Cape Girardeau in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

"Show Me" The Entertainers

Photographed by Edward Troxel, November 16, 2024

1. "Show Me" The Entertainers Marker

Inscription.

"Show Me" The Entertainers. . Burt Bacharach , 1928-PRESENT BORN IN KANSAS CITY, MO , This songwriter, record producer, pianist and singer composed hundreds of hit songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, including more than 50 top-40 hits and music for the movies Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, What's New, Pussy Cat? and the 1967 version of Casino Royale. , Josephine Baker , 1906-1975 BORN IN ST LOUIS, MO , Born Freda Josephine McDonald, the exotic dancing of this entertainer, activist and French Resistance agent made her the first person of color to become a world-famous entertainer and to star in a major motion picture. As a crusader for racial equality, Baker refused to perform for segregated audiences and is noted for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement. , Scott Joplin , 1868-1917 LIVED IN SEDALIA and ST LOUIS, MO , This pianist and composer was dubbed the "King of Ragtime Writers." At age 27, Joplin moved to Sedalia and joined the Queen City Cornet Band. His piece Maple Leaf Rag had a profound influence on subsequent writers of ragtime. He was awarded a Pulitzer Prize posthumously. , Rush Limbaugh , 1951-PRESENT NATIVE OF CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO , This radio talk show host started his career a few blocks west of this location on Broadway at age 16 as DJ Rusty Sharp. Limbaugh has been a leader in the development of conservative talk radio. In 2004, his three-hour radio talk show had the largest audience in the country. , Jesse Stacy , 1904-1995 LIVED IN CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO , Born Alexandria Stacy in Bird's Point, MO, this world- renowned jazz pianist played with many big-name bands during the Swing Era, including Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall. Stacy received his only formal music training in Cape Girardeau at Southeast Missouri State. He was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame posthumously. , Porter Wagoner , 1927-2007 BORN IN WEST PLAINS, MO , For more than 60 years, country music was key in the life of this entertainer. Wagoner was honored as Grand Ole Opry's Goodwill Ambassador for his many years at the venue. He also hosted his own syndicated TV show for 20 years and helped start the career of country music legend Dolly Parton.

Burt Bacharach
1928-PRESENT BORN IN KANSAS CITY, MO
This songwriter, record producer, pianist and singer composed hundreds of hit songs from the late 1950s through the 1980s, including more than 50 top-40 hits and music for the movies Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, What's New, Pussy Cat? and the 1967 version of Casino Royale.

Josephine Baker
1906-1975 BORN IN ST LOUIS, MO
Born Freda Josephine McDonald, the exotic dancing of this entertainer, activist and French Resistance agent made her the first person of color to become a world-famous entertainer and to star in a major motion picture. As a crusader for racial equality, Baker refused to perform for segregated audiences and is noted for her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement.

Scott Joplin
1868-1917 LIVED IN SEDALIA & ST LOUIS, MO
This pianist and composer was dubbed the "King of Ragtime Writers." At age 27, Joplin moved to Sedalia and joined the Queen City Cornet Band. His piece Maple Leaf Rag had a profound influence on subsequent writers of ragtime. He was awarded a Pulitzer Prize posthumously.

Rush Limbaugh
1951-PRESENT NATIVE OF CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO
This radio talk show host started his career a few blocks west of this location on Broadway at age 16 as DJ Rusty Sharp. Limbaugh has been

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a leader in the development of conservative talk radio. In 2004, his three-hour radio talk show had the largest audience in the country.

Jesse Stacy
1904-1995 LIVED IN CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO
Born Alexandria Stacy in Bird's Point, MO, this world- renowned jazz pianist played with many big-name bands during the Swing Era, including Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall. Stacy received his only formal music training in Cape Girardeau at Southeast Missouri State. He was inducted into the Big Band and Jazz Hall of Fame posthumously.

Porter Wagoner
1927-2007 BORN IN WEST PLAINS, MO
For more than 60 years, country music was key in the life of this entertainer. Wagoner was honored as Grand Ole Opry's Goodwill Ambassador for his many years at the venue. He also hosted his own syndicated TV show for 20 years and helped start the career of country music legend Dolly Parton.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1967.

Location. 37° 18.137′ N, 89° 31.092′ W. Marker is in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, in Cape Girardeau County. It is on North Water Street, on the right when traveling north. Located on Missouri Wall of Fame along the Missouri River Front. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Cape Girardeau MO 63701, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Missouri. It is also in the American Ozarks,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

the Louisiana Purchase,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers.

Photographed by Edward Troxel, November 16, 2024

2. "Show Me" The Entertainers Marker

At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A different marker also named Captains of Industry (a few steps from this marker); Visionary Women and Writers (a few steps from this marker); Men of Might (within shouting distance of this marker); Literary Giants (within shouting distance of this marker); All Things Missouri (within shouting distance of this marker); Illustrious Individuals (within shouting distance of this marker); Merriwether Pump Station (within shouting distance of this marker); Broadcasters and Artists (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cape Girardeau.

Other markers no longer nearby. Entertainers (was here, next to this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Captains of Industry (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Visionary Women / Entrepreneurs (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Mark Twain / Missouri Generals / George Caleb Bingham (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Literary Giants / Missouri Mule (was within shouting distance of this marker but has

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been replaced with another marker now near it); George Washington Carver (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Muralist / Broadcasters (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it).

Credits. This page was last revised on February 6, 2025. It was originally submitted on December 19, 2024, by Edward Troxel of Creal Springs, Illinois. This page has been viewed 117 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 19, 2024, by Edward Troxel of Creal Springs, Illinois. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.