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Miss USA 98

Shreveport, Louisiana

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Crowning a queen
in a kingmaker city

Shreveport is the place where the world discovered Elvis Presley.

Didn't know that? Listen, friend.

The year was 1954, and the teenage singer with the unusual name was suddenly a hometown hero in Memphis. His music combined country with blues and added a touch of Hollywood pop, and his appeal cut across racial lines in a town that had been long divided. Girls who had once giggled at his clothes and hairstyle now followed him around in droves.

Bridge
Shreveport's Red River bridge

Photo courtesy of Shreveport Convention and Tourism Bureau

But outside Memphis -- even in other parts of Tennessee -- the magic seemed to vanish. When Elvis traveled to Nashville to perform in the legendary Grand Ole Opry, he received only polite applause and was quickly shown the door. To Opry fans, steeped in traditional country, he was nothing special. Luckily, he had one more shot.

Elvis
Photo used with permission of Graceland/Elvis Presley Enterprises
In Shreveport, the home of the popular "Louisiana Hayride" radio program, many an entertainment career had been launched. And the word was that the Louisiana fans were a little more freewheeling, ready to listen to something new. So Elvis and his band rode in without fanfare to take their place on the "Hayride" stage. What the fans in Shreveport saw that night was a handsome, smiling kid who couldn't stand still. What they heard was a smooth, energetic sound that seemed to capture the very essence of being young. And what they did was cheer, whistle and applaud -- and then stick around for another show.
And so the truth was revealed. The Opry failure had been a fluke. This young man's stardom was the real thing. Elvis went on to conquer the world, and he always stayed true to his beloved Memphis, but the friendly city on Louisiana's Red River also kept a special place in his heart.

And he loved beauty queens. That's why he would be especially delighted at what happened in 1998 in Shreveport.

More coverage of Miss USA 98

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