Obama tells Led Zeppelin “You still rock!”

They may have drawn a line under any more live performances, but Led Zeppelin got back together last night – this time for US President Barack Obama. John Paul Jones, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page were in Washington DC to receive an award at the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors Gala. They were singled out for their contribution to the performing arts.

During the ceremony, President Obama paid tribute to Zeppelin’s incredible career, saying "It’s been said that a generation of young people survived teenage angst with a pair of headphones and a Zeppelin album ... but even now, 32 years after John Bonham’s passing - and we all, I think, appreciate the fact - the Zeppelin legacy lives on."

He went on to thank the former band members for behaving themselves at the White House given their history of "hotel rooms trashed and mayhem all around. It's fitting that we're doing this in a room with windows that are about three inches thick and Secret Service all around”.

President Obama ended his speech by declaring: "We honour Led Zeppelin for making us all feel young, and for showing us that some guys who are not completely youthful can still rock!"

Jack Black took charge of the Zeppelin tribute, calling them "the greatest rock and roll band of all time" while the Foo Fighters and Lenny Kravitz among others performed several Zeppelin classics.