The often-photographed statue on a corner of Winslow, Arizona, inspired by The Eagles’ song “Take It Easy” is marking its 20th year, and the artist who created it will be in town this weekend for the annual Standin’ on a Corner Festival.
The artist is Ronald Adamson of Libby, Montana. Here’s a report by KTVQ based out of Billings, Montana:
A lot of people thought for years the statue was of “Take It Easy” co-writers Glenn Frey or Jackson Browne, but that’s not the case, as Adamson explained:
“They wanted a 70’s individual with the haircut not too long, not too short, blue jeans. Basically, the guy is wearing a vest standing on the corner. A guitar player is not going to let his guitar touch the ground, so he balances it on his boot, that kind of thing.”
Adamson has more about the statue’s creation on one of his webpages.
According to one news account, the corner attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year — most of them for photographs and selfies.
Winslow in 2016 dedicated a new statue of 1970s-era Frey near the corner after his death earlier that year at age 67.
When Browne sheds his mortal coil, it seems almost certain Winslow will commission a statue of him, as well.
Frey and Browne collaborated on writing “Take It Easy” in 1972, which contained these now-famous 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.”
According to Browne, a corner in Flagstaff, Arizona, at the Dog Haus restaurant — also on Route 66 — inspired the song. But they changed the lyric to Winslow because it sounded better.
The song reached No. 12 on the pop charts. It wasn’t The Eagles’ biggest single, but it became a mainstay of Eagles concerts and road-trip playlists.
(Image of the Standin’ on the Corner statue in Winslow, Arizona, by James Marvin Phelps via Flickr)
Thanks for the coverage. There are many theories on who the statue was supposed to be. Nice to clear that up.