Aberdeen Wash., celebrated its first-ever Kurt Cobain Day on Thursday, Feb. 20, which would have been the musician's 47th birthday.

Kurt Cobain Day In Aberdeen

For years, the city in which Cobain grew up had been hesitant to honor the Nirvana frontman, who publically struggled with depression and drug abuse leading up to his suicide at the age of 27. Now, 20 years after his death, Aberdeen has officially named a day in his honor, reported the Seattle PI.

As part of the inaugural Kurt Cobain Day celebrations, a statue constructed by local sculptor Randi Hubbard was installed at the Aberdeen Museum of History. Hubbard began working on the sculpture in 1994, and has since had it on display at her store, Hubb’s Muffler Shop. Until now, the city hadn’t been comfortable accepting the work of art.

Aberdeen Mayor Stands By Cobain Celebration

"Aberdeen residents may justifiably take pride in the role our community played in the life of Kurt Cobain," said Mayor Bill Simpson when he announced Kurt Cobain Day. He also acknowledged "the international recognition our community has gained from its connections with Kurt Cobain and his artistic achievements".

“We want him to be known for his music,” Simpson told KOMO News. “This has been a long time coming; we should have done it long ago."

Cobain's Guitar Teacher Performed

In addition to the statue dedication, Warren Mason, a local musician who helped Cobain learn to play guitar, played in the late singer’s honor. Looking back to when he met the young Cobain while he was playing with his father in a band, Mason remembers his first impression of the future iconic musician. He was just “a little blonde kid watching while we jammed,” he told the Independent.

During his relatively short career, Cobain came to epitomize the voice of a generation and his songs have since endured the test of time. Blending rough vocals that ranged from a whisper to a scream, blaring instrumentals and evocative and thoughtful lyrics, Cobain’s legacy as Nirvana’s frontman lives on. Nirvana has sold over 25 million albums in the U.S., and over 50 million worldwide.

– Chelsea Regan

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