It seems like Almost Yesterday that a new musical sound came up the Mississippi from the south. It moved north with the orchestras of the river excursion boats. Thus, Cape Girardeau was among the first communities in the nation to receive this new music. Almost all large cities on the inland waterways had excursion boats that remained in the community from Memorial Day in May to Labor Day in September. During the day the boats would take special excursions or picnic tours, followed by night time