Slidell piano virtuoso and international music star Ronnie Kole whose gliding fingers and jazzy improvisation skills once earned him a jam session with President Bill Clinton, will forever toast Bourbon Street crowds with a glass of wine.

The New Orleans Musical Legend Foundation recently revealed a life size bronze statue of Kole for the New Orleans Musical Legends Park at 311 Bourbon Street. The Slidell resident and recording artist is the park’s fifth area music icon immortalized in bronze.

Dressed in a dapper tuxedo with a bow tie, Kole’s statue is raising a glass of wine. At 6 feet, 2 inches, it’s the tallest statue in the park, including those of Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Fats Domino and Chris Owens. “Yes it is quite an honor, which I’m still on Cloud 9 about, and I’m alive to enjoy it,” Kole said, adding the April 11 unveiling was “one of the most important days of my career.”

That says a lot. Kole’s been the envy of musician-actor Harry Connick Jr., recorded at Carnegie Hall, performed across South America, Europe and Asia and appeared on “The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.” The statue however, tops it all.

“It’s like being amongst all my friends,” Kole said. “And the best part is I’m alive to see it. Obviously, I’m very humble about it.”

Steve Gibson of Ponchatoula, who sculpted the four other statues at the Bourbon Street sight, designed the Kole statue. Ever the perfectionist, Gibson made Kole sit for hours, measuring his chin line, bust, legs and more to develop the perfect life size mold. Shipped to Texas, the mold was finally tossed in a fiery furnace and cast in bronze.

“I wouldn’t recommend the sculpting profession,” Gibson said. “You’d probably make more money raking leaves or roofing. But there is something about it when you know you are in the right spot, and it gels.”

And with the Kole statue, it felt right, he said. It has to be, Gibson said, because “Ronnie’s worldwide famous.”

Kole’s flight to superstardom began decades ago when he left Chicago for New Orleans at the urging of his friend, New Orleans trumpeter Al Hirt. Kole took up the offer and soon started playing with Hirt at a New Orleans club before Kole struck out on his own, opening the juke joint, Kole’s Corner.

Local musicians soon tuned in, and the rest of the nation followed. As Kole’s popularity increased, he was in high demand.

He guest-starred on Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin shows and toured the world, entertaining several presidents, including Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan.

In 2001, the French government awarded Kole the prestigious Chevalier award, the country’s highest arts honor, whose past recipients include Bob Dylan, Quincy Jones, Julia Child and Sylvester Stallone. He was soaring high. Then the statue was announced.

“Pinch me,” he said. “I must be dreaming. To be in the same park ... my goodness. I can’t say enough.”