<Ul> <Li> Led Zeppelin portal </Li> </Ul> <Li> Led Zeppelin portal </Li> <P> John Henry Bonham (31 May 1948--25 September 1980) was an English musician and songwriter, best known as the drummer for the British rock band Led Zeppelin . Bonham was esteemed for his speed, power, fast bass - drumming, distinctive sound, and "feel" for the groove . He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rock drummers of all time . Rolling Stone magazine ranked him number 1 in their list of the "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time ." </P> <P> John Henry Bonham was born on 31 May 1948, in Redditch, Worcestershire, England, to Joan and Jack Bonham . He began learning to play at five, making a kit of containers and coffee tins, imitating his idols Max Roach, Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich . His mother gave him a snare drum when he was 10 . He received his first drum kit from his father at age 15, a Premier Percussion set . Bonham never took formal drum lessons, though as a teen he had advice from other Redditch drummers . Between 1962 and 1963, still at school, Bonham joined the Blue Star Trio, and Gerry Levene & the Avengers . </P>

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