13 statues, murals dedicated to musicians and where you can find them
Some of the greatest musicians and rock stars that have ever lived are sadly no longer with us. Although their music will live on forever, they themselves have since become muses for artists – painters, sculptors and photographers alike – who have immortalized these stars in their own personalized and innovative creations.
If you’re planning a trip this summer and happen to visit any of the following destinations, why not check out one of these artistic tributes around the world, dedicated to musical icons?
Read more: How to summer road trip on a budget
Amy Winehouse – London, England, UK
A bronze sculpture of Amy Winehouse made by sculptor Scott Eaton was unveiled in 2014, three years after her death, in the singer’s favorite part of north London: her hometown of Camden. Winehouse was a regular in local pubs the Good Mixer and the Hawley Arms, often being photographed leaving them with the likes of comedian Russell Brand and musician Pete Doherty of the Libertines. Now, in the heart of the Stables Market, Winehouse and her signature beehive stand proud, a constant reminder of her devotion to the community.
Bon Scott, AC/DC – Fremantle, Perth, Australia and Angus, Scotland, UK
A bronze statue of original AC/DC vocalist Bon Scott was erected in his adopted hometown of Fremantle, Australia, in 2008. Not to be outdone by the Aussies, almost £50,000 were raised in 2015 through crowdfunding to erect a rival statue of him in his birthplace of Angus, Scotland, complete with bagpipes—a cheekily blunt reminder of his Scottish heritage.
David Bowie – London, England, UK
Australian artist Jimmy C painted a mural inspired by David Bowie 2013 after gaining approval from a Morleys department store, which the then-bare outside wall belonged to, in Brixton, south London. This was where David Jones grew up and transformed himself into the larger-than-life triple-threat maverick David Bowie. It was also the obvious point of congregation for a fan-led, heavily-attended candlelit vigil when the Starman died at the beginning of last year, and has since become permanent a shrine to the legend.
Freddie Mercury – Montreux, Switzerland
In 1979, Queen bought Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland, on the placid shores of Lake Geneva. It’s where the band recorded some of their most popular songs and also where vocalist Freddie Mercury came for some much needed peace and quiet. “For him, the studio was like an oasis,” said guitarist Brian May. In 1996—five years after his death—a mighty 10-foot bronze statue of Mercury was placed at the waterfront to highlight the significance of his time there.
Janis Joplin – Port Arthur, Texas, USA
Janis Joplin is perhaps the most famous female rock ’n’ roll singer that has ever lived. Although she left her heart in the bohemian neighborhoods of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury district, she was most definitely a rowdy Texan woman through and through. The Museum of the Gulf Coast in Port Arthur, Texas, features a permanent Janis Joplin exhibition, which includes a bronze, five-headed sculpture of the vocalist, created by sculptor Douglas Clark.
Jimi Hendrix – Seattle, Washington, USA
Throughout Seattle, there are many tributes to arguably the greatest guitarist of all time: Jimi Hendrix. But the bronze statue commissioned by real-estate developer Mike Malone, founder of AEI Music Network, and created by sculptor Daryl Smith, exhibits Hendrix at his most memorable: the Voodoo Child sunken onto his knees, legs akimbo, holding his beloved guitar up, with a gloriously impassioned look on his face.
John Lennon – Liverpool, England, UK
Mathew Street in Liverpool is home to the world-renowned Cavern Club, where the Beatles played in their formative years. It’s also where a sculpture of a young John Lennon with the trademark “Beatles bowl haircut” slouches against a wall-of-fame backdrop naming 1,801 musicians and bands that played at the original Cavern Club before it moved down the street. The statue was made by local sculptor Arthur Dooley and is based on the photograph of Lennon that was used as the cover artwork for his sixth solo studio album, Rock ’N’ Roll.
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Johnny Ramone – Los Angeles, California, USA
In probably the most glamourous cemetery on earth (if there is such a thing), Hollywood Forever, resides the centerpiece of the burial grounds: an ornate statue of Ramones guitarist Johnny Ramone above his final resting place. His widow, Linda Ramone, hosts an annual remembrance event there for fans of his and the Ramones. This year it takes place July 30 and will include a special screening of the cult classic Buffalo ‘66, which will be introduced by director, Vincent Gallo. In addition, there will be an exclusive Johnny Ramone exhibition with Ramones memorabilia, and the night will pay homage to late Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell, who was recently laid to rest in Hollywood Forever.
Kurt Cobain – Aberdeen, Washington, USA
When Kurt Cobain died in 1994, sculptor Randi Hubbard—with help from the local art students—quietly started building a concrete statue of the Nirvana frontman playing the guitar as a tear trickles down his face. She kindly offered it to the city of Aberdeen, but it was harshly rejected. Aberdeen didn’t take too kindly to some of the derogatory things that Cobain had said about the city when he was alive. So, it remained in Hubbard’s auto shop, Hubb’s Muffler Shop, for almost two decades. Then, on Feb. 20, 2014, which would have been Cobain’s 47th birthday, the crying sculpture was unveiled at Aberdeen’s Museum of History. Mayor Bill Simpson announced it to be Kurt Cobain Day, and it has been homed there ever since.
Lemmy – Los Angeles, California, USA
If you ever wanted to find Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister, there was one place you usually could: at the Rainbow Bar and Grill on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, California, sitting at the side of the bar, right by the slot machines, to be precise. The Motorhead frontman spent most of his time there and even lived behind the establishment until his passing in late 2015. Last year, a statue of the musician was produced in his honor by local sculptor Travis Moore, based on a publicity photo taken by photographer Robert John. The money for the materials was crowdfunded by fans and the excess was donated to cancer research, acknowledging the vicious disease Lemmy lost his life to. The sculpture was molded in wax and cast in bronze. It captures Kilmister’s definitive features: from his infamous moles and mutton chop sideburns with a mustache to his signature Stetson hat and cowboy boots.
Phil Lynott – Dublin, Ireland
The first rock band of note to ever come out of Ireland was Thin Lizzy, known for both their mischief and their charm in equal measure, with charismatic frontman Phil Lynott at the helm. His memorial was sculpted by Paul Daly for the Roisin Dubh Trust, which was set up to commemorate his life and work. Lynott’s mother, Philomena, unveiled the bronze statue of her rocker son in 2005 and now it stands outside Bruxelles metal club. His bass firmly at his feet, and with one hand in his pocket oozing confidence, this landmark captures Lynott’s swagger perfectly.
Prince – Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Graffiti artist Rock “Cyfi” Martinez started creating a mural focused to “the artist formerly known as Prince” as a “get well soon” message when the artist fell ill in the weeks preceding his death last year. It adorns the side of a building in uptown Minneapolis, a fair distance from Prince’s well-known home of Paisley Park. Martinez completed the piece shortly after Prince’s death and describes it as “a nice present to the city.” Dominated by the color that Prince was famous for—purple—the painting also bears a dove as a nod to one of his biggest hits and also features the symbol he was known as for a while—when he battled for control of his artistic integrity—which sits neatly between the dates of the year he was born and the year that he died.
Ronnie James Dio – Kavarna, Bulgaria
6 years ago this week on Oct 23, 2010, the city of Kavarna, Bulgaria unveiled this amazing statue & tribute to Ronnie James Dio! pic.twitter.com/MtI1sQWvA6
— Official Dio (@OfficialRJDio) October 25, 2016
Perhaps it’s not common knowledge, but former Black Sabbath frontman Ronnie James Dio had a tangible link to Kavarna in Bulgaria. He was vocal in an active campaign to liberate captive Bulgarian nurses who were held in a Libyan prison for eight years, and even played the city no less than five times. After his passing in 2010, sculptors Alexander Petrov and Krasimir Krastev spent two months working on a statue of Dio, and it was unveiled before the year was over. The sculpture was funded entirely through donations, and when it was completed, all six-and-a-half feet of it was moved to the city’s central park, elevated with large stones taken from the black sea.
Which tributes should be added to this list? Sound off in the comments.
