In 1977, Robert Plant‘s five-year-old son, Karac, died from a stomach virus. During this tragic event, Robert Plant was on tour in the United States with Led Zeppelin. However, after the news reached Plant, the remaining dates of Zeppelin’s tour were canceled, and Plant traveled back home to grieve this unfathomable loss and question his future not only as an entertainer but as a human being.
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The loss of a child is an experience one cannot fully comprehend without tragically experiencing it. Needless to say, it is severe, acute, and distressing to the nth degree. This loss rocked Plant to his core, but fortunately, his bandmates, including John Bonham, were with him through all the trials and tribulations his son’s passing presented him.
In light of Karac’s death, Plant seemingly contemplated many things, including his future as an entertainer and the abandonment of his career. Specifically, Plant once considered becoming a teacher.
Robert Plant’s Reasoning for Taking Up the “Honest and Wholesome” Profession
Years and years after the tragic passing of his son, Karac, Plant transparently and admirably divulged why he was entertaining leaving the entertainment business. In a 2011 interview with GQ, Plant stated, “Our family had always been close to the Rudolf Steiner Waldorf education in the West Midlands and I just liked the way it all worked.”
“Obviously, it’s not something that we, as a family, have been able to get over yet, having lost him. So I just thought there was something far more honest and wholesome about just digging in and putting the ego away in the closet,” he added.
Shedding light on the unseen side of a performer, Plant added, “Because no matter what we say, entertainers are usually quite insecure, wobbly characters underneath, and maybe that bit of glory or that bit of expression or whatever it is compensates in some area.”
Plant also expressed that the draw towards teaching had not died in him. “I must admit that the smell of carbolic soap, and the clamor of joy of kids, doesn’t hurt at all,” said Robert Plant. Again, there is no explaining or relaying how Plant felt after the passing of his son, and it’s not our place to assume what exactly he was feeling. Though, as one might imagine, the emotions were as heavy as emotions can be, and when emotions are that heavy, adjustments to lighten the load need to be at least considered.
Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for God’s Love We Deliver
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