It’s said imitation is the most sincere form of flattery. In the music industry, this is perhaps best expressed by a tribute band.
Eighteen years into its run, Zoso remains one of these tributes, channeling the music and essence of the legendary band Led Zeppelin. On Friday, Zoso returns to Baton Rouge with a show at The Varsity.
Zoso was formed in 1995 by Matt Jernigan, John McDaniel, Adam Sandling and Greg Thompson, and the response they received sent them up the stairway to tribute band heaven.
“We thought about it for four months,” said Jernigan, lead singer of the group. “It started taking off and getting better and better and better. We started touring the United States and the rest was almost history.”
As lead singer, Jernigan channels the essence of Robert Plant, lead singer of Led Zeppelin and current solo artist.
“Playing music is one thing, but playing roles and parts is another,” Jernigan said. “It was a different thing to tackle.”
While the members of the band may look similar to their counterparts in Led Zeppelin, they never get mistaken for one another.
“Someone may say, ‘You look like Robert Plant’ or ‘You look like David Coverdale’ but I’ve never been mistaken for him,” Jernigan said.
While other bands like Rain, a tribute to The Beatles, may take up residency in a theater on Broadway or a spot on the strip in Las Vegas, touring was something important to Zoso, like any other rock band. One of the band’s touring highlights included a spot on Bonnaroo’s lineup.
“We were going to tour,” Jernigan said. “To really do it full time is what you have to do if you want to make your full living at it.”
Many different tribute bands have singers or other members that get noticed by members for the original band. Unfortunately for Zoso, this isn’t the case, yet.
“I’d love [for them] to before they die, but unfortunately no,” Jernigan said of whether Led Zeppelin has picked up on their act.
When asked about the possibility of Led Zeppelin reuniting for a big reunion tour, Jernigan isn’t sure that the band would be the legendary band they were at one point.
“I don’t think they will, but it’s not going to be what anyone would want it to be,” Jernigan said. “I kind of hope they don’t because I don’t want people to be disappointed. I don’t mean to say that in a bad way, it’s just the expectations would be too high.”
On Friday, Zoso returns to Baton Rouge for another show at The Varsity, marking its annual visit.
“We’ve played for about nine years,” Jernigan said. “We try to come through about once a year. It’s always been a good audience. Sometimes we sell it out. Sometimes we don’t. We love coming to Baton Rouge. It’s always been very supportive of us all the years we’ve been together.”
Tickets are $12, and the show starts at 8 p.m.

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courtesy of Montauk Music