CAPE GIRARDEAU'S NEW MURAL WILL HONOR MUSICAL HERITAGE

A new mural will be unveiled in Cape Girardeau, just in time for Southeast Missouri State University's homecoming celebration.

The River Heritage Mural Association has set a goal of 10 murals in 10 years in the city, and work on the sixth mural began this week on the west side of the building that houses Shivelbine's Music store.

The mural is the brainchild of Leland "Freck" Shivelbine, and it pays homage to the city's musical legacy.

"The thought behind it was Cape Girardeau's heritage in music," Shivelbine said. "The mural concept came from an old picture of a band that was called the Silver Cornet Band -- a band that was privately supported by a dentist in town named (C.E.) Schuchert -- that was started about 1875."

Shivelbine said Schuchert's Silver Cornet Band evolved into the tax-supported Cape Girardeau Municipal Band, which was started in the 1920s and survives today.

"The mural will depict the musicians of that era with their handlebar mustaches, erect posture and old instruments," he said. "They're doing the outlines now and the mural should be done this week."

Shivelbine said the mural is a reproduction of the old photograph.

"Instead of a frame around a photo, there's almost a scroll-type framing around the musicians," he said. "They're sitting as though preparing for a concert.

"Below the musicians will be in bold letters: `Cape Girardeau, heritage of music.'"

Along the scroll frame will be the identification of "Schuchert's Silver Cornet Band." Blues and reds will dominate the mural, Shivelbine said.

The Shivelbine's Music building is the former Planter's House Hotel, built sometime around 1850, he said.

The music store was started there in the 1940s by R.F. "Peg" Meyer, and bought by the Shivelbine family in 1949.

The mural will be about 30 feet by 20 feet and will be painted on the wall of the building that faces Frederick Street.

Tim Blattner of the River Heritage Mural Association said the mural will best be seen by eastbound traffic on Broadway.

The Shivelbine family, the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Downtown Merchant's Association will pay for the $6,000 mural, Blattner said.

Also, Lone Star Cement Co. donated some of the labor required for the work. The Southeast Missouri State University Art Department helped with the design.

Shivelbine said he's hoping the weather will cooperate so that the mural can be completed in time for Southeast's homecoming Nov. 6. "We're excited about it here," he added.