HAIL TO THE CHIEF!
Johnny Ramone Gets Statue in Cemetery



By Associated Press

January 7, 2005

LOS ANGELES - Late punk guitarist Johnny Ramone is being immortalized with a
bronze statue at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

Ramone, co-founder and guitarist of The Ramones, was 55 when he died of prostate
cancer on Sept. 15, 2004, at his Los Angeles home. The statue is near the grave of
bandmate Dee Dee Ramone, who died of a drug overdose in 2002.

The Johnny Ramone monument, created by artist Wayne Toth, shows Ramone playing
his Mosrite guitar and it features the words, "If a man can judge success by how many
great friends he has, then I have been very successful. - Johnny Ramone."

Ramone's widow Linda will unveil the statue Jan. 14 during a two-hour afternoon public
ceremony featuring testimonials from friends. Johnny Ramone was cremated and his
wife has the ashes, spokesman Jason Padgitt said Thursday.

Hollywood Forever is the final resting place for hundreds of Hollywood icons, including
Rudolph Valentino, "Ten Commandments" producer Cecil B. DeMille and Bugs Bunny
voice Mel Blanc.

The Ramones were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.


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Plan for Ramone statue inspired by Reagan

Statue unveiled to Johnny Ramone

Ramone Statue Unveiled

Johnny Was a Punk Rocker

The right is now more "punk" than the left.


A year's end goodbye: Johnny and the Gipper


Click here to see short films of Joey Ramone Day by Adrian Salsgiver

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