Robert Plant and Alison Krauss: Tiny Desk (Home) Concert

The Tiny Desk is working from home for the foreseeable future. Introducing NPR Music’s Tiny Desk (home) concerts, bringing you performances from across the country and the world. It’s the same spirit — stripped-down sets, an intimate setting — just a different space.

What a remarkable sight to see the reunion of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss gathered around a couple of microphones in Nashville. It’s been 14 years since their surprising and remarkable album Raising Sand and now they’re back at Sound Emporium, the studio where they recorded some of that first record and the entirety of their new album Raise The Roof.

Huddled in the control room are an all-star cast of musicians, with Jay Bellerose on drums, JD McPherson on guitar, Dennis Crouch on upright bass, Stuart Duncan on guitars and ukulele, and Viktor Krauss on electric bass and guitar. All of these folks minus JD McPherson played on the original recordings of the songs you’ll hear in this Tiny Desk (home) concert.

They kick it off with the rockabilly sounds of “Can’t Let Go,” a song originally recorded by Lucinda Williams and written by Randy Weeks. For their second number, Robert Plant recalls a song he first heard as a 15-year-old listening to some great R&B by Bobby Moore & the Rhythm Aces. He and Alison Krauss put their hearts and harmonies into a cover of that song, “Searching For My Love.” Alison takes the lead on the final tune “Trouble With My Lover,” written by Allen Toussaint and recorded in the ’60s by the “Lost Queen of New Orleans Soul,” Betty Harris. These interpretations are delicate, gripping and so damn special.

SET LIST

“Can’t Let Go”
“Searching For My Love”
“Trouble With My Lover”

MUSICIANS

Robert Plant: vocals
Alison Krauss: vocals
Jay Bellerose: percussion
JD McPherson: guitar, backing vocals
Dennis Crouch: upright bass
Stuart Duncan: acoustic guitar, electric 12-string guitar, ukulele, backing vocals
Viktor Krauss: electric bass, electric guitar

CREDITS

Video Director/Editor: Vern Moen
Audio Engineer: Rachael Moore
Executive Producer: Dilly Gent
Producer: Josiah Bultema
Color: Graham Lovelis
P.M. (LA): Ian Menzies
P.M. (Nashville): Matthew Pessoni
Director of Photography: Trevor Wineman
Camera Operator: Scott Pessoni, Matthew Pessoni
1st Assistant Camera: Dylan Mire, David Piersaul
Gaffer: Shelby Wertsbaugh
Key Grip: BJ Hyman
Assistant Engineer: Louis Remenapp
2nd Engineer: Joe Trentacosti
Mixed by: Michael Piersante
Additional Engineering: Neal Cappellino

TINY DESK TEAM

Producer: Bob Boilen
Video Producer: Maia Stern
Audio Mastering: Josh Rogosin
Tiny Production Team: Bobby Carter, Kara Frame, Joshua Bryant, Sofie Hernandez-Simeonidis
Executive Producer: Keith Jenkins
Senior VP, Programming: Anya Grundmann