“Really damn good”: Jimmy Page’s favourite singers of all time
For a long while, Jimmy Page was the epitome of what it meant to occupy the spotlight and steal it from everybody else. Throughout the 1960s, he reigned supreme with a style and presence that few could match, establishing a standard that emanated from the music and the experience and knowledge of being a part of something inexplicably huge.
Before his work in The Yardbirds and Led Zeppelin, Page was already laying the groundwork for what would attract him to such a coveted label. While most find their footing in the groups that make their names, Page had already worked across the board with countless legendary names and talents, developing a thorough understanding of what and who worked, and why.
On top of this, others surrounded Page like flies, drawn to his innovative guitar playing and creative showmanship. This was the kind of skill rock bands fought tooth and nail to incorporate into their sound and image—the kind that commanded fulfilment in the present with an inexplicably timeless edge. For Page, knowing how to pour the heart and soul into every component was key, and while the guitarist often occupied the focus, singers were also a necessary means to enhance any song to greatness.
When discussing his favourite singers, it’s no surprise that some hold different qualities, from quintessential raspy rock voices to more delicate crooning. For instance, anyone with an interest in music will know, appreciate, and understand the beauty of Jeff Buckley’s voice, and one such fan was Page, who once said he was “really affected by Jeff Buckley when I heard him perform”. According to Page, Buckley inspired countless others with his gorgeous tone and impressive vocal range.
“It was just absolutely staggering, he was absolutely… I mean, he just touched every emotion in you, you know,” he continued, adding, “He was really superb and a total class of his own as you know. Because you’ve heard so many singers and you know that they got that from Jeff Buckley.”
When bands break up, it’s usually difficult to decipher whether the magic will still be there with a reunion years down the line, especially if one member is no longer present. According to Page, the absence of Keith Relf is the reason why The Yardbirds would never work. “But who would sing? Keith Relf died all those many years ago,” he told Uncut. “He’d done a couple of other things, Renascence and Medicine Head. Keith Relf was really damn good.”
Along with Relf, Page became endeared to singers who never got it wrong, effortlessly delivering note after note without faltering, not even a little. This is why he also adored Free’s Paul Rodgers, with whom he later got to work in the supergroup The Firm. According to Page, Rodgers is a “technical singer” who can’t sing a “wrong note”. Page told Guitar World: “And yet he has a quality within his voice that on the ballads he does is really caressing. And yet it’s really vibrant in a way.”
While there are others Page enjoyed, like Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, it’s clear he grew particularly drawn to singers who told stories with their voice alone, delivering charming tones and evoking visceral emotions with techniques that evaded easy description. In his world, a good vocalist didn’t just steal the show; they pushed the music to new realms, pulling you in with finesse and flawless immediacy.
