“He catapulted me into an intense new world he chose to decline.”
Robert Plant has paid tribute to the late Terry Reid, the British rock and soul singer who turned down the offer to front Led Zeppelin — and instead recommended Plant for the role.
Reid, who passed away earlier this week at 76, played a quiet but pivotal role in rock history. When Jimmy Page approached him in 1968 to lead his new band following the Yardbirds’ breakup, Reid declined, citing prior commitments touring with the Rolling Stones and Cream. But rather than shutting the door, he pointed Page in the direction of a young singer from the Midlands — Robert Plant.
“I didn’t know Terry well then,” Plant wrote in his tribute. “But he catapulted me into an intense new world he chose to decline. I’m forever in awe of that moment of generosity — and of his voice, which was utterly unmistakable.”
Reid’s voice, equal parts grit and soul, won admiration from industry legends like Aretha Franklin, who once described him as “the next big thing.” Though mainstream stardom eluded him, Reid carved out a respected solo career and became a cult favourite, influencing artists from Joe Perry to Jack White.
Plant reflected not only on Reid’s talent but on his self-assuredness. “He knew what he wanted — and didn’t chase the limelight. He followed his own groove, on his own terms.”
While Led Zeppelin went on to become one of the biggest bands in rock history, Plant has long acknowledged the debt he owes to Reid’s recommendation — a quiet sliding-doors moment that changed his life.
“Terry was one of the greats,” Plant concluded. “And if fate hadn’t taken its course, you might be reading his words today instead of mine.”
