Robert Plant will be part of a star-studded tribute concert for a beloved BBC broadcaster
Fans of Robert Plant know that an evening with the legendary Led Zeppelin singer is truly a concert you won’t forget. Unlike some bands that tour for months or years on end, Plant is a bit more purposeful.
His most recent U.S. tour ran a mere three weeks: from Mar. 14 through Apr. 7. His next U.S. concert dates will be almost four weeks, from Sept. 18 through Oct. 15. If you weren’t quick enough to snag tickets to those shows, don’t fret: he just announced that he’ll give a special performance on Dec. 2 at the Royal Albert Hall in London, England.
The show isn’t just a one-off Plant concert, though, but a gathering of some of the most prolific rock musicians. “Stand By Me: Bob Harris — A Celebration of Life in Music” is meant to honor retiring BBC broadcaster Bob Harris, who is battling prostate cancer.
Robert “Whispering Bob” Harris co-founded the magazine Time Out in 1968 before becoming the host of The Old Grey Whistle Test. He introduced and interviewed some of the most legendary musicians of all time during his shows, including Santana, Led Zeppelin, Linda Ronstadt, and George Harrison. After receiving news that his cancer had spread to his spine, he made the difficult decision to step away from hosting Radio 2 Country and Sounds of the 70s to focus on getting better.
Plant’s Words of Support During Harris’s Cancer Battle
Harris is beloved by many, and one of those people who considers him a friend just happens to be Plant. In an April BBC Radio 2 interview, Harris recalled calling him up after his most recent diagnosis left him in shock.
“He phoned me back, and he said, ‘Right, tell me everything,’” Harris recalled. After spilling everything, Plant said something that Harris looked at as “the most important thing that anybody has ever said to me.”
“He said, ‘You’ll get through this, do you know why?’ And I said, ‘Go on.’ And he said, ‘You know what to do.’”
“That advice,’ You know what to do,’ was massive,” Harris continued. “Because I thought, ‘Yeah, I do, I really do know what to do.’ And the one thing I’m not going to do is let this pull me in.”
Star-Studded Lineup and Ticket Details
Along with Plant, the concert will feature Roger Daltrey of The Who, The Jam’s Paul Weller, Rick Wakeman of Yes, Squeeze’s Chris Difford, Carly Pearce, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Judie Tzuke, Kate Rusby, Kezia Gill, Toby Lee, The Shires, and Plant’s band with Suzi Dian, Saving Grace. Tickets will go on sale Friday, Aug. 7.