LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — A new mural on Cedar Street pays homage to one of Lansing’s most famous sons, Burt Reynolds.
It is oft-forgotten amongst locals, but the ’70s film icon was actually born in Lansing.
Though he didn’t spend much of his life in Michigan, and at one point claimed he was actually born in Georgia, Reynolds’ birthplace makes him permanently linked to the Great Lakes State.
The mural, located on the side of the Music Manor instrument shop on Cedar Street, features Reynolds playing a flaming flute, and was painted by Lansing-based artist Eric Schantz.
“We couldn’t decide what musicians or musician to use on the mural, so I went with Burt because he is from the neighborhood I live in now,” Schantz said.
Schantz has been painting murals for nearly two decades, and got into the mural game in order to beautify his hometown.
He has other public art works featured in Lansing, at locations such as Art’s Pub, Old Town and the former Walter French Junior High School.
Schantz got hooked up with the mural gig at Music Manor thanks to his working relationship with Gary Potter, who owns Dicker and Deal as well as Music Manor.
Reynolds died in 2018, but if you want to remember the iconic actor’s films, “Deliverance” and “Smokey and the Bandit” should do you just fine.
