There are some strong personalities in Memphis, and our readers made some strong choices. Victory was in the air when Mayor Wharton visited coach Josh Pastner as part of the 2010 Memphis Most tour, celebrating University of Memphis Tiger Basketball (Best Memphis Sports Team) plus Elliot Williams (Best College Athlete), a product of St. George’s Independent School in Collierville who spent a minute at Duke before transferring to the U of M.

Meanwhile, another favorite of Memphis Most readers topped the chart again. Dave Brown repeated past wins as Best Weathercaster, an achievement he says may have to do with “longevity and working with some very good people.” Sticking around in Memphis, he believes, has also helped him be a better prognosticator, and he said “thanks to all the readers” for the honor. But it’s also true that he’s highly respected for his community work above and beyond cloud watching, particularly his personal campaign against drunken driving.

His co-workers at WMC-TV Channel 5 are also winners for Best TV News, putting the Action News 5 team at the top once again.

Among other repeat winners was FedEx boss Frederick W. Smith for Best Business Leader, and one of the finalists in that category was our own tour guide,  Mayor Wharton.

Best Memphis Musician/Performer

Winner: Reggie Graham

Reggie Graham is a lead and background vocalist as well as keyboardist with 1-900 BAND. He’s been with the band since it was formed in 1989 and has developed a smooth and entertaining style charming enough to win a Memphis Most award.

1-900band.com

Finalist:  Elvis

elvis.com

Finalist:  Justin Timberlake

justintimberlake.com 

Best Local Band

Winner: 1-900 BAND

1-900 BAND gets props for versatility (country, oldies, R&B, jazz, pop/rock) and showing up for most any occasion to pump some life into the proceedings. With two lead singers — one male and one female — and a seasoned crew of instrumentalists, the outfit has kept the Mid-South bumping for more than 20 years.

1-900band.com

Finalist:  Funk DeVille

funkdeville.com

Finalist:  The Dempseys

regmemphis.com/artists/dempseys

Best Blues Artist

Winner: B.B. King

B.B. King can add a Memphis Most plaque to his well-populated trophy case. It’s a testament to his enduring musicianship and legendary status as a top bluesman that he just keeps on winning. Meaning, naturally, that the thrill is far from gone.

bbking.com

Finalist:  Al Green

algreenmusic.com

Finalist:  Will Tucker

willtuckermusic.com

Best Memphis Sports Team

Winner: U of M Tiger Basketball

U of M Tiger Basketball wins Memphis Most? Well yeah, welcome to Tiger Town — and as coach Josh Pastner heads into his second season, hopes, as always, run high. The young but savvy coach is working his players and the hope is that March 2011 will be a time of huge madness.

gotigersgo.com

Finalist:  Memphis Hustlin’ Rollers of Memphis Roller Derby

memphisrollerderby.com/teams/15-hustlin-rollers

Finalist:  Memphis Redbirds AAA baseball

memphis.redbirds.milb.com

Best College Athlete

Winner:  Elliot Williams

Hello, Elliot Williams; goodbye Elliot Williams. The 6-5 guard played basketball  for St. George’s in Collierville, went to Duke then transferred to the U of M, where he averaged 17.9 points as a sophomore last season. But he recently signed with the NBA’s Portland Trailblazers, a first-round pick, and it’s hard to say no to that.

gotigersgo.com

Finalist:  Wesley Witherspoon, University of Memphis basketball

gotigersgo.com

Finalist:  Willie Kemp, University of Memphis basketball

gotigersgo.com

Best Pro Athlete

Winner: DeAngelo Williams

So, Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams gets the Memphis Most award? Sure, why not? Unless you want to underestimate the appeal of this local talent. He was a 2006 first-round draft pick from the University of Memphis, and has rushed for 2,632 yards and scored 27 touchdowns the past two seasons, becoming one of the NFL’s elite running backs. He can score here, there and everywhere.

nfl.com/players/deangelowilliams/

profile?id=WIL221323

Finalist:  Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies

nba.com/playerfile/rudy_gay

Finalist:  Marc Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies

nba.com/playerfile/marc_gasol

Best Weathercaster

Winner: Dave Brown

Dave Brown loves to tout the new technologies that help figure out the storms coming our way, but as weather director and chief weathercaster for WMC-TV since May 1977, the best meteorological tool in Channel 5’s box is simply Dave Brown. Those decades of experience and being a lifelong resident of the region havehas made him a reliable favorite — plus he’s one very nice guy.

wmctv.com

Finalist:   Ron Childers of WMC-TV Channel 5

wmctv.com

Finalist:  Jim Jaggers of WREG-TV Channel 3

wreg.com

Best TV News

Winner: WMC’s Action News 5

WMC’s Action News 5 is still tops in the opinion of readers as they’ve snagged another Memphis Most win. For decades, the station’s newscasts have done well in the ratings and the staff has been familiar and trustworthy to viewers. Plus Andy Wise is there for you!

wmctv.com

Finalist:  WREG-TV News Channel 3

wreg.com

Finalist:  WHBQ-TV Fox 13 News

myfoxmemphis.com 

Best Radio Personality

Winner: Drake & Zeke

Drake & Zeke doubled up — they won the Memphis Most honor last year and now the princes of platters have done it again. Drake & Zeke in the Morning is on 98.1 The Max, which boasts maximum rock but plenty of attitude from D&Z live Monday through Friday, 6-10 a.m.,  plus an after-dark rebroadcast Monday through Thursday, 7-11 p.m.

drakezeke.com

Finalist:  Conley & Karen of WKQK-FM 94.1 94.1 KQK

941kqk.com

Finalist:  Bad Dog & Ric of WEGR-FM Rock 103 Rock 103

rock103.com

Best Columnist

Winner: Geoff Calkins

Geoff Calkins has been stirring up readers of The Commercial Appeal for years, mostly with his incisive sports commentary and lines like this: “Feel free to weep, if you’re a Grizzlies fan. Or upchuck, if you’d prefer.” But Calkins also makes forays with his column into political and everyday life in the Mid-South. But even with all of these accomplishments, plus repeat Memphis Most trophy wins, his burning goal in life is this: “I won’t rest until I beat Michael Donahue in the best hair category.”

Finalist:  Wendi Thomas, The Commercial Appeal

commercialappeal.com/staff/wendi-thomas

Finalist:  Jennifer Biggs, The Commercial Appeal

whiningdining.com

Best Business Leader

Winner:  Frederick W. Smith

Frederick W. Smith is founder, chairman, president and CEO of FedEx, the $35 billion company that makes it happen overnight, all over the world. His reach is global, but his interests remain local in his dedication to the well-being of the city. By the way, he’s not just admired by locals. Earlier this year, Bloomberg BusinessWeek asked President Barack Obama to name a chief executive he admires. The president’s absolute positive answer: Frederick W. Smith.

about.fedex.designcdt.com/

executive_bios/frederick_w_smith

Finalist:  A C Wharton, Memphis mayor

cityofmemphis.org

Finalist:  J.R. “Pitt” Hyde III, founder of AutoZone

autozoneinc.com