Robert Plant and Alison Krauss release mesmerising cover of When The Levee Breaks

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss studio portrait
(Image credit: Alysse Gafkjen)

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss have released a live version of When The Leveee Breaks, first recorded by Memphis Minnie and Kansas Joe McCoy in 1929. The song, which was made famous when Led Zeppelin reworked it for Led Zeppelin IV, has been part of Plant and Krauss's set since 2007. 

The pair kicked off their North American Can't Let Go tour at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa, OK, earlier this week. Their touring band, which includes guitarist JD McPherson, drummer Jay Bellerose, bassist Dennis Crouch, string player Stuart Duncan and multi-instrumentalist Viktor Krauss, can be heard on the live version of When The Levee Breaks. McPherson is also the support act on the tour.  

Since the tour was announced in February, Plant and Krauss have added another 10 dates to their schedule. They'll hook up with Willie Nelson & Family as his Outlaw Music Festival Tour winds its way through the Eastern US, a run of shows that also features Bob Dylan and singer/songwriter Celisse. Full dates below. 

The first few shows on the tour have included covers of Led Zeppelin's Rock And Roll, and The Battle Of Evermore, alongside When The Levee Breaks and Please Read The Letter, which originally appeared on Jimmy Page and Robert Plant's Walking into Clarksdale album in 1998, and was covered by Plant and Krauss on their debut Raising Sand album in 2007. 

"I love them [the old songs] and am very proud of them," Plant told USA Today this week. "And to get to change them around and to hear that voice next to me, it allows for an exotic overview of the more dramatic elements. At times I’m emotional about it because I’m hearing these songs – they are all beautiful adaptations that I could never have dreamt. It’s a great achievement."

Raise The Roof, the second album by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, was released in 2021. 

Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - When The Levee Breaks (Official Audio) - YouTube Robert Plant & Alison Krauss - When The Levee Breaks (Official Audio) - YouTube
Watch On

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: Can’t Let Go Tour 2024

Jun 07: Prior Lake Mystic Lake Amphitheater, MN*
Jun 08: Madison Breese Stevens Field, WI*
Jun 11: Des Moines Lauridsen Amphitheater at Waterworks Park, IA*
Jun 12: Highland Park Ravinia Festival, IL*
Jun 14: Toledo Toledo Zoo & Aquarium: Amphitheater, OH*
Jun 15: Burgettstown The Pavilion at Star Lake, PA*
Jun 18: Vienna Wolf Trap, VA*
Jun 19: Vienna Wolf Trap, VA*
Jun 21: Alpharetta Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, GA^
Jun 22: Charlotte PNC Music Pavilion, NC^
Jun 23: Raleigh Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, NC^
Jun 26: Virginia Beach Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater,VA^
Jun 28: Syracuse Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater, NY^
Jun 29: Wantagh Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater, NY^
Jun 30: Holmdel PNC Bank Arts Center, NJ^
Jul 02: Mansfield Xfinity Center, MA^
Jul 04: Camden Freedom Mortgage Pavilion: Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic, NJ
Jul 06: Bethel Bethel Woods Center For the Arts, NY^
Jul 07: Hershey Hersheypark Stadium, PA^
Aug 08: Missoula KettleHouse Amphitheater, MT*
Aug 09: Missoula KettleHouse Amphitheater, MT*
Aug 11: Edmonton Edmonton Folk Music Festival, AB
Aug 13: Vancouver Queen Elizabeth Theatre, BC, Canada*
Aug 14: Vancouver Queen Elizabeth Theatre, BC, Canada*
Aug 16: Seattle Venue TBD, WA*
Aug 17: Seattle Venue TBD, WA*
Aug 19: Eugene The Cuthbert Amphitheater, OR*
Aug 21: Murphy's Ironstone Amphitheatre, CA*
Aug 22: Stanford Frost Amphitheater, CA*
Aug 24: Paso Robles Vina Robles Amphitheatre, CA*
Aug 25: Highland Yaamava’ Theater, CA*
Aug 26: Flagstaff Pepsi Amphitheater, AZ*
Aug 28: Santa Fe The Santa Fe Opera, NM*
Aug 29: Santa Fe The Santa Fe Opera, NM*
Aug 31: Colorado Springs Sunset Amphitheater, CO*
Sep 01: Vail Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater, CO*

* with JD McPherson
^ Outlaw Music Festival Tour

Tickets are on sale now.

Fraser Lewry
Online Editor, Classic Rock

Online Editor at Louder/Classic Rock magazine since 2014. 38 years in music industry, online for 25. Also bylines for: Metal Hammer, Prog Magazine, The Word Magazine, The Guardian, The New Statesman, Saga, Music365. Former Head of Music at Xfm Radio, A&R at Fiction Records, early blogger, ex-roadie, published author. Once appeared in a Cure video dressed as a cowboy, and thinks any situation can be improved by the introduction of cats. Favourite Serbian trumpeter: Dejan Petrović.