John Paul Jones – Stage Name Origins

His three Led Zeppelin bandmates -- Robert Plant, Jimmy Page and John Bonham -- all took the stage under their given names, but bassist John Paul Jones was actually born John Baldwin.

While working as a studio session musician prior to joining Zeppelin, a friend suggested Baldwin adopted the new moniker, reportedly inspired by the 1959 movie of the same name about the revolutionary war hero, often credited as the father of our country's navy.

The new handle certainly brought luck to Jones and his bandmates, who defiantly adopted their own name after a friend suggested their music would go over in public about as well as a lead balloon. Good call, huh?