Gourt Home::Gourt :: Miss Tennessee
- For the state pageant affiliated with Miss USA, see Miss Tennessee USA
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 first 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 first 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 only Miss Tennessee to win the national title. Six titleholders have placed as runners-up to Miss America.
In a rare occurence, 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. Alison Alderson, one of the three, is a Triple Crown winner, having competed for Tennessee at Miss Teen USA 1994 as well.
Two other Miss Tennessees have won the Miss Tennessee USA title, most notably Desiree Daniels (later Desiree Disterdick) who placed first runner-up at Miss America 1982 and second runner-up at Miss USA 1984.
Winners
| Year | Name | Hometown | Local Title | Placement at Miss America | Special scholarships at Miss America | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Blair Pancake | Chattanooga | Miss Metropolitan | |||
| 2005 | Tara Burns | Nashville | Miss Music City | Non-finalist Talent | ||
| 2004 | Ashley Eicher | Nashville | Miss Murfreesboro | Non-finalist Talent | ||
| 2003 | Jamie Watkins | Soddy-Daisy | Miss Scenic City | |||
| 2002 | Valli Kugler | Rutherford | Miss UT Martin | |||
| 2001 | Stephanie Culberson | Knoxville | Miss Cleveland | 2nd runner-up | Later Miss Tennessee USA 2004 (4th runner-up at Miss USA) | |
| 2000 | Beth Hood | Cleveland | Miss Cleveland | Non-Finalist Talent | Later Miss Tennessee USA 2003 (4th runner-up at Miss USA) | |
| 1999 | Allison Alderson | Jackson | Miss Memphis | Triple Crown winner, previously Miss Tennessee Teen USA 1994, later Miss Tennessee USA 2002; married to Rascal Flatts musician Jay DeMarcus | ||
| 1998 | Heather Heath | Nashville | Miss Heart of Tennessee | |||
| 1997 | Lanna Keck | Knoxville | ||||
| 1996 | Jeni Stephens | Memphis | Miss Memphis | |||
| 1995 | Alison Shumate | Miss Knoxville | Non-Finalist Interview | |||
| 1994 | Lori Smith | Miss Tennessee Tech | ||||
| 1993 | Kathleen Brang | Miss Historic Jonesborough | ||||
| 1992 | Leah Hulan | Miss Knoxville | Later Miss Tennessee USA 1994 | |||
| 1991 | Jill Horn | Miss Memphis | ||||
| 1990 | Dana Brown | Miss Frontier Days | 2nd runner-up | |||
| 1989 | Lisa Robertson | Miss Cleveland | QVC Host | |||
| 1988 | Carrie Folks | Miss Bluegrass Festival | Non-Finalist Talent | |||
| 1987 | Regina Athnos | Miss Tennessee Peach Festival | ||||
| 1986 | Kris Beasley * | Miss St. Francis | ||||
| Kellye Cash | Miss Milan Crown and Scepter | Winner | Preliminary Swimsuit; Preliminary Talent | |||
| 1985 | Sonya Pleasant | Miss Wautauga Valley | ||||
| 1984 | Shelly Mangrum | Miss West Tennessee State Fair | Top 10 Finalist | |||
| 1983 | Moira Kaye | Miss Roane County | Non-finalist Talent | |||
| 1982 | Desiree Daniels | Miss Hamilton County | 1st runner-up | Preliminary Swimsuit | Later Miss Tennessee USA 1984 (second runner-up at Miss USA); daughter was first runner-up to Miss Tennessee Teen USA 2006 | |
| 1981 | Angelina Johnson | Miss Madison | ||||
| 1980 | Sarah Leonard | Miss Historic Jonesborough | ||||
| 1979 | Elise Neal | Miss Okra | Non-finalist Talent | |||
| 1978 | Jill Beshears | Miss Memphis State University | ||||
| 1977 | Linda Moore | Miss Nashville | Top 10 Finalist | Preliminary Swimsuit | ||
| 1976 | Terry Alden | Miss Memphis | ||||
| 1975 | Marion Burgess | Miss Bells | ||||
| 1974 | Deborah Kincaid | Miss Memphis State University | Top 10 Finalist | Non-finalist Talent | ||
| 1973 | Anne Randle | Miss Memphis | ||||
| 1972 | Debbie Cathey | Miss Nashville | ||||
| 1971 | Marsha McDonald | Miss Memphis State University | ||||
| 1970 | Carol Ferrante | Miss Memphis | ||||
| 1969 | Mary Cox | Miss Johnson City | Non-finalist Talent | |||
| 1968 | Brenda Seal | Miss East Tennessee State University | Top 10 Finalist | |||
| 1967 | Linda Workman | Miss UT Martin | ||||
| 1966 | Vicki Hurd | Miss Carter County | 2nd runner-up | |||
| 1965 | Marcia Murray | Miss Paris | 4th runner-up | |||
| 1964 | Rita Munsey | Miss Knoxville | ||||
| 1963 | Martha Truett | Miss Bells | 3rd runner-up | |||
| 1962 | Margaret Petty | Miss Nashville | ||||
| 1961 | Rita Wilson | Miss Bells | ||||
| 1960 | Jenny Thomas | Miss Nashville | ||||
| 1959 | Mickey Weyland | Miss Knoxville | Top 10 Finalist | |||
| 1958 | Patricia Eaves | Miss Putnam County | ||||
| 1957 | Amanda Whitman | Miss Davidson County | ||||
| 1956 | Shelby Bailey | Miss Gadsden | ||||
| 1955 | Patty Williams | Miss Lambuth College | ||||
| 1954 | Gerry Johnson | Miss Nashville | Top 10 Finalist | |||
| 1953 | Ruth Ann Barker | Miss Gibson County | ||||
| 1952 | Gloria Williams | Miss Chattanooga | ||||
| 1951 | Jean Harper | Miss Shelby County | Top 10 Finalist | |||
| 1950 | Greta Graham | |||||
| 1949 | Adelyn Sumner | |||||
| 1948 | Dorothy Free | Miss Chattanooga | Preliminary Talent | |||
| 1941 | Martha McKinney | Miss Candyland | Top 15 Finalist | |||
| 1940 | Christine Webb | Miss Centerville | ||||
| 1938 | Victoria Ann Motlow | Miss Fayetteville |
External links
"Miss Tennessee"