Rock music royalty including the Rolling Stones joined last year's charity show for victims of superstorm Sandy -- but even Bill Clinton couldn't convince Led Zeppelin to play.

Organizers said they tried to get the iconic band to play the so-called "12-12-12" concert at New York's Madison Square Garden in December, alongside the likes of Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, The Who and Eric Clapton.

The Robin Hood Foundation were brainstorming to put the show together in only a few weeks, ultimately raising $50 million to help victims of the October 29 hurricane-strength storm which killed about 120 people.

"There were two bands that we were trying desperately to recruit, one was Rolling Stones, the other was Led Zeppelin," the group's executive director David Saltzman explained on CBS news show "60 Minutes."

Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein "had this great idea that we could enlist Bill Clinton to convince Led Zeppelin to reunite to perform at the 12-12-12 concert.

"So, Harvey and I got on a plane to fly down to Washington to meet with President Clinton who was going to be seeing the members of Led Zeppelin, who were being honored at the Kennedy Center.

"And, you know, the president was terrific. He goes, 'I really want to do this. This would be a fantastic thing. I love Led Zeppelin.' And Bill Clinton himself asked Led Zeppelin to reunite. And they wouldn't do it."

Musicians who played the December 12, 2012 show also included Jon Bon Jovi, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Chris Martin, and rapper Kanye West.

Movie and TV stars including Leonardo DiCaprio, Chris Rock, Susan Sarandon, Whoopi Goldberg, and political humorist Jon Stewart fronted a telethon drive or appeared in the arena to appeal for funds.