The spirit of a classic tune hovers over a small Arizona town, where a statue and a park dedicated to the Eagles' hit "Take It Easy" has become a beacon of hope for the revitalization of Winslow, Arizona. The song, which features the line "Well, I'm a standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona," put the town on the map for rock 'n' roll enthusiasts, and the Standin’ On The Corner Park - where a life-sized statue of a 1970s-era troubadour reminds visitors of those lyrics - aims to draw tourists into the heart of the old downtown area. This effort, as reported by the Phoenix New Times.
The town transformed its claim to fame into a literal and figurative cornerstone of the community. Upon Glenn Frey's passing in January, a makeshift memorial quickly assembled by the statue, proving the enduring connection between the Eagles' music and Winslow’s identity. "By the afternoon, a makeshift memorial to Glenn Frey was well underway," noted the Phoenix New Times. Locals have embraced their musical legacy wholeheartedly; the Standin’ On The Corner Festival started back in 1999 has now grown into a much-anticipated annual event, featuring live music and an Eagles cover band to cap off the celebration.
The importance of the park and the festival could not be overstated in a place that seemed to stop in time, with the bulk of the 1970s stretching into the 1980s. It was a time when the construction of Interstate Highway I-40 bypassed the small town, rendering the historic downtown to a shadow of its former self. The Eagles' songs, especially "Take It Easy" with its lyrics featuring Winslow, provided a sense of identity and a connection to a wider cultural landscape, a sentiment that has been carefully nurtured and turned into an opportunity to innovate and survive.
A closer look at the lyrics of "Take It Easy," as noted by Mojim.com, reveals why this anthem resonates so firmly with the people of Winslow. Lines like "It's a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin' down to take a look at me" capture a slice of life that feels at once uniquely American and intimately familiar for residents. In doing so, the community projects its spirit through song, inviting visitors not only to witness, but to momentarily take part in a story partially told by a corner in their town.
While the future remains uncertain, Winslow continues to tightly hold on to its claim of heritage, seeking to not only preserve a moment in musical history but also to resuscitate a town that seeks to remember its past as much as it needs to envision a future.
