The Night Heart Played "Stairway to Heaven" Back to Led Zeppelin, With John Bonham's Son on Drums

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Kennedy Center Honors, Washington, 2 December 2012: Ann and Nancy Wilson sing the song they learned in Seattle bars, and the man behind the kit is wearing his dead father’s hat.

First, the correction

The premise that started this piece was “Heart’s drummer is the son of Led Zeppelin’s drummer.” That is wrong today. Heart is on the road in 2026 with Sean Lane on drums (The Rock Revival). The show people remember, the one that keeps getting passed around, is older. It happened at the Kennedy Center Honors on 2 December 2012, went out on CBS on 26 December, and it spawned a whole tour the following year. That night is what this piece is about.

John Bonham on Real Rock Lab

The Night Heart Played "Stairway to Heaven" Back to Led Zeppelin, With John Bonham's Son on Drums

First, the correction