Alex Harrison
If Memphis only had Elvis Presley and Willie Mitchell, we’d have plenty to be proud of. But over the decades the home of the blues has played host to B.B. King, Ike and Tina Turner, Jerry Lee Lewis, Rufus and Carla Thomas, Al Green, the Staple Singers, Alex Chilton, Johnny Cash, Jim Dickinson, Otis Redding, Three Six Mafia, Isaac Hayes, and a host of other artists too numerous to mention. And, if you take a little trip to MTV.com and watch episodes of Craig Brewer’s $5 Cover, you’ll discover that Memphis’ rich musical history isn’t all history. We’re still making some of the sweetest sounds on the planet.
What ever will we do without Mayor Willie Herenton to kick around?
He’s been such good fodder for this section of Best Of, particularly
this year, when his name, in all its various spellings, flooded both
the “Best Success” and “Best Failure” categories.
The Herenton vote also is notable for its ecstatic punctuation. We
counted 500 exclamation points (e.g., “Herenton Leaving! Blessed
Be!!!!”) in the “Best Success” category before giving up(!).
Best Category We Left Out
1. Best Park
2. Best Farmers Market
3. Best Nonprofit
It’s not surprising that Memphians are proud of their parks, because
our green spaces are so much more than green. From the fabulous free
concerts at Overton Park’s newly renovated Levitt Shell, to the cool
Yvonne Bobo sculptures in Peabody Park and the calming Zen landscapes
of the Memphis Botanic Garden our parks — quite literally —
have got it going on.
Best Memphian
1. A C Wharton
2. Steve Cohen
3. Justin Timberlake
Able and competent; always calm; and aiming for consensus: These are
a few of the things A C stands for. Although he has his share of
critics, Shelby County mayor and city mayor hopeful A C Wharton is the
rare politician that people seem to like regardless of race,
profession, or party affiliation. In Memphis, that’s a certifiable
miracle.
Best Neighborhood
1. Cooper-Young
2. Central Gardens
3. High Point Terrace — tie —
Evergreen
Want to pick up a rare first-edition book signed by an author, have
a perfect cup of coffee, and shop for a one-of-a kind piece of jewelry
before sitting down to a fabulous plate of tapas or Thai? You must be
heading toward Cooper-Young. There’s a reason why the annual
Cooper-Young Festival has become one of the biggest events of its kind.
The tree-shaded neighborhood is one of Memphis’ most walkable and
boasts a variety of excellent restaurants, pubs, coffee shops, and
boutiques.
Best Memphis Failure
1. Mayor Willie Herenton’s Continuing Reign
2. Coach John Calipari’s Departure
3. The Pyramid Remaining Empty
Psssst! Mayor Herenton resigned. Pass it on. And see “Best Memphis
Success” for further details.
Bianca Phillips
Mayor Willie Herenton’s Resignation, 1st place: ‘Best Memphis Success’
Best Memphis Success
1. Mayor Willie Herenton’s Resignation
2. Hiring Josh Pastner
3. Memphis Farmers Market, downtown
On the day Memphis mayor Willie Herenton resigned, Shelby County
mayor A C Wharton honored him by quoting the lyrics to “My Way,” a song
originally recorded by Frank Sinatra, operatically covered by Elvis,
then savaged by Sid Vicious. Nothing could have been more appropriate
for the towering political leader who would later dangle his letter of
resignation above the head of his successor, Mayor Pro Tem Myron
Lowery, and say, “I couldn’t give you this when you were kind of
demanding it.” Although he won his last election with a plurality,
Flyer voters sent a clear message: It was time for the mayor to
go. In the end he agreed. And there was great jubilation.
