At the Ryman, the opening number "The Very Day I'm Gone" demonstrated how well the two lead voices complemented each other while showcasing the talents of Saving Grace who added many more textures to their muse. They moved from a modern folk song to the traditional "The Cuckoo" which dates back to 18th century Britain. During "Higher Rock" Robert played harmonica and the folks in the packed pews cheered loudly proving that Plant is still the "golden god" to his longtime fans. So did they play any Led Zeppelin? Yes, they presented reenvisioned versions of "Ramble On" which was softer yet still rock solid. Later was "Four Sticks" and "Friends" - and yes those songs did get the biggest applause of the night as one might expect.

In Nashville, Robert thanked the people in town for introducing him to "beautiful music" when he came to town approximately twenty years ago. One of those beautiful songs was "Ain't No Grave" which is an American gospel song about defying death through faith. He also gave a shout out to some dear friends in the crowd. Spotted in the audience were Buddy Miller - his Band Of Joy bandmate; T Bone Burnett - producer of the two records he made with Alison Krauss; and Jack White - a Plant admirer and one-time collaborator with the former Led Zep lead singer.

Plant also talked about his early musical influences which was a good lead into the Moby Grape song "It's A Beautiful Day Today". Another interesting choice was "For the Turnstiles" which is one of Neil Young's sharpest, most cryptic explorations of fame and the machinery of "The Business". From Robert's own catalogue was the insightful "Calling to You" which dives into the ideas of destruction and selflessness. The two-song encore featured Plant's popular "In The Mood" (1983) and "Everybody's Song" (a Low cover from 2005).

The alluring Suzi Dian shared top-billing with the classic Led Zeppelin crooner - Robert Plant!

Robert is still an expressive singer and frontman. Yes, there were some modifications but overall, he still has a lot of power. His co-lead vocalist Suzi Dian is also a songwriter and multi‑instrumentalist. Her haunting, roots‑rich vocal style was deeply emotive. Everyone in Saving Grace were stellar and deserve to be packing venues on their own merits. It will be interesting to see what happens to the band after this current tour concludes. Although another record and road trip with Robert Plant would be a win-win for all the artists and fans.

Opener Rosie Flores blended blues, country, rockabilly with a dash of Tex-Mex into her flavorful set. During her segment she touched upon the fact that her album Rosie Flores (1987) produced the single "Crying Over You", which hit the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart making her the first Latina artist to break into mainstream country radio rotation. It was a major milestone in a genre that had historically excluded Hispanic women.

Also of note was the title track from Simple Case of the Blues (2019) which was well respected at the time and well-received at the Ryman too. Flores fronting a power trio set the tone for an eclectic night of roots music with Robert Plant bringing the star power to the show.

The Ryman Auditorium remains the Mother Church of Country Music yet continues to showcase a wide range of artists such as Robert Plant with Saving Grace. Please check the Ryman's calendar for a complete list of upcoming events. Also, visit Robert's website for more tour dates.

Robert Plant and Saving Grace; show opener Rosie Flores.

Related Links: For more information on ROBERT PLANT and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - Robert Plant | Rosie Flores | Ryman Auditorium