Legendary vocalist Robert Plant has paid a heartfelt tribute to Terry Reid, the influential English musician who famously declined the lead singer role in Led Zeppelin — and instead pointed Jimmy Page toward a young Plant.
Reid passed away on August 5 at the age of 75 following a battle with cancer. His illness had recently forced him to cancel several tour dates. While Reid enjoyed a respected solo career in the late ’60s and ’70s, his name became part of rock history due to a pivotal decision that forever changed the music world.
Back in 1968, when Jimmy Page was assembling what would become Led Zeppelin, he approached Reid to front the band. But Reid was already committed to touring the United States with the Rolling Stones and had to turn down the offer. Instead of simply walking away, Reid suggested a then-unknown singer named Robert Plant, along with drummer John Bonham — both of whom Reid had seen perform with The Band of Joy.
Reflecting on those early days, Plant shared an emotional message via Facebook:
“Terry Reid’s passion and energy were a driving force back then,” he wrote. “We were just teenagers, jumping up on each other’s stages, belting out ‘Season of the Witch’ like our lives depended on it. The joy, the chaos — he was pure fire. Total charisma.”
Plant went on to describe Reid’s incredible vocal abilities and songwriting:
“That voice — the power, the freedom. ‘Superlungs’ was no exaggeration. His songs captured the wild, carefree spirit of the time. Listening now to The River, I can’t help but shed a tear for a true brother in arms. He opened the door to a world he chose not to enter, and I’ll always be grateful he sent me through it.”
Though Reid never reached the same commercial heights as the band he helped ignite, his influence remains woven into rock history — and in the hearts of those who knew and admired him.
