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The Honeydrippers were an English rock and roll band of the 1980s. Former Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant formed the group in 1981 to satisfy his long-time goal of having a rock band with a heavy rhythm and blues basis. Formed originally in Worcestershire from an existing cover band, it has had many members come and go, including fellow former Led Zeppelin member Jimmy Page; Jeff Beck (a former Yardbirds member like Page); and other friends and well-known studio musicians including original Judas Priest guitarist Ernest Chataway. The band released only one recording, an EP titled The Honeydrippers: Volume One, on 12 November 1984.

The Honeydrippers peaked at number 3 in early 1985 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a remake of the Phil Phillips' tune "Sea of Love", and hit number 25 with "Rockin' at Midnight", originally a Roy Brown recording and a rewrite of "Good Rockin' Tonight." With the EP's success, Plant stated that a full album would be recorded, but it never was.

Origins

There are a number of views on the origin(s) of the name Honeydrippers. Paul Stenning (2008) says Plant joined a Midlands blues cover band called "The Honeydrippers". In this telling, the band and its name existed prior to Plant: it is unstated who came up with the name and what it means. In Paul Rees's 2013 biography, Plant joined a "makeshift" cover band, and Plant gave the band its name, inspired by Roosevelt Sykes, an American blues singer known as "Honeydripper". Jean-Michael Guesdon in his 2018 book Led Zeppelin, All the Songs says the name is an allusion to the Led Zeppelin song Black Dog, which contains the lyric "Watch your honey drip, can't keep away". Another theory is it's derived from ‘40s R&B star Joe Liggins, his most popular song was The Honeydripper, and it was also the name of his backing band. The term "honeydripper" is black slang for the vagina or a female lover; it can also mean a male lover who frequently says ("drips") sweet nothings to his female lover.

Members

Original lineup (1981)

• Robert Plant – vocals
• Andy Silvester – guitar
• Kevin O'Neill – drums
• Ricky Cool – harmonica
• Jim Hickman – bass
• Keith Evans – saxophone
• Wayne Terry – bass
• Robbie Blunt – guitar

The Honeydrippers: Volume One lineup (1984)

• Robert Plant – vocals
• Jimmy Page – guitars
• Jeff Beck – guitars
• Paul Shaffer – keyboard
• Nile Rodgers – guitar, co-producer
• Wayne Pedzwater – bass
• Dave Weckl – drums
• Brian Setzer – guitar (guest appearance)
• Keith "Bev" Smith – drums

Discography

• The Honeydrippers: Volume One (1984), US number 5, US R&B number 67, UK number 56

References

1. Kielty, Martin (14 May 2014). "First Priest guitarist Chataway dies". Loudersound.com. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
2. Huey, Steve (2011). "The Honeydrippers Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
3. "Week of January 05, 1985". Billboard. Archived from the original on 28 July 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
4. ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 618. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
5. "Reviews: Pop - Picks". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 12 January 1985. p. 60. ISSN 0006-2510.
6. Stenning, Paul (2008). "The Honeydrippers". Robert Plant: Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page and the Solo Years. Church Stretton: Independent Music. p. 99. ISBN 978-0-9552822-7-0.
7. Rees, Paul (2013). Robert Plant: A Life. It Books. p. 203.
8. Guesdon, Jean-Michael; Margotin, Philippe (2018). Led Zeppelin, All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. p. 244.
9. Allen, Jim (9 March 2016). "Revisiting the Day Robert Plant Debuted the Honeydrippers". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
10. Green, Jonathon (2023). "Bumblebee n. (2)". Green's Dictionary of Slang. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
11. "Bev Smith Memorial Concert: Aura, Billy Bowel & The Movements | Kidderminster King & Castle | Live Review |". Record Collector. 28 September 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2012.
12. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 258. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.

External links

• The Honeydrippers at AllMusic

• Atlantic Records artists
• English rock music groups
• Jimmy Page
• Robert Plant
• Musical groups established in 1981
• Musical groups disestablished in 1985
• British rock music supergroups
• 1981 establishments in England
• 1985 disestablishments in England