Glenn Frey Drive tribute approved in Royal Oak

School board approves tribute

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Fans will pay tribute to late Eagles guitarist, Glenn Frey, through his music, and you could soon find yourself taking a turn onto Glenn Frey Drive.

“The idea came from the song ‘Take It Easy’, you know the lyrics, ‘standing on the corner of Winslow, Arizona’, said Jim O’Brien, 94.7 WCSX personality.

With Frey being a homegrown musician, O’Brien thought naming a street after him was the perfect way to honor the rock star after he died earlier this year.

“I just assumed that we had a street corner for Glenn Frey in Royal Oak, his hometown,” said O’Brien. “So, I asked my friend Mayor Jim Ellison of Royal Oak, 'Is there a street?' He said no and sure enough, after we started talking, we found that a street that is available to name of off Willis Avenue,” said O’Brien.

“When Jim O'Brien called me with the idea, I immediately embraced it. Told him, 'We will make it happen,'” said Royal Oak Mayor Jim Ellison.

One of the reasons Willis Avenue works so well, there are no homes along it, which means no address changes for residents.

“When I found out that the part of Willis Ave., next to the middle school and former Dondero High, was turned over to school district a number of years ago, I contacted School Board President Gary Briggs and set up a meeting,” said Mayor Ellison.

The Royal Oak School Board approved the proposal on Feb. 11. 

“Gary was as enthused as I was and I think the residents will be as well. Having the street next to his old school named after him, is a perfect tribute to Glenn,” said Mayor Ellison.

“It just all started coming together, the response on social media has been huge even Joe Walsh responded,” O’Brien said.