“There was a moment when we could have gotten really scared and really blown it by being nervous.”

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There are certain iconic rock songs that are darn near impossible for other recording artists to cover, due to the fact that the original is such a renowned, definitive version. And certainly, Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” belongs in that category.On December 2, 2012, the surviving members of Led Zeppelin: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones, were among the select few inductees for that year’s edition of the Kennedy Center Honors. Held annually at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, D.C., Zeppelin received musical performance tributes that evening by the Foo Fighters, Kid Rock, Lenny Kravitz, and Heart and was introduced by Jack Black.But the performance that continues to be talked about and held in highest regard was when Heart performed the aforementioned “Stairway to Heaven,” with John Bonham’s son, Jason, supplying drums.

While recently being interviewed on 955KLOS by Matt Pinfield, Heart singer Ann Wilson looked back on that evening and the moment she realized it was shaping up to be a special performance (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar).

“It was like a dream night, really. I just remember it being very surreal because I wasn’t really aware of what really it was going to be until we got to the rehearsal that afternoon, and I actually saw the production that had been planned for ‘Stairway’ and all the different choir singers, and the way it all unfolded and got bigger and bigger and bigger. And then I was like, ‘Holy shit,’ that is going to be great.”

“And then, of course, at the actual concert, the audience was so star-studded that you looked out, and you couldn’t not see somebody who blew your mind. It’s like all these super famous people from all walks, not just music, but politics and television and movies. It was amazing. It was really a never-to-be-forgotten experience.”

Wilson also confessed that it got overwhelming just prior to the performance for her and her sister, Heart guitarist Nancy Wilson.

“And I know Nancy and I at the last moment before we were going to walk on and actually do ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ we both kind of looked at each other with these big owl eyes, and there was a moment when we could have gotten really scared and really blown it by being nervous. And we just decided not to.”

And how did they overcome their sudden stage fright?

“We just went, ‘We’ll do this later. Let’s just go out right now and keep our eyes on the ball and do the song the way we know we can and make it good.’ The mission was to please the Led Zeppelin guys, really. And I think we did.”

It was recently announced that this year, Heart will be touring for the first time in five years.