**On This Day in 2016: Jimmy Page Defends “Stairway to Heaven” in Courtroom Showdown**
On June 18, 2016, music history took a surreal turn as **Jimmy Page**, the legendary guitarist of **Led Zeppelin**, found himself not on a concert stage—but in a **Los Angeles courtroom**. At stake? Nothing less than the legacy of one of rock’s most iconic songs: *“Stairway to Heaven.”*
The lawsuit, filed by **Michael Skidmore** on behalf of the estate of **Randy Wolfe** (aka Randy California) of the band **Spirit**, accused Page and frontman **Robert Plant** of lifting the opening acoustic riff of *“Stairway”* from Spirit’s 1968 instrumental track, *“Taurus.”* The case ignited fierce debate in the music world: coincidence, inspiration, or outright theft?
Taking the witness stand, Page appeared calm, composed, and ready. He testified that he had **never heard “Taurus”** until long after *Stairway to Heaven* had been written and released in 1971. To strengthen his case, Page brought his guitar into court and, in a moment fit for the big screen, played the legendary opening notes for the jury—breaking down the composition in real time and showing how the chord progression differed from Spirit’s track.
The dramatic gesture worked.
After several intense days of testimony and musical analysis, the jury ruled in favor of **Led Zeppelin**, declaring that *“Stairway to Heaven”* was not plagiarized. The band walked out with their reputations—and their catalog—**unscathed**.
The ruling was hailed by many in the music industry as a defense of creative freedom. For Page, it was more than a legal victory—it was a public reaffirmation of his artistry.
Nine years later, the moment remains etched in rock lore: the day Jimmy Page swapped the arena for the courtroom—and still brought the house down.
