss on Sand rising, a resounding success that won six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. Their late follow-up, that of 2021 Raise the roof, released on November 19, follows the same enchanting path, reworking the classics of blues, country, folk and rock (Lucinda Williams, Geeshie Wiley) in a clean American style in which Plant’s once tortured voice softens against the fluffy clouds of Krauss. Still, soul mates admit it’s not easy. “I learned to listen a lot more, because until Sand rising, I had never sung next to anyone except maybe once or twice in all my time, ”Plant says. As for Krauss: “It takes work on my side to know where he’s going to go because it’s different every time and it’s amazing. This spontaneity should be at its maximum on tour.
What to expect: Heavenly, interwoven vocals on gorgeous American covers of songs like Merle Haggard, the Everly Brothers and Bert Jansch
Why we love them: An unlikely marriage of minds and styles – rock ‘n’ roll and bluegrass – turns out to be kismet.
To book: Tour dates have not been announced, but follow developments on the Plant’s and Krauss websites.