Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019- Memphis-born Glamour cover girl Cybill Shepherd was honored in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Still a beauty at age 69, Shepherd, has never forgotten her roots. She said she's always wanted to join Elvis Presley, Danny Thomas and the other influential Memphis figures who are immortalized on the sidewalk outside The Peabody hotel on the Duck Walk Hall of Fame. The event was timed to coincide with The Peabody's celebration of its 150th anniversary. The hotel was recently named Best Historic Hotel.
Shepherd, who was wearing rose colored glasses, now lives in Beverly Hills. She said she’d like to be named the “Queen of Memphis.” She spoke about singing in the choir as a child and reflected her days at East High School, remembering the day MLK was shot at the Lorraine Motel in downtown Memphis. She said her opera lessons here taught her to project her voice. She mused over a several memories from her childhood here and her movie career. She also shared that she’d recently became a grandmother.
She became teary eyed as she accepted her honor and kissed Peabody owner Jack Belz, 91, while thanking him. She mingled in the lobby, graciously posing for pictures, dancing to the music while visiting with friends and fans after the ceremony.
Jack Belz, CEO of Belz Enterprises, talked about the plush life for the ducks in their penthouse at the top of the hotel. Belz has been instrumental the resurgence of downtown Memphis. He is best known for bringing back The Peabody, which served as the impetus for the Downtown renaissance which followed. His wife of 71 years missed the celebration and was home after taking a fall.
Guests were served tasty hors d'oeuvres, champaign and pieces of a 500 lb. cake, designed to looked like the Peabody Hotel. The Memphis Symphony played dance music on the balcony overlooking the lobby. The ducked marched onward to their penthouse suite, as always, as the crowd looked on.