2016 started out very tumultuously for the Classic Rock community and the hundreds of stations that specialize in the format across the country. In early January, David Bowie suddenly passed away. Then, just eight days later, it was the shocking death of Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey.
While every Classic Rock station recognized and honored these sad rock star milestones on the air, a handful went that extra mile that only a local radio station can pull off. Here in Detroit, Trudi & Jim – WCSX’s morning show – sprang into action. Working with Royal Oak, Michigan’s (Frey’s hometown) mayor, they quickly established Glenn Frey Drive in February. We blogged about this at the time.
The morning show at Hubbard Radio’s Phoenix’s Classic Rock station, KSLX, had a different plan to honor Frey. The Eagles’ classic, “Take It Easy,” co-written by Frey and Jackson Browne has a famous line, “Well, I’m a standin’ on a corner in Winslow, Arizona.” That lyric has spawned an annual music event, the Standin’ On A Corner Festival,” and a statue of Browne occupies that key intersection in small town Winslow.
KSLX’s Mark Devine and Paul “NeanderPaul” Marshall’s idea was to fund a statue of Frey to accompany “Jackson Browne.” The team worked to raise the $22,000 necessary to create the life-size bronze statue of Frey.
As Devine noted at the tribute, “We thought a statue would be a great way to pay tribute to his everlasting impact on Arizona’s history.”
And that’s the point. The Classic Rock community – whether you’re in Detroit, Dubuque, Phoenix, or Pensacola – shares common values and respect for the music fans feel is the greatest ever made. How else can radio reflect that audience passion than by helping to create and promote these living tributes to these iconic artists?
As WCSX was able to pull off in Michigan, KSLX accomplished its own tribute that celebrates the lives and times of a favorite artist – and in the process, acknowledging the station’s close connection to the music.
For fans, these tributes are meaningful and will last a lifetime. Whether its taking selfies on Glenn Frey Drive or pulling off the old Route 66 that goes through Winslow to check out the Glenn Frey statue, these stations are giving fans something more tangible and meaningful than the creation of a Glenn Frey playlist or “channel.”
If you’re hard-pressed by advertisers, critics, cynics, and doomsayers to explain why broadcast radio still has any advantages over pure-plays, playlist services, and satellite radio, these examples – and many others – make a great case for the power and passion of radio.
When the medium is at its best, it is connecting audience to communities – local towns like Royal Oak and Winslow that have a history with the music, as well as the larger tribe of Classic Rock fans.
These rock star passings are sad events, but they are also milestones to be celebrated. And there will be many more in the coming years. Classic Rock fans understand that to everything, there is a season, a time to be born, and a time to die.
Only on the radio can the audience come together to experience these moments.
Disclosure: WCSX and KSLX are Jacobs Media clients.
Thanks to KSLX, Trip Reeb, and David Moore.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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