Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Through July 19th Tickets  $25-$125 Openers  Sharon Little

Photo:Getty

On April 19th, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss opened their 2008 tour in support of their hit album, Raising Sand, with a stunning two-hour show in Louisville, Kentucky, that included surprising Zeppelin cuts and Krauss' bluegrass and country-spiritual roots. The next day, Raising Sand's producer, T Bone Burnett, explained why he is playing guitar on the entire tour as well. "I haven't done this since Rolling Thunder," he says, referring to Bob Dylan's 1975-76 road revue. "But I could not pass up a chance to work with two singers this good."

Why do you think Robert and Alison are able to sing together so naturally?
They are both full of tone. Robert, when he was 20, had a tone like nobody else. And either of them can create a sound that would scare the pants off a normal person. The weird thing is they come from such different worlds. Alison wants the freedom Robert has, and Robert wants the restraint Alison has.

How did you choose the Zep songs?
It was whichever ones Robert wanted to do. Alison wanted to do "When the Levee Breaks." And how about Alison in "Battle of Evermore"? It's chilling. That song has the same darkness you find in bluegrass, in the murder ballads. There is something in that darkness that Alison understands. She has that in her soul. She and Robert are both soul singers.

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