Robert Plant, Saving Grace Deliver Mystical “Gallows Pole” Performance on ‘NPR Tiny Desk’

After a tremendous run helming arguably the biggest rock band of the 20th century, former Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant has frankly had his fill of global stardom. The 77-year-old rock god can’t say the same for his music career, though. Since Led Zeppelin’s breakup in 1980, Plant has continued to perform both solo and collaboratively. His latest project, the acoustic band Saving Grace, is about as far from Zeppelin as one can get, musically speaking. However, Plant’s worlds collided when he and Saving Grace performed “Gallows Pole,” off 1970’s Led Zeppelin III, during a recent appearance on on NPR’s Tiny Desk show.

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“Gallows Pole” has a lengthy history. Its earliest iteration dates back several centuries with folk song “The Maid Freed from the Gallows/” The tale takes the perspective of a condemned maiden begging for someone to bribe her executioner in exchange for her life and freedom. Blues-folk singer Lead Belly recorded his own version with 1939’s “The Gallis Pole,” which is how the tune came to Robert Plant’s attention.

“His memory has lived on in all of the music that I’ve ever been near and been touched by,” Plant said ahead of Saving Grace’s performance.

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🎙️Robert Plant, el histórico vocalista de Led Zeppelin, estrenó un Tiny Desk lleno de folk y mística junto a su agrupación, Saving Grace. Abre con “Gospel Plough”, sigue con “Higher Rock” y “Everybody’s Song”, y tras la presentación de la banda, regala una emotiva “It’s a Beautiful Day Today”. El cierre, una versión de “Gallows Pole” renovada y potente que conecta su legado con su etapa más íntima. #ledzeppelin #robertplant #fyp #tinydesk #npr

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Robert Plant Has Released New Music with Saving Grace

In addition to Robert Plant, Saving Grace consists of Suzi Dian (vocals, accordion), Matt Worley (guitar, banjo, cuatro, background vocals), Tony Kelsey (guitar), Barney Morse-Brown (cello) and Oli Jefferson (drums). Formed in 2019, the low-key acoustic outfit released their self-titled debut album. Saving Grace features10 cover songs from artists like Memphis Minnie and Blind Willie Johnson.

[RELATED: Check Out Robert Plant and Saving Grace’s New Song “Chevrolet,” a Reworked Version of the 1965 Donovan Tune “Hey Gyp”]

Additionally, Plant told Classic Rock last month that Saving Grace has “loads more” material in the pipeline. “If I open the trunk of my car, all these songs fall out. Songs recorded, songs not recorded. It’s a trove,” he said.

If it seems there’s a lack of cohesion to Plant’s post-Zeppelin projects, that’s on purpose. “I have to keep varying it, otherwise I won’t believe in it. I’ve got to,” he said. “Otherwise it becomes a cozy career. F— that. I was in a cozy thing that went on too long.”

Featured image by David Corio/Redferns