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Nine of the best statues honouring musicians around the world

A life-size bronze statue of Amy Winehouse, complete her trademark red rose in her beehive hairdo...
Newstalk
Newstalk

18.06 15 Sep 2014


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Nine of the best statues honou...

Nine of the best statues honouring musicians around the world

Newstalk
Newstalk

18.06 15 Sep 2014


Share this article


A life-size bronze statue of Amy Winehouse, complete her trademark red rose in her beehive hairdo, was unveiled in London earlier today, to mark what would have been the British singer-songwriter's 31st birthday.

Family, friends and fans of the songstress gathered in Camden, the north London district where she lived until her death in 2011. The troubled musician had struggled with addiction for many years.

Ms Winehouse joins a host of renowned musicians who have been honoured in such a fashion.

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We take a look at some of the most prominent memorials in honour of those whose music is loved the world over, including two very deserving Irish ones.

1. Freddie Mercury

Freddie Mercury was immortalized in bronze by Czech artist Irena Sedlecka. The statue faces Lake Geneva in Switzerland and was inaugurated in 1996.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

2. Bob Marley

This statue for reggae legend Bob Marley is found at the entrance to Independence Park in Kingston, Jamaica. The venue is the island's premier sports centre.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

3. James Brown

The plaque on this statue of James Brown sums it up: "Singer, songwriter and one-of-a-kind performer." The statue overlooks James Brown Plaza on Broad Street in Augusta, Georgia, in the US.

Photo: Wikimedia

4. Phil Lynott

Phil Lynott was the frontman for Thin Lizzy, and his statue was unveiled on Harry Street in Dublin, Ireland in 2005. Early this year, two men were arrested for knocking the statue off its plinth.

Photo: Wikimedia

5. Ray Charles

This memorial to Ray Charles is located in his hometown of Greenville, Fla. It was sculpted by Bradley Cooley and his son in 2005, a year after Charles's death at age 74.

Sean Russell/Flickr Creative Commons

6. Johnny Ramone

Johnny Ramone stands by the lake at Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles, Calif. His ashes are in the base of his statue, which is near the gravesite of bandmate Dee Dee Ramone.

Sean Russell/Flickr Creative Commons

7. Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley's early musical years were shaped by Memphis's Beale Street clubs. This statue replaced the original one on Beale Street in 1997 and is now protected from fans by a large fence.

Photo: Flickr / Memphis CVB

8. Rory Gallagher

Rory Gallagher's statue in Ballyshannon, Ireland. Sculpted by David Annand, it was unveiled in 2010 at the opening for that year's five-day-long Rory Gallagher International Tribute Festival.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

9. Jimi Hendrix

There are more than a few in honour of the legendary guitarist, most prominently one on the Isle of Wight but this bronze one in Seattle, Washington US captures his passion for his craft perfectly.

No doubt there are some notable omissions (the Fab Four, for example, as thankfully McCartney and Ringo are still with us) so be sure to tell us in the comments section below.


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