Here is a different kind of Swan song.
Swan Montgomery pays homage to Robert Plant in the tribute band Led Zepagain.
While the lead singer of Led Zeppelin is from Britain, Montgomery is from Ireland. Montgomery has performed onstage with the Who’s Roger Daltry and his tribute band has been endorsed by Jimmy Page.
That certainly should be enough to entice Led Zeppelin fans to the Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room on Friday, Aug. 30. Need more motivation? There is no cover charge.
Unlike a popular regional Zeppelin tribute, Led Zepagain’s John Paul Jones, who is Jim Wooten, plays all of the instruments as did Jones.
(Editor’s note: Trivia question: What band was Jones kicked out of before he joined Led Zeppelin? Answer at end of story.)
Wooten plays bass, keyboards, mandolin, acoustic six- and 12-string guitars, and he sings. Wooten, whose uncle is Les Paul, also plays in a Crosby, Stills and Nash tribute, 4 Way Street.
And the Jimmy Page? It’s Steve Zukowsky who in 1977 was in attendance at the Oakland Coliseum for Led Zeppelin’s penultimate show. Zukowsky, press materials say, rushed home after that show, picked up the guitar and learned “Over the Hills and Far Away.”
From that moment on, Led Zeppelin and the guitar style of Jimmy Page would be a huge influence on Steve’s playing.
He also has played in Pink Floyd and Queen tributes.
Drummer Jim Kersey, who, of course, plays John Bohnam, is a blues-based musician. He’s recorded with Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, James Cotton and Coco Montoya.
(According to Peter Noone who shared this story when he came to Tahoe a few years ago, John Paul Jones was cut from the Herman’s Hermits for financial reasons.)
Led Zepagain
When: 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30
Where: Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room
Cover: free
