When you think of the legendary Jimmy Page, the images that usually flash by are the dragon suits, the double-neck Gibson, and that heavy cloud of "Hermit" mystique that’s followed him since the seventies. But if you start digging into his personal life, things get complicated fast. People often get tripped up on who his first wife actually was.
If you ask a casual fan, they might point to Charlotte Martin. She was the French model he was with for ages, and they had a daughter, Scarlet Page. But here’s the thing: they never actually got married. Jimmy Page first wife was actually a woman named Patricia Ecker, and their story is one of those classic "rock star meets waitress" tales that feels like it belongs in a movie, except it ended in a London courtroom with a multi-million dollar settlement.
The Night in New Orleans That Changed Everything
It was 1986. Led Zeppelin had been over for years, and Jimmy was touring with The Firm, his supergroup with Paul Rodgers. They were in New Orleans, a city Jimmy has always had a spiritual connection with (likely due to its occult history and jazz roots). He walked into a restaurant and met Patricia Ecker, who was working as a waitress at the time.
Honestly, it sounds like something out of a cliché romance novel, but by all accounts, Jimmy was smitten. Pat wasn't just a waitress; she was also a model with a look that some fans say resembled a younger Charlotte Martin. Jimmy has always had a "type"—long hair, ethereal features, a certain bohemian grace.
They didn't wait long. They got married that same year. For a guy who had spent the seventies in a whirlwind of groupies and high-octane road life, this felt like a hard pivot toward domesticity.
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Life as Mrs. Page
The marriage lasted about nine years, which is practically a lifetime in rock years. During that time, they had a son together, James Patrick Page III, born in April 1988.
Unlike the wild stories of the Zeppelin era, the years with Patricia were relatively quiet—at least publicly. They lived in the UK, away from the prying eyes of the American press. But as anyone who has followed Jimmy knows, he’s a man of intense privacy. We don't have many interviews where he gushes about his home life. He’s the guy who bought Aleister Crowley’s old house; he doesn’t exactly do "celebrity couple" magazine spreads.
The cracks started to show in the early nineties. By 1995, the marriage was officially done. And it wasn't a quiet exit.
The $6 Million Divorce and the Aftermath
When the divorce hit the UK tabloids in January 1995, the numbers were eye-popping for the time. Reports suggested Patricia walked away with a settlement of around $6 million.
There was talk of a "fierce custody battle" over their son, James. Divorce is messy for anyone, but when you're dealing with one of the wealthiest musicians in history, the stakes are astronomical. Jimmy didn't stay single for long, though. Pretty much immediately after the divorce from Patricia was finalized, he married Jimena Gómez-Paratcha, whom he met during the No Quarter tour in Brazil.
The Tragic End to Patricia’s Story
For years, Patricia Ecker lived a private life away from the spotlight. She moved back to the States, specifically New Orleans, the city where it all began.
The story took a sad turn in October 2020. Patricia passed away suddenly at the age of 58. Jimmy actually broke his usual silence on social media to pay tribute to her, which says a lot about the respect he still held for her. He called her death "tragic" and praised their son, James, as a "strong, brave, intelligent man."
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Her obituary in New Orleans painted a picture of a woman who was much more than just a "rock star's ex-wife." She loved Victorian style, cats, and traveling. She was described as "strong-willed and opinionated"—the kind of person you didn't forget once you met them.
Why Does Everyone Forget About Her?
So, why does the internet often skip over Patricia when talking about Jimmy’s life?
- The Charlotte Martin Factor: Because Jimmy was with Charlotte for over a decade (1970–1983) during the peak of Led Zeppelin’s fame, many people assume they were married. They weren't.
- The Mystery: Jimmy's marriage to Patricia happened during a "lower" point in his public profile compared to the 1970s.
- The Successors: His second marriage to Jimena and his current long-term relationship with poet Scarlett Sabet have taken up more of the recent news cycle.
Basically, Patricia was the bridge between Jimmy's wild youth and his later years. She was the one who actually got him to say "I do" for the first time.
Key Facts About Patricia Ecker
- Married: 1986
- Divorced: 1995
- Children: James Patrick Page III
- Profession: Model and Waitress
- Died: October 30, 2020
Looking for More? Here’s What to Do Next
If you’re trying to piece together the full timeline of Jimmy Page’s life, don’t just rely on Wikipedia. The best way to understand the man is through the lenses of those who were there.
Check out "Light and Shade: Conversations with Jimmy Page" by Brad Tolinski. It’s one of the few books where Jimmy actually opens up (as much as he ever does) about his personal transitions. Also, keep an eye on Scarlet Page’s photography. As Jimmy's eldest daughter, her work often features her father in more candid, human moments than you'll ever see in a press photo.
Understanding the women in Jimmy Page’s life—from the "baby groupie" era of the 70s to his first marriage with Patricia—gives you a much clearer picture of how the man evolved from a rock god into the elder statesman of music he is today.
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To get a better sense of that specific era in the mid-80s, you should listen to The Firm’s self-titled album. It was the soundtrack to the moment Jimmy and Patricia met, and you can hear a certain "cleaning up" of his sound that mirrors his move toward a more stable personal life at the time.