Born in Heston, England in 1944, famed rock guitarist James Patrick "Jimmy" Page began performing in London as a teenager, filling in as a session musician on several rock singles during the mid-1960s. In 1965 he was offered a position in the Yardbirds, but turned it down because he thought he could make more money as a session guitarist; a year later he changed his mind and joined the band, which featured vocalist Keith Relf, bassist Chris Dreja and drummer Jim McCarty. In mid-1968 the quartet split over artistic differences and Page went on to form the New Yardbirds, a hard rock group that fulfilled the remaining contractual obligations of the Yardbirds.
The New Yardbirds quickly changed their name to Led Zeppelin and went on to become the most popular hard rock group of the 1970s, selling tens of millions of albums worldwide before breaking up in late 1980. Thanks to the massive exposure generated by his work with Led Zeppelin, Page was widely acknowledged as one of the most talented guitarists in rock music. In addition to his guitar work, Page also produced Led Zeppelin's albums, influencing their unique sound.

Several years after the demise of Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page returned to recording with a new quartet called the Firm. The Firm released two Top 30 albums in 1985 and 1986 before breaking up. In 1988 Page released his solo debut, Outrider, on Geffen Records; the album featured appearances by former Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant and drummer Jason Bonham, the son of Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.

In 1993 Page formed a new project, Coverdale/Page, with former Whitesnake vocalist David Coverdale. After releasing a self-titled album and touring the United States, the duo parted ways. The following year Page reunited with Plant for an MTV Unplugged special that showcased the pair performing old Led Zeppelin songs with a world music twist. Some of that material appeared on 1994's No Quarter, which was supported by a world tour.

Page joined forces with Plant once again for 1998's Walking Into Clarksdale