Led Zeppelin signed to Atlantic "largely on the recommendation of Dusty Springfield"

I didn't know about that.

From wiki .........http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Led_Zeppelin

"Atlantic Records .... signed Led Zeppelin (Nov. 1968) without having ever seen them, largely on the recommendation of singer Dusty Springfield."

True?

 

BTW, congrats on your post n°7,000

 

I am big fan of Dusty Springfield and Led Zeppelin and had no idea so count me among the skeptical at this point but I am already leading toward believing it is true.

Chris

 

Yes, I've read this a couple of times in the past. I can't recall if it was through Page's session playing days or perhaps JPJ's session work, but there was some sort of a connection.

 

I believe Page did know Dusty from his session days.

I have no reason to doubt that she would have said positive things about Page but I don't know if it was largely her recommendation that got them signed.

Eddie

 

Yeah, IIRC Page and Grant went to NYC with some tapes in hand to meet with Ahmet Ertugen.

 

I don't know if I would use the word "largely", but she certainly put in a good word for them.

The connection was actually through John Paul Jones, who had played on her Dusty...Definitely LP (including her version of "Piece Of My Heart", which pre-dates Janis Joplin's version). He was also part of her backing band at her Talk Of The Town concerts earlier in 1968.

 

I'm pretty sure she also knew Page from the session player route in England.

Evan

 

Very interesting.

 

No reason to doubt a lady, and Dusty was definitely a Lady.

 

Jerry Wexler said it in his autobiography if I recall correctly.She recommended them as she had worked with both of them (Page & Jones).

 

Dusty had much clout in those days!

 

It is nice to know my favorite female light pop/soul singer liked the musicians with my favorite hard rock/blues band and had contacts to help them out. Atlantic was a great record company for them to sign with so things probably couldn't have worked out better.

Chris

 

Yeah, didn't Jimmy finance the recording sessions of Zep 1 out of his own pockets, then take the tapes to Ertugen in New York? I've also read that Peter Grant recorded the band during the 'New Yardbirds' tour in Scandinavia, and used that as an audition tape as well. Wonder if Jimmy still has that in the vault?

Never heard the Dusty Springfield story, but very well could be true.