The Honeydrippers: Volume One is an EP released on 12 November 1984 by a band led by rock singer Robert Plant. The project originated when Atlantic Records president Ahmet Ertegün wanted to record an album of his favourite songs from the 1950s. Plant was chosen because Ertegün had seen his pick-up band the Honeydrippers performing 1950s standards. Included in the band were Chic front man Nile Rodgers, and former Yardbirds guitarists Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page—the latter was Plant's former band mate in Led Zeppelin. "Sea of Love" became Plant's biggest-selling single.

According to various Led Zeppelin biographies[who?], the success of "Sea of Love" was a blow to Plant's ego, as the song was initially the B-side of the proper single "Rockin' at Midnight," but radio stations flipped the single and played "Sea of Love" much more than the original A-side. Plant has stated in various interviews[citation needed] that the blow he perceived to his own ego as a result, was the reason that nothing more was ever done with the Honeydrippers as he was terribly afraid he'd be regarded as nothing but a crooner from that point onward. When asked about the Honeydrippers, Plant would simply say, "They're asleep."[citation needed]

The album was re-released in a remastered edition in 2007 as part of a Robert Plant remaster series. Plant and Ertegün discussed the possibility of doing a new Honeydrippers album, but with the latter’s death December 2006, the plan was shelved permanently.

Track listing [320k MP3]

1. "I Get a Thrill"   
2. "Sea of Love"   
3. "I Got a Woman"    
4. "Young Boy Blues"   
5. "Rockin' at Midnight"  

BONUS TRACK

6. "Rockin' at Midnight" [LIVE] 

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The Honeydrippers was a rock band of the 1980s. Former Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant formed the group in 1981 to satisfy his long-time goal in having a rock band with a heavy R&B basis. Formed originally in Worcestershire, Plant went on to record an EP in the US. In addition to Plant, the band was composed of fellow former Led Zeppelin member guitarist Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck (a former Yardbirds member like Page) and other friends and well-known studio musicians. They performed in a concert at Keele University in 1981. It released only one EP on 12 November 1984, titled The Honeydrippers: Volume One.

The Honeydrippers peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 with a remake of the Phil Phillips' tune "Sea of Love" and hit the top 30 with "Rockin' at Midnight," which was originally the B-side to "Sea of Love." With the EP's success, Plant stated that a full album would be recorded, but it never was. The band appeared on Saturday Night Live on December 15, 1984, performing "Rockin' at Midnight" and "Santa Claus is Back in Town." The band featured Brian Setzer on guitar and Paul Shaffer on piano.

On 23 December 2006, Robert Plant performed a charity show at Kidderminster Town Hall under the title The Return of the Honeydrippers to raise money for his neighbor Jackie Jennings, who was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor.[1]

After Plant's appearance at the 2006 Montreux Jazz Festival to honor Ahmet Ertegün, the two discussed a new Honeydrippers album for 2007.[citation needed] After Ertegün's death, Plant has said that this is now unlikely.

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Members:

Robert Plant - vocals 
Jimmy Page - guitars 
Jeff Beck - guitars 
Robbie Blunt - guitar 
Brian Setzer - guitar 
Andy Silvester - guitar 
Wayne Terry - bass 
Jim Hickman - bass 
Kevin O'Neill - drums 
Ricky Cool - harmonica 
Keith Evans - saxophone 
Paul Shaffer - keyboard 
Nile Rodgers