LED ZEPPELIN frontman Robert Plant recently performed the legendary track “Stairway To Heaven” at a charity concert held in Oxfordshire. This special performance was prompted by a substantial donation, as a generous individual bid an impressive sum for Plant to sing this song.
This last-minute addition to the setlist was a significant event, given that Plant was joined by former REEF and current GOLDRAY guitarist Kenwyn House, who had a mere four days to prepare for the show. The event was a success, raising over £1m for The Cancer Platform, a vital tool developed by the Cancer Awareness Trust to support individuals impacted by cancer.
In a recent conversation with Led Zeppelin News, House admitted being unaware that “Stairway To Heaven” was part of the performance lineup until he showed up for the practice session.
He said: “It was a combination between über excitement and terrifying. I literally only had four days to learn everything” after receiving a phone call from [DURAN DURAN guitarist Andy] Taylor‘s guitar technician on October 15 asking if he would be available for a charity performance less than a week later.
“When Robert Plant walked into the room and I had to play ‘Stairway To Heaven’ with him for the first time in a small enclosed environment, that was probably the most pressured professional situation I have ever, ever come across. I’m in a small room with my hero playing the most famous of his songs.”
Kenwyn House said that Robert Plant, who has expressed a mix of emotions regarding “Stairway To Heaven” over the years, consented to perform the iconic track only after a generous benefactor made a significant contribution to The Cancer Platform and requested the performance.
“Someone bid a huge amount of money for him to sing this song,” House revealed. “There is a good circle of karma around it. That raised a six-figure sum for the charity, that one song.”
