University of North Alabama - Diorama Yearbook (Florence, AL)

Page 19 text:

Miss Alabama Bound The Miss UNA pageant gives women a chance to win scholarships and to compete in the Miss Alabama pageant 3y Christie Shedd She may have been a little nervous efore the pageant, but freshman DeLon Smith ' s reaction as the results were nnounced was total excitement. I don ' t know if there are any words that :an describe how I felt, she said. Smith was crowned Miss UNA 1986 in bruary, and immediately began to train or the Miss Alabama pageant. Joe Wallace, director of university ivents and Miss UNA pageant coordina- tor, said that the pageant system is a hance for young women to excel. The pageant is an opportunity to edu- » young women and to see them excel leir talent. I think the whole process of Miss America system gives young nen an opportunity to receive scholar- hips and recognition as men do in ath- tic events, said Wallace. Alabama, a State of Music, was the erne for the Miss UNA pageant this year, uch songs as My Home ' s in Alabama, Stars Fell on Alabama, and Alabama Bound set the tone for the pageant. The Master of Ceremonies was John Blaylock, a native of Alabama. He sang When a Man Loves a Woman, a hit song written and recorded locally by Percy Sledge and produced by accounting professor Quinn Ivy. The pageant was a chance to pay trib- ute to Alabama ' s songwriters and the music that represents Alabama, said Wallace. Robert Allen Holder choreographed the music for the pageant. Holder also wrote the opening song called An Alabama Star Fell on New York City. This is the third year that the UNA Jazz Band has served as the orchestra for the pageant. We ' re proud of the Jazz Band for their participation in the pageant, said Wallace. Smith ' s prizes, awarded from pageant sponsors, included about $5,000 worth of merchandise and services. She received a $1500 wardrobe for the Miss Alabama pageant from Regency Square Mall, one year free tanning from Caribbean Tanning Salon, one year membership from Court House Racquetball Club, one week vaca- tion in Florida from Tourway Inn, one year hair care from The Mane Place, Color Analysis and cosmetics consultation from A New You, a diamond necklace from Best Jeweler ' s, one year membership to Ron ' s Gym for weight training, custom statione ry from Don Brown Printing, official portraits from photographer Jim Frawley, and one year ' s tuition from the university. The pageant marked Smith ' s debut in performing in front of an audience. She sang Love Will Find a Way. Smith plans a career in television broad- casting, and hopes to eventually work with a major news network. Jane Pauley of the Today Show is my idol, she explained. First alternate was Debra Eastland. East- land has been singing professionally since she was eight years old. ' For the pageant, Eastland sang Ain ' t No Mountain High Enough. I wanted to sing this song because of the up-beat, and I felt the song fit my personality, said Eastland. After the Miss UNA pageant, Eastland won the Miss Dixie pageant in Guin, Alabama. She went on to place third (second runner-up) in the Miss Alabama pageant. She won the preliminary talent award in the Miss Alabama pageant. Elizabeth Hill was second alternate in the Miss UNA pageant. Vickie Pike and Leigh Ellen Sandlin were third and fourth alternates. The pageant was a great success, judg- ing from the reactions of the audience and of those who participated both onstage and backstage. The tremendous amount of work put into the pageant paid off for the t girls and for the university— as the Miss j UNA pageant continues its tradition of producing future Miss Alabamas. s THE TOP TEN FINALISTS line up during the swimsuit competition. The finalists were Leigh Ellen Sandlin, DeLon Smith, Vicki Pike, Dedra Eastland, Elizabeth Hill, Daphne Dean, Elaine Cox, Molly Brown, Mashea Holden, and Samantha Hamilton. FIRST RUNNER- UP Dedra Eastland beams at the obvi- ously thrilled Miss UNA DeLon Smith. Miss UNA 15

Page 18 text:

RECEIVING the congratulations of her fellow contes- tants backstage, the newly crowned Miss UNA has a chance to catch her breath before beginning her reign. BELTING OUT a sassy version of Love Will Find a Way, DeLon Smith competes in the talent portion of the pageant. CREOLE DANCE No. 5, Scher- zando and Coda, wins the approval of the judges as Elizabeth Hill plays. Hill won the talent portion of the pageant and was second runner-up. 14 JAZZ BAND members Joe Brannon and Charmaine Key play the overture with the rest of the band to begin the evening ' s fes- tivities. The Jazz Band played all the produc- tion numbers during the pageant, but did not u play during the girls ' talent competition. THE CONTESTANTS join Master of Ceremonies John Blaylock and Miss UNA 1985 Alyssa Ashley in the rousing opening production number An Alabama Star Fell on New York City. The number was written and choreographed by the director of the production, professor Robert Allen Holder.

Page 20 text:

Bag of THcks A monumental rock and roll band of the 70s proved they still have the magic in the 80s By Mark Narmore Are you ready to rock? Cheap Trick ' s opening number posed the question as Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, John Brandt, and Bun E. Carlos stormed the Flowers Hall stage. A dead segue into their landmark hit I Want You to Want Me brought the most enthusias- tic response of the night and the crowd cried out for more. Guitarist Nielsen was the dominant stage presence— dressed in his signature black baseball cap and high topped tennis shoes, leaping about the stage and toss- ing guitar picks into the crowd— but blond, blue-eyed lead singer Zander had his share of followers as well. Bassist Brandt had a few frenzied admirers of his own, and the cigarette smoking Bun E. Carlos on drums also drew some attention. The tight perfor- mance was aided by the addition of a key- board player added for the tour. Some of the highlights of the concert included Tonight It ' s You, Standing on the Edge, Dream Police, Ain ' t That a Shame, and Surrender. The most disappointing part of the evening was Nielsen ' s attempt to get the audience to join in and sing Bob Dylan ' s classic Rainy Day Women -12 and 35. The crowd, perhaps a little young for the older Dylan tune, wasn ' t familiar with the chorus, Everyone must get stoned. Cheap Trick retained their enthusiasm for the performance, however, and after the show Zander told the audience, We had a great time playing tonight. Walk the West, a group which plays a i hybrid of fast rock, country, and blues, was the opening act for the Student Activities Board sponsored concert. BASS PLAYER John Brandt takes the spotlight to hit a few hot licks. The group used a combination of old and new material to give an overview of their output from the last ten years. ROBERT LAWLER AMAZING GRACE is reworked to include an electric guitar solo by Mylon LeFevre and Broken Heart. ROBERT LAWLER Sheep in wolves ' clothing By Mark Narmore They call themselves sheep in wolves ' clothing and for good reason On the outside their outrageous dress makes them appear as just another run-of-the- mill acid band ... but not Mylon LeFevre and Broken Heart. The light show was spectacular and set the mood for the hard hitting heavy metal music filling Norton Auditorium. But beyond the music was a surprise — LeFevre ' s songs have lyrics which are unfamiliar to most fans of Judas Priest and Motley Crue. LeFevre calls it mus- ic with a message, and the message is Jesus Christ. LeFevre is no stranger to the more secular side of rock and roll by any means — he ' s performed on record, stage, and television with an array of music legends including Eric Clapton, DuaneAllman, Billy Joel, George Harri- son, Little Richard, Mick Fleetwood, The Who, Lynyrd Skynyrd and many others. But by his own admission, he had a serious drug problem during this period. LeFevre turned to religion and eventu- ally began to incorporate his new life into his profession. The Georgia native insists that the generic term rock and roll is not evil — and he ' s simply playing the mus- ic he ' s been playing his whole life. Un- like some of his more conservative colleagues in the world of Christian music, LeFevre is comfortable with the high decibels and high energy of rock and roll. Opening for Broken Heart was the Calling. A slightly less volatile act than Broken Heart, the Calling nevertheless had the crowd on its feet and prepared them for what was to come. David Teems, the lead singer for the group, seemed a pretty typical rocker as he joked about their hectic touring sched- ule and life on the road. The February 28 concert marked the first time a contemporary Christian rock band performed on campus. Judging from the enthusiastic reception of the not-so-ordinary rockers in the audience, this first time will probably not be the last. 16