Jimmy Page Was Inducted Into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Twice
Guitarist Jimmy Page is primarily known for his work in the rock band Led Zeppelin. Before creating Led Zeppelin with Robert Plant, John Paul Jones, and John Bonham, Page was in a band known as the Yardbirds. Because of his involvement with both bands, Page was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice.
Jimmy Page was first inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992
Page was a member of the Yardbirds for a few years in the 1960s. The Yardbirds originally formed in 1963 and then disbanded in 1968. In 1992, the Yardbirds reunited.
The Yardbirds were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992. At the time of the induction, Chris Dreja, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jim McCarty, Page, Keith Relf, and Paul Samwell-Smith were inducted.
The official Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s website describes the Yardbirds as:
“Short-lived but influential, the Yardbirds blazed a trail for new genres and gave some of rock’s best guitarists their start.
They started as a blues cover band, but their rave ups and innovations in feedback and distortion shaped such diverse genres as psychedelic rock, prog rock and punk.”
Page was a member of the Yardbirds from 1966 until 1968. He did not rejoin the band when McCarty and Dreja decided to reunite the group in 1992.
McCarty, John Idan, Kenny Aaronson, Myke Scavone, and Godfrey Townsend are the current members of the Yardbirds.
Jimmy Page was inducted again as a member of Led Zeppelin
After the Yardbirds disbanded, Page wanted to keep playing music in a group and began searching for new members.
Plant joined as a vocalist, Bonham joined as a drummer, and Jones joined as a bassist and keyboardist. The group originally finished the Yardbird’s unfinished tour under the name the New Yardbirds. Later on, the band became known as Led Zeppelin.
Led Zeppelin was active from 1968 until Bonham’s death in 1980. Page, Plant, and Jones elected not to replace Bonham with another drummer and opted to disband Led Zeppelin instead.
In 1995, Plant, Page, Bonham, and Jones were all inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as members of Led Zeppelin.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame website describes Led Zeppelin as:
“Hard rock and heavy metal as we know it wouldn’t exist without Led Zeppelin, one of the most popular and innovative rock bands ever.
The band’s blues explosions frequently gave way to heavy folk, mystical psychedelic rock and orchestral detours–a testament to the U.K. group’s versatility and willingness to push sonic boundaries.”
Led Zeppelin’s induction ceremony was memorable
Page is one of only a handful of artists who have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice for being part of two different groups.
In his speech at the induction ceremony, Page referenced this, saying, “For my part of this I’d like to say it’s a great honor to be inducted. Actually, it’s the second time for me because earlier I was inducted with the Yardbirds. It’s almost like inducted, induced, and this time it’s the forceps.”
Following Page’s brief speech, Jones approached the microphone and made a subtle dig at both Plant and Page, saying, “Also, thank you, my friends, for finally remembering my phone number.”
Jones’ comment and Page’s face at the conclusion at the end of his speech made the induction ceremony even more memorable for music fans.
