In a revealing interview with Guitar World, Lita Ford shared an astonishing moment from her career—when she nearly joined Led Zeppelin as their bassist. Ford recounted Robert Plant’s unexpected suggestion, which left her in disbelief. She recounted:
“Robert Plant mentioned they were considering a change at bass, hinting at replacing John Paul Jones. I was in shock, thinking ‘This can’t be happening.’ John Paul Jones is an icon on bass, and the idea seemed almost blasphemous to me.”
Despite the incredible offer, Ford declined, leading to John Paul Jones remaining with the band. This interaction, however, left a lasting impression on Ford and highlighted the gender biases faced by female musicians at the time. Ford reflected:
“It was an acknowledgment I never expected, especially at a time when female musicians often weren’t taken seriously.”
Reports swirled that Ford was directly offered the bassist position for Led Zeppelin, but she clarified the situation in a chat with Rockin’ Metal Revival. Ford pointed out that the discussion had been misconstrued by the media:
“The story has been twisted over time. What actually happened was a simple question from Robert Plant asking if I played bass. It wasn’t an outright offer to join Led Zeppelin. He was curious after watching a Runaways show. The question caught me off guard, especially since John Paul Jones is a bassist I deeply admire.”
While Ford didn’t end up joining Led Zeppelin, she did pay homage to the band by covering one of their tracks. Her rendition of ‘The Lemon Song’ is featured on the ‘She Rocks’ album, showcasing her and other female guitarists’ talents.
