Just recently I learned of a Mississippi float in the Tournament of Roses Parade.
That was exciting news, for all of us and especially for me.
I was fortunate to be a volunteer in Pat Frascogna’s project of a float in the parade on
January 1 of 1990. Spending a week in L.A. going to parade related events, including a party at The Wrigley Mansion. So many folks from all over, dignitaries, corporate heads and our crowd of younger folks from Mississippi. We were fortunate to have the King of Rock & Roll getting us a lot of attention. The parade’s theme for that year was “A World in Harmony” and our float’s theme was “Harmony begins at home.”
There were four 16 foot high busts intricately assembled with wire mesh and flowers.
Elvis, B.B. King, Tammy Wynette and Leontyne Price. Tammy was also with us in person on the float! Elvis, though, got the most attention. I was visiting with the builder of our float when one of her staff came up saying, “some people from ABC want to talk to you.” I followed along and it was Joan Lunden, co-host of Good Morning America. Soon I was introduced to her as part of the Mississippi delegation, and she said to me, “I understand the Elvis head has been getting a lot of attention.” Being careful to be memorable and not trip over my tongue, I replied, “yes, and we’re having a seance tonight with The King if you’d like to join us.” That got a good laugh.
Of course after the parade was over there were plans being made for the next year.
Pat Frascogna had some connections and was working on featuring a NASA project in the works that would be in Iuka, but the NASA project got canceled.
The 1990 International Ballet Competition had just wrapped up. I had volunteered as I had since it started in 1979. The IBC brings the world to our state and I thought what a great way to promote Mississippi and the IBC. I suggested that the 1990 float’s four rotators that the bust were on be converted to three, with flower dancers on the front and back and a live dancer in the center, and around the edges of the float the flags of the countries that have participated. That suggestion was passed to the group that built our 1990 float and soon a design came on my fax machine.
Making a presentation to the IBC Board and getting their approval was magical.
Spending time with my good friend and “the Queen of IBC” Sue Lobrano and chairman of the IBC board Warren Ludlam and his wonderful wife Helen was great fun, and sitting in the VIP stands with major corporate heads and watching our Mississippi International Ballet float go by was incredible. Mr Ludlam had reached out to the “King of Torts” Melvin Belli who arranged a party for us at the home of a client of his the evening of the parade.
There are so many good memories from both parades for me, I’m excited for those participating in the upcoming parade, and if you want to review the 1991 parade with the IBC float, it’s on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjF0CqSxWKE scroll to 1:38:15.
Al Underwood is a Northsider.
