Miss Tennessee
For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Tennessee USA.
Stephanie Wittler, Miss Tennessee 2009
Kellye Cash, Miss Tennessee 1986 & Miss America 1987
Linda Workman, Miss Tennessee 1967
The Miss Tennessee competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss America pageant.
History
The Miss Tennessee pageant was first held in 1938, although the winner, Isobel Carter, was unable to compete at Miss America due to illness and so the 1st runner-up became Miss Tennessee. The following year, two winners were chosen to compete for the Miss America title. In 1940 the pageant suffered a repeat of 1938, with the winner resigning through illness and the 1st runner-up representing the state at the national competition. The routine pageant was held in 1941, but from 1942-1946 representatives were appointed without a pageant being held, due to World War II. In 1947 twins Jean and Jane Cunningham were both awarded the Miss Tennessee title, with one representing Tennessee and one Chattanooga at the Miss America pageant. The modern era of the pageant can be dated to 1953, when a regular routine of state pageants was instituted.
Kellye Cash, Miss America 1987, is the second Miss Tennessee to win the national title. Six titleholders have placed as runners-up to Miss America. Tennessee native Barbara Jo Walker was Miss America 1947 and represented the city of Memphis when she won the title.
In a rare occurrence, all three Miss Tennessees 1999-2001 later won the similar Miss Tennessee USA pageant, whose delegates represent Tennessee at Miss USA. More remarkable was that the three won the Miss Tennessee USA title in the order which they held their Miss Tennessee titles. Allison Alderson, one of the three, is a Triple Crown winner, having competed for Tennessee at Miss Teen USA 1994 as well.
Three other Miss Tennessees have won the Miss Tennessee USA title, Jean Harper, Desiree Daniels, and Leah Hulan.
Winners
| Year | Name | Hometown | Age | Local Title | Miss America Talent | Placement at Miss America | Special scholarships at Miss America | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Hannah Robison | Paris | 21 | Miss Scenic City | Piano "El Cumbanchero" by Rafael Hernández Marín | Top 7 | STEM Scholarship Winner Quality of Life Award 1st Runner-Up America's Choice |
2nd runner up at Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2012 |
| 2014 | Hayley Lewis | Nashville | 21 | Miss Tennessee Valley | Vocal "I (Who Have Nothing)" | Top 10 | ||
| 2013 | Shelby Thompson | Franklin | 23 | Miss Capital City | Vocal "Time to Say Goodbye" | Semi-finalist (2006, 2007) & 1st runner-up (2008) at Miss Tennessee Teen USA | ||
| 2012 | Chandler Lawson | Tullahoma | 22 | Miss Chattanooga | Vocal "Turning Tables" | Top 10 | Quality of Life 2nd runner-up | Tennessee's Junior Miss 2008, Contestant at National Sweetheart 2011 |
| 2011 | Erin Hatley | Bartlett | 20 | Miss Collierville | Classical Vocal "Piano" | Top 10 | ||
| 2010 | Nicole Jordan | Cordova | 21 | Miss Lexington | Vocal "All by Myself" | Miss Memphis 2007, Miss Henderson County 2008, Miss University of Alabama 2009 | ||
| 2009 | Stefanie Wittler | Soddy-Daisy | 22 | Miss Hamilton County | Vocal "I Will Always Love You" | 2nd runner-up | Quality of Life Finalist | |
| 2008 | Ellen Carrington | Jackson | 21 | Miss Scenic City | Vocal "Vole Mon Ange" from Svengali | Top 7 | ||
| 2007 | Grace Gore | Nashville | 24 | Miss Lexington | Vocal "What a Wonderful Day" | Top 16 | Miss Mississippi Teen USA 2002 | |
| 2006 | Blaire Pancake | Chattanooga | 24 | Miss Metropolitan | Vocal "Attitude" | |||
| 2005 | Tara Burns | Nashville | 22 | Miss Music City | Classical Vocal "Art Is Calling For Me" from The Enchantress by Victor Herbert | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 2004 | Ashley Eicher | Nashville | 24 | Miss Murfreesboro | Vocal "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 2003 | Jamie Watkins | Soddy-Daisy | 23 | Miss Scenic City | Vocal "If I Can Dream" | 4th runner-up at National Sweetheart 2001 | ||
| 2002 | Valli Kugler | Rutherford | 22 | Miss UT Martin | Vocal "At Last" | |||
| 2001 | Stephanie Culberson | Knoxville | 21 | Miss Cleveland | Classical Piano "Fantaisie-Impromptu" | 2nd runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award, Preliminary Evening Wear Award | Miss Tennessee USA 2004 and 4th runner-up at Miss USA 2004 |
| 2000 | Beth Hood | Cleveland | 21 | Miss Cleveland | Vocal "Desperado" | Non-finalist Talent Award | Miss Tennessee USA 2003 and 4th runner-up at Miss USA 2003 | |
| 1999 | Allison Alderson | Jackson | 22 | Miss Memphis | Piano / Vocal Medley "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" & "River Deep – Mountain High" | Waterford Scholarship for Business Marketing & Management | Triple Crown winner: Miss Tennessee Teen USA 1994 and Top 6 at Miss Teen USA 1994, Miss Tennessee USA 2002; Married to Rascal Flatts musician Jay DeMarcus, Correspondent for the 2007 Miss America Pageant broadcast on CMT | |
| 1998 | Heather Heath | Nashville | 21 | Miss Heart of Tennessee | Vocal "Think of Me" | Quality of Life Finalist | Missouri's Junior Miss 1995 | |
| 1997 | Lanna Keck | Knoxville | 23 | Miss Milan No-Till | Gospel Vocal "Go Light Your World" | |||
| 1996 | Jeni Stephens | Memphis | 23 | Miss Memphis | Popular Vocal "Operator" | |||
| 1995 | Alison Shumate | Union City | 21 | Miss Knoxville | Vocal Medley "Crazy for You" & "I Got Rhythm" | Non-finalist Interview Award | Daughter of Miss Tennessee 1967 | |
| 1994 | Lori Smith | Ocoee | 21 | Miss Tennessee Tech | Piano Solo "The Firefly" by Anton Bilotti | |||
| 1993 | Kathleen Brang | Greeneville | 24 | Miss Historic Jonesborough | Popular Vocal "Dare to Dream" | |||
| 1992 | Leah Hulan | Murfreesboro | 24 | Miss Knoxville | Clogging "Can't Stop Now" | Miss Tennessee USA 1994 | ||
| 1991 | Jill Horn | Memphis | 23 | Miss Memphis | Vocal "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever" | |||
| 1990 | Dana Brown | Memphis | 25 | Miss Frontier Days | Vocal & Piano "The Glory of Love" & "I Can't Give You Anything but Love, Baby" | 2nd runner-up | ||
| 1989 | Lisa Robertson | Collegedale | 23 | Miss Cleveland | Violin Solo "Orange Blossom Special" | QVC Host | ||
| 1988 | Carrie Folks | New Johnsonville | 20 | Miss Bluegrass Festival | A Capella Vocal "Sweet Dreams" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1987 | Regina Athnos | Clarksville | 23 | Miss Tennessee Peach Festival | Flute Medley "I'll Fly Away" & "Amazing Grace" | |||
| 1986 | Kris Beasley | Memphis | Miss Memphis | |||||
| Kellye Cash | Milan | 21 | Miss Milan Crown and Scepter | Piano / Vocal "I'll Be Home" | Winner | Preliminary Swimsuit Award, Preliminary Talent Award | ||
| 1985 | Sonya Pleasant | Mountain City | 22 | Miss Wautauga Valley | Vocal "I Fall to Pieces" | Former White House staff member | ||
| 1984 | Shelly Mangrum | Nashville | 23 | Miss West Tennessee State Fair | Vocal "And the World Goes 'Round" | Top 10 | ||
| 1983 | Moira Kaye | Oak Ridge | 23 | Miss Roane County | Vocal "Memory" | Non-finalist Talent Award | Tennessee's Junior Miss 1978 | |
| 1982 | Desiree Daniels | Chattanooga | 22 | Miss Hamilton County | Popular Vocal "Don't Cry Out Loud" | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | Miss Tennessee USA 1984 and 2nd runner-up at Miss USA 1984, Mother of 1st runner-up at Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2006 |
| 1981 | Angelina Johnson | Jackson | 20 | Miss Madison | Ventriloquism "Laverne & Shirley" | |||
| 1980 | Sarah Leonard | Jonesborough | 20 | Miss Historic Jonesborough | Popular Vocal "We Could Have Had It All" | |||
| 1979 | Elise Neal | Paris | 21 | Miss Okra | Piano Solo "Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C minor" | Non-finalist Talent Award | ||
| 1978 | Jill Beshears | Memphis | 22 | Miss Memphis State University | Vocal Medley "You'll Never Walk Alone" & "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" | |||
| 1977 | Linda Moore | Madison | 22 | Miss Nashville | Vocal "Evening Gowns Are Not For Children" | Top 10 | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | |
| 1976 | Terry Alden | Memphis | 21 | Miss Memphis | Classical Piano "Toccata" | |||
| 1975 | Marion Burgess | Memphis | 21 | Miss Bells | Tap Dance "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die" | Toured with Miss America USO Troupe | ||
| 1974 | Deborah Kincaid | Memphis | 21 | Miss Memphis State University | Vocal Medley "Once In a Lifetime", "In My Own Lifetime", & "This Is My Life" | Top 10 | Preliminary Talent Award | |
| 1973 | Anne Randle Galloway | Knoxville | 20 | Miss Memphis | Piano "Rhapsody in Blue" | |||
| 1972 | Debbie Cathey | Nashville | 20 | Miss Nashville | Semi-classical Vocal "Amazing Grace" | |||
| 1971 | Marsha McDonald | Nashville | 21 | Miss Memphis State University | Ballet "Over And Over Again" | |||
| 1970 | Carol Ferrante | Memphis | 21 | Miss Memphis | Vocal Medley of Popular Songs | |||
| 1969 | Mary Cox | Johnson City | 20 | Miss Johnson City | Semi-classical Vocal "One Kiss" from The New Moon | Non-finalist Talent Award | Toured with Miss America USO Troupe | |
| 1968 | Brenda Seal | Kingsport | 19 | Miss East Tennessee State University | Popular Vocal "What Now My Love" | Top 10 | Contestant at National Sweetheart 1967, Featured performer on Miss America 1969 telecast | |
| 1967 | Linda Workman | Martin | 18 | Miss UT Martin | Vocal "I Don't Care" | |||
| 1966 | Vicki Hurd | Kingsport | 19 | Miss Carter County | Original Vocal "I'm In a Pageant" | 2nd runner-up | National Sweetheart 1965, Featured Performer on Miss America 1967 telecast | |
| 1965 | Marcia Murray | Paris | 19 | Miss Paris | Popular Vocal "Spellbound" | |||
| 1964 | Rita Munsey | New Tazewell | 20 | Miss Knoxville | Vocal Medley & Accordion "You Don't Know Me" & "Walkin' After Midnight" | Miss Dixie 1965 | ||
| 1963 | Martha Truett | Tiptonville | Miss Bells | Piano Solo "Rhapsody In Blue" | 3rd runner-up | Contestant at Miss Dixie 1964 | ||
| 1962 | Margaret Petty | Nashville | 19 | Miss Nashville | Vocal "Something Wonderful" | |||
| 1961 | Rita Wilson | Humboldt | 20 | Miss Bells | Vocal "I'm Doing Alright For a Mountain Gal" | National Sweetheart 1959, Contestant as Miss National Sweetheart (1960) & Winner (1962) at Miss Dixie | ||
| 1960 | Jenny Thomas | Nashville | 19 | Miss Nashville | Modern Ballet "Porgy and Bess" | |||
| 1959 | Marion "Mickey" Wayland | Knoxville | 18 | Miss Knoxville | Piano / Vocal "Près des remparts de Séville" from Carmen & "I Cain't Say No" | Top 10 | ||
| 1958 | Patricia Eaves | Cookeville | Miss Putnam County | Dramatic Monologue "Viola's Ring Scene" from Twelfth Night | Contestant at Miss Dixie 1960 | |||
| 1957 | Amanda Whitman | Nashville | Miss Davidson County | Trampoline / Tumbling "The Third Man Theme" | ||||
| 1956 | Shelby Bailey | Humboldt | Miss Gadsden | Vocal "It Takes Two To Tango" | ||||
| 1955 | Patty William | Jackson | Miss Lambuth College | Vocal "The Student Prince" | ||||
| 1954 | Gerry Johnson | Nashville | Miss Nashville | Vocal / Character Pantomime "The Deadwood Stage" | Top 10 | |||
| 1953 | Ruth Ann Barker | Trenton | Miss Gibson County | Vocal | ||||
| 1952 | Gloria Williams | Chattanooga | Miss Chattanooga | Vocal "Lover When You're Near Me" | ||||
| 1951 | Jean Harper | Memphis | Miss Shelby County | Vocal "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" | Top 15 | Miss Tennessee USA 1952 and 3rd runner-up at Miss USA 1952 | ||
| 1950 | Greta Graham | Memphis | Miss Memphis | Organ Solo "Tico-Tico" | ||||
| 1949 | Adelyn Sumner | Knoxville | Modeling / Speech | |||||
| 1948 | Dorothy Free | Chattanooga | Miss Chattanooga | Vocal Medley "Let My Song Fill Your Heart" by Ernest Charles & "Embraceable You" | Preliminary Talent Award | |||
| Lois Jeanette Welch | Memphis | Vocal & Fashion Design "Gianni Mia" | Top 15 | Competed as Miss Memphis | ||||
| 1947 | Georgia Cunningham | Chattanooga | Tap Dance | Top 15 | Won the title of Miss Tennessee with her twin sister. At Miss America they flipped a coin to decide who would compete as Miss Tennessee. | |||
| Dorothy Cunningham | Chattanooga | Tap Dance | Competed as Miss Chattanooga | |||||
| Barbara Jo Walker | Memphis | 21 | Art Display & Vocal Medley "One Kiss" & "Un Bel Di" from Madama Butterfly | Winner | Preliminary Talent Award | Competed as Miss Memphis | ||
| 1946 | Wilda Bowman | Chattanooga | ||||||
| 1945 | Lee Henson | Chattanooga | Vocal Medley "Dreams" & "I Didn't Know the Gun Was Loaded" | Top 13 | Preliminary Swimsuit Award | |||
| 1944 | Marian Weller | Chattanooga | Vocal "Some Day I'll Find You" | |||||
| 1943 | Frances Eakes | Chattanooga | Competed as Miss Chattanooga | |||||
| 1941 | Martha McKinney | Nashville | Miss Candyland | Acrobatic / Tap Dance | ||||
| Katherine Gammon | Knoxville | Competed as Miss Knoxville | ||||||
| 1940 | Christine Webb | Centerville | Miss Centerville | Dramatic Monologue "The Waltz" | ||||
| Thelma McGhee | Knoxville | Competed as Miss Knoxville | ||||||
| 1939 | Judy Jones | Tracy City | Vocal Medley "I Surrender" & "Come True" | |||||
| Louise Bussart | Etowah | Competed as Miss West Tennessee | ||||||
| 1938 | Victoria Ann Motlow | Mulberry | Miss Fayetteville | Vocal "You Turned the Tables on Me" | Original winner, Isobel Carter, resigned due to illness. | |||
| 1935 | Sarah Beard | Dickson | ||||||
| 1924 | No Miss Tennessee | There was a Miss Nashville who competed but her name is not known. | ||||||
| 1923 | No Miss Tennessee | Elizabeth Mallory competed as Miss Memphis and was a Semi-finalist. | ||||||
| 1922 | No Miss Tennessee | Sue Burton competed as Miss Nashville and finished as 1st runner-up. Ruth Doughty competed as Miss Memphis. | ||||||
External links
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