Memphis State University - DeSoto Yearbook (Memphis, TN)

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Top: Two of Elvis ' adoring fans join the crowd of shocked mourners at Forest Hill Cemetery. Above: The serene beauty of the cemetery is a sharp contrast to the tearful scene inside the mausoleum where Elvis ' s body was first laid to rest. Left: Elvis assumes a familiar stance as he prepares to sing Fever. Limelight 23

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He was the greatest friend I ever had, the most generous person I have ever known and he never forgot his friends. — George Klein Vernon moved his family to Memphis in 1948. Sporting a ducktail in the land of crewcuts, Elvis enrolled in Humes High School. He became a popular figure after appearing in a Humes talent show, where he again daz- zled an unsuspecting audience. Sam Phillips of Sun Record Company once said if he could find a white man who had the Negro sound he could make a billion dollars. Little did he know that man was about to make his debut. Elvis, on a lunch break from his job as a truck driver, went to Memphis Recording Ser- vice to record his mother ' s birth- day present. From then on, nothing stood in his way. Elvis Presley made 45 records that sold more than one million copies. Tunes like Jailhouse Rock, Heartbreak Hotel, Don ' t Be Cruel and Are You Lonesome Tonight? established Elvis as the King of Rock and Roll. His movies were equally suc- cessful. There were 33 in all, beginning with Love Me Ten- der in 1956. Throughout the semester, stu- dents were constantly reminded of the singer ' s death. Controversies surrounding the cause of death and even an attempt to steal his body kept Elvis ' name in the news. The bodies of the late singer and his mother were moved to Graceland and the gravesites were opened to the public. For Elvis ' adoring fans, the summer of 1977 would be remem- bered as a sad one. Although Elvis was out of sight, he would never be out of mind. The memories created by his music would never be forgotten. 22 Limelight M J • • •••■■■ ■ . 1 |.; v JP % Je ' ■fek • TB i , 11 n m m « » , 1 M m A . —. m ■ Top: Elvis demonstrates how he earned the nickname Elvis the Pelvis. Above: Elvis points to the sky after his moving version of Dixie.

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Death and Controversy Get Year ' s Top Billings WO 06 TH£ Cd OcoeD S AVMly Atones MB. ; $0£ mt»tdCy ' w ■ ' A The year was filled with both loss and gain. It was no different for students of Memphis State University as they faced an ex- citing and sometimes painful year. The formation of the new College of Communication and Fine Arts was a major event. The departments of journalism, music, art and speech and drama combined under Dean Richard R. Ranta to better serve students in these fields. As Phase I of the pedestrian campus program, a $226,000 mall was completed. The new addition was not welcomed by all but it helped to make the campus more attractive. Controversy touched MSU as alleged sex discrimination in hir- ing was reported. MSU was saddened by the death of a music professor, Dr. Herbert Hermann, at the age of 47. Dr. Hermann served as piano division coordinator. 24 Limelight