A SCOTTISH artist was left “thrilled” after a chance encounter with a rock legend outside his shop in Loch Ness.
Jonathan Grant, a painter whose art shop is based at the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel near Inverness, was left delighted after he met the former frontman of the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin.
Robert Plant, who founded Led Zeppelin in 1968 and played in the band until it broke up in 1980, had been in the Loch Ness area last week.
Grant said he just so happened to “glance” outside and caught a glimpse of a gentleman leaving the Loch Ness Clansman Hotel which he thought looked a lot like Plant.
The Scottish artist said he “dashed” out of his art gallery to confirm his suspicion and was delighted to meet the rock legend.
“I can honestly say it was a great thrill to meet Robert Plant,” Grant told The National.
“My art gallery shop is beside the main entrance to the Loch Ness Clansman hotel, and I happened to glance at this gentleman exiting the hotel and immediately thought it looked like Robert Plant.
“So, I dashed after him and by luck he had just got into the passenger seat of a car parked right by the front door.”
Grant added: “I chapped on the window which he rolled down and I asked if he was Mr Plant which he replied laughingly ‘who's asking?’.
“I asked for a photo which he agreed to, and I then remembered I happened to have a painting of their first album cover on my art gallery wall, so I told him, and he asked to see it.”
Grant, who paints Highland landscapes along with Highland cows, also just so happened to have painted Led Zeppelin’s first album, which he said the rocker was impressed with.
The Loch Ness artist added: “A really nice chap and very humble too.”
Grant shared his encounter with Plant to a Led Zeppelin fans group on Facebook, which has since amassed more than 20,000 likes.
The 76-year-old rock star was in Loch Ness ahead of upcoming dates in Italy and France as part of a tour with music co-operative Saving Grace.
