A tribute statue of Glenn Frey, co-writer of The Eagles’ song “Take It Easy,” will be installed at noon Friday, Sept. 23, at Standin’ on the Corner Park in Winslow, Arizona.
KSLX classic-rock radio in Phoenix announced Tuesday the installation, which will occur at the first day of the annual Standin’ on the Corner Festival.
The station’s morning team, “Mark & NeanderPaul,” funded much of the statue.
“When Glenn Frey died back in January, we thought a statue would be a great way to pay tribute to his everlasting impact on Arizona’s history,” said Mark Devine from “Mark & NeanderPaul.”
“The song has two writers, so we thought adding another statue that will last forever would be perfect,” added co-host “NeanderPaul” Marshall.
Mark & NeanderPaul came up with the money to fund the statue, along with the Standing On The Corner Foundation and the City of Winslow. The installation kicks off Winslow’s annual “Standing On The Corner Festival,” a live music event that will run September 23rd and 24th.
KSLX also will do a live broadcast remote that day.
Tom McCauley, a member of the Standin’ on the Corner board of directors, announced the creation of a Glenn Frey tribute statue in mid-August, with the help of the radio station, the foundation and the city of Winslow.
McCauley wrote he became inspired to commission a statue after an outpouring of sympathy at Standin’ on the Corner Park that followed Frey’s death at age 67 in January.
Bob Hall, director of the Winslow Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, said the Glenn Frey tribute statue won’t supplant the iconic Standin’ on the Corner statue on Route 66.
Visitors often misidentify the Standin’ on the Corner Park statue as Frey or “Take It Easy” co-writer Jackson Browne, but it is simply a 1960s hippie troubadour.
Hall said the foundation received clearance from Frey’s estate before having the artist begin the statue. UPDATE 9/8/2016: Devine said in an email Hall is incorrect and the foundation hasn’t received approval from the Frey estate. So the statue will be a tribute to Frey instead.
https://youtu.be/LfeNhwnO8hw
Frey and Browne collaborated on writing “Take It Easy” in 1972, which contained these now-iconic lines:
“Well, I’m a standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see,
It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowing down to take a look at me.”
The song reached No. 12 on the pop charts and was The Eagles’ first hit. It wasn’t the band’s biggest single, but it became a mainstay of Eagles concerts and, eventually, road-trip playlists.
(Poster from the upcoming Glenn Frey tribute via Standin’ on the Corner Park)
Think its a great idea! Glenn Frey is a music legend! His music was beautiful and I and millions of other fans are devasted by his passing god bless his family thank them for sharing such a wonderful and talented man with us! Forever rest in peace glen Frey!!
Awesome!