Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Evening

A lot of talented children have probably been asked by a parent to entertain family and friends, maybe in the living room by singing or playing an instrument. No big deal and a good way to get used to performing for others. But when Jason Bonham was a small child and got called in to entertain, the family and friends he played his drums for could be anyone from Jimmy Page to some of the guys from the group Bad Company. That's what happens when your father is drummer John Bonham, one of the original members of the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin.

 

At the age of five, Jason Bonham could play the drums, at least a scaled-down set of them, with skill. When he was 17, he was a member of the band Air Race. The group signed a record contract with Atlantic Records, recorded one album, and opened for big names like Queen, Meat Loaf, Ted Nugent, and AC/DC. John Bonham died in 1980, but Jason, who has marked a few places in music history himself, has stepped in from time to time to help keep his father's memory alive.

 

In 1988, Jason took his father's spot in the televised, first-ever Led Zeppelin reunion at the Atlantic Records 40th Anniversary concert, which included Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones. Later than year, he went on to tour with Page and recorded the album Outrider with him.

 

Jason teamed up with greats like Paul Rodgers, Slash, David Gilmour, Jeff Beck and others in 1993 to work on a Tribute to Muddy Waters album. The record's success brought a nomination for a GRAMMY® Award. A year later, along with Rodgers and Slash, he appeared at the memorable Woodstock II.