GILBERT AND SHIVELBINE SHARE CITY OF ROSES ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Homer Gilbert, left, also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Judith Ann Lang.

Two Cape Girardeau musical institutions were honored for their lifetimes of work Friday night at the Southeast Missouri Music Awards Banquet.

Homer Gilbert and Leland "Freck" Shivelbine shared the Lifetime Achievement Award given by the City of Roses Music Heritage Association.

Gilbert retired in 1998 after 72 years playing trumpet for the Cape Girardeau Municipal Band. A former band leader and sideman, Gilbert was president of the municipal band for many years.

Shivelbine, longtime partner in Shivelbine's Music Store, was a trumpet player with the Golden Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps many years ago and also played in the municipal band. Last year he was recognized with the Otto F. Dingeldein Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts. He was praised at that time for his efforts to bring touring musicians to the city.

The awards are the warmup to the City of Roses Festival to be presented Saturday and Oct. 10 in downtown Cape Girardeau. Seventy-eight bands and musicians will perform this year at 15 locations, including a new site at the Southeast River Campus.

The festival this year is being staged in conjunction with Homecoming at Southeast Missouri State University.

There were other big winners Friday night at the banquet attended by about 100 people at the Show Me Center. Van Gogh's Ear was named best rhythm and blues band, and the band's Eric Dahl, Allan Palermo and Jay Bond were named top guitarist, bassist and percussionist, respectively.

Dahl thanked the people who taught him music, including his father, the late Jerry Dahl.

Papa Aborigine was named best rock 'n' roll band over 13 other nominees, and lead singer Billy Keys won the male vocalist award.

The top female vocalist was Teresa Morrill, a past winner.

"This has turned into something that is really good for the community," she said in accepting the award.

Saxophonist Ralph McDowell won the wind instrument award, Chris Bell won the keyboard trophy, and Southeast faculty member and flutist Paul Thompson received the award in the classical and concert music category.

In the band categories, The Ezells of Lowndes were named top bluegrass and traditional band, with Under the Influence taking home the honors in the Christian rock and gospel category. The winner of the country and western trophy was Crossfire, whose members hail from both Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri.

Performing at the awards banquet were the Southeast Jazz Combo, classical guitarist Jeffrey Noonan, Crossfire and the Carbondale, Ill., zydeco band The Brown Baggers.

The emcee was Brad Graham, vice president of the City of Roses Music Heritage Association.