“What's on the cover next month?" The staff of this magazine gets that question all the time, and usually it's one that we can answer instraightforward fashion. Not so this month, because the April issue of Memphis, now on newsstands all around the city, is a bit unusual.
It’s our Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Issue, and it boasts of not one but four different covers. For this special issue, the Memphis editorial and design staff has produced a magnificent photo-essay featuring thirty-five individuals whose influence we think was critical to the growth and evolution of this city over the period of Memphis magazine's existence. For our four different April 2011 covers, we chose to profile four of “The Memphis 35” whose contributions we felt were especially meaningful over this period. These four different covers are distributed equally and randomly throughout our 22,000 press run.
In making our thirty-five choices, we tried to cover the waterfront, featuring high- achieving Memphians from all walks of life, each of whom helped make this city a different and arguably better place. Rest assured that more than a little thought went into making these choices. Indeed, the editorial staffs argued and agonized for weeks on end before coming up with the final list you see presented here.
Our selections, of course, were entirely subjective, and entirely the responsibility of this magazine’s editorial staff. The final list is by no means exclusive; many prominent figures from the past three decades are absent from this photo essay, perhaps undeservedly so. We look forward to hearing from our readers as regards their opinions of who should have been included here, along with their suggestions as regards individuals that might perhaps have been left on the cutting-room floor!
In fact, we welcome any and all of your comments about any aspect of the magazine, at any time, by mail, or by e-mail at the thenext35@memphismagazine.com. Meanwhile, pick up the April issue today!
