Middle Tennessee State University - Midlander Yearbook (Murfreesboro, TN)

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Traditional halftime festivities remained virtually unchanged this year as a court of five young women anxiously awaited the naming of the homecoming queen. Selected from a field of 49 contestants (including a strong candidate from the campus chapter of the American Advertising Federation — Ms. Piggy), the five members of the court were chosen during elections held on Mon- day and Tuesday of the celebration week. Representing Pi Kappa Alpha ' s Pledge Class on the court was Jo Ellen Drennon, a freshman from Lebanon. Jenny Cantrell, a freshman from Nashville, represented Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. Junior Priscilla Corn, from Winchester, was the representa- tive of Alpha Kappa Psi, a business fraterni ty. Carrying the banner of Gamma Beta Phi was Mona Evan, a sophomore from Jack- Jeanni Stalcup, a senior from Gatlinburg, represented Kappa Sigma fraternity. Crowned by 1979 ' s queen, Melanie Griffin from Chattanooga, this year ' s queen was Mona Evans. It was the second straight year that Gamma Beta Phi ' s contestant had won the title. The Band of Blue provided the musical background as the members of the court were presented, playing appropriately Southern, downhome composition, includ- ing Tennessee Waltz and Tara ' s Theme from Gone With the Wind. Winners in the overall spirit award compe- tition were announced following the third quarter of gridiron action. In the fraternity category, Kappa Alpha took home the huge six-foot spirit award, which will be rotated in the coming years. Sigma Chi took second place, while Sigma Apha Epsilon claimed Kappa Delta sorority claimed top honors in the sorority division, followed by Alpha Delta Pi in second place and Chi Omega in third place. Winners in the open division were the men of H-Hall. In a tie for second place were Felder Hall (winners in the dorm decoration competition) and Smith Hall. Kappa Delta Pi, an education honorary, took third place. The seemingly smooth halftime produc- tion, which featured an ROTC honor guard in addition to the Band of Blue, belied the ' diligent and sometimes frenzied efforts of the homecoming committee. Members of the committee, under the direction of Jeff Ellis, a senior from Bethel Springs, began work on the celebration in May in order to carry off the entire week-long production. Homecoming 25

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Illumination And Radiance: Kenny Rogers ' Style Homecoming Celebration 1980 came to an exciting end with a concert by one of the biggest names in the world of enter- tainment. Exemplifying the term cross-over art- ist, superstar entertainer Kenny Rogers brought his electrifying stage show to MTSCJ to perform before a capacity crowd in Murphy Center. Amid ecstatic fans, popping flashbulbs and intermittent gifts of long-stemmed roses from his ad- mirers, Rogers, singing hit song after hit song, gave a legendary performance that included opening acts by both Dave and Sugar and Dottie West. One of the hottest country trios around, Dave and Sugar began their por- tion of the concert with energetic vitality and exuberance, performing their hits from the past five or six years. Dressed in tight white jeans and beige cowboy boots, Dave Rowland was joined in the opening number, Queen of the Silver Dollar, by his two female partners gussied up in snug outfits of shimmering silver and white. The audience, although ready for Rog- ers to make his appearance, soon took Dave and Sugar ' s performance to its col- lective heart, applauding and screaming wildly as the trio sang from their reper- toire of hits, including The Door is Al- ways Open and Crystal Chandelier. Durinq their rendition of Good-hearted Woman, the three professionals tempo- rarily borrowed cowboy hats from three members of the audience and walked off the stage into the crowd to meet their fans. Several female followers received kiss- es from Dave, to the enjoyment of the frenzied crowd. When the foot-stomping show came to a close, Dave and Sugar left the stage in a flurry that left everyone breathlessly wanting more. Dottie West, the venerable country music entertainer, gave the audience what they wanted. Being one who has seen others come and go throughout the years in the cut-throat world of show busi- ness, Dottie proved that she was in step with the ' 80s. Appearing in a deep purple outfit embossed with the same color se- quins and wearing matching cowboy boots, she opened her show with Chica- go ' s hit song, entitled I ' m Alive. It ' s Dottie, not Dolly, West reminded the audience after her first number, in reference to another music superstar. I know she ' s bigger than me ... I think she ' s 5 ' 10 ... lying down. Yellow lighting effectively accentuated her hit ' Country Sunshine, which was followed by You Pick Me Up, Honey, Just to Put Me Down and Fool-hearted Man. The audience, which included all 10 of