Robert Plant has been around for decades and has no plans to slow down.  The former lead singer of Led Zeppelin has enjoyed a solo career and recorded a Grammy winning album with Alison Krauss, 2007's Raising Sand.  It garnered six Grammys, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year (for "Please Read the Letter," a Plant/Page song). 

Alison Krauss & Robert Plant, 2007

So, is Robert Plant full time country now?  Well he and his "Band of Joy" are all set to perform at this year's Merlefest 2011 in North Carolina.  But don't expect Jimmy Page in this "Band." Nope, Rolling Stone says  "Plant uses an 'A' list of country voices and players (Patty Griffin, Buddy Miller) and an inspired mix of vintage and modern songs," and the Los Angeles Times lauded Plant's embrace of "the ancient roots of country and folk music, a haunted place where broken hearts rarely heal and where restless spirits find little peace."   Now, that's a whole lotta love!  Check out Robert and the Band of Joy on Letterman last Friday. 

Plant and the Band of Joy are joining 90 other artists for the festival at the end of April, according to the website Merlefest.org.  Read more here.    MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College Endowment Corporation and a celebration of "traditional plus" music. The event is held on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.