GUITAR CENTER INDUCTS LED ZEPPELIN’S JOHN BONHAM INTO DRUM LEGENDS

Jason Bonham is bringing back his Led Zeppelin experience featuring his band playing Zep tunes with rare footage of his dad, the late drummer John Bonham.

On January 8th, 2010 at The Wiltern Theater in Los Angeles, Ca as part of the ceremony naming the 2009 Drum Off Champion, Guitar Center also inducted the late icon John Bonham into Guitar Center’s Drum Legends as part of the evening’s festivities. John Bonham, known as one of the greatest Rock drummers in history for his work in the legendary band Led Zeppelin tragically passed away at age 32 in 1980 at the peak of the bands commercial success. The surviving members of Led Zeppelin soon issued a statement saying the band could no longer continue as they were without their friend and they ceased touring an recording together. However, there have been a few shows where John Bonham’s son Jason has filled in for his father as Led Zeppelin took the stage, most recently at the tribute show for Ahmet Ertegun at the O2 Arena in London in 2007.

Artisan News caught up with Jason Bonham just before taking the stage at the 2009 Guitar Center Drum off, to get his thoughts on how honored he was to perform at tribute to his late father.

“You know, obviously a great honor to be here and to pay tribute to him. Without him I obviously wouldn’t be here and plus what we’ve done is very special even though we only got to go through it right before today’s show. So, my fingers crossed it’s all going to go well.”

Guitar Center also inducted living legend Billy Cobham into the Drum Legends at the Guitar Center Drum Off event. Although fans continue to hold out hope for a Led Zeppelin runion, Robert Plant has been adament about now tampering with the bands legacy. As of press time the band has not announced any plans of getting together even though Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jason Bonham were rumored to be working on new material in the studio.