Columnist
Dan Conaway is a lifelong Memphian, fascinated and frustrated with his city, but still in love. A columnist since 2010, his distinguished advertising career has branded ribs in the Rendezvous and ducks in The Peabody, pandas in the zoo and Grizzlies in the NBA. Stories in Memphis tend to write themselves. He’s helped a few along. Two book collections of his columns have been published.
There are 321 articles by Dan Conaway :
“We, as a nation, can send and receive detailed and color-enhanced images from the depths of outer space revealing new galaxies and black holes, while we, as mere mortals, can’t find a cable or satellite service that can give us a dependable picture in a rain shower.”
Memphis is the heart of where we all live, and the reason it has a beat. That beat belongs to all of us, and all of us bear some responsibility for its health.
The Tennessee General Assembly is the sure-fire cure for writer’s block. The problem isn’t getting 750 to 1,000 words out of whatever they’re up to; the problem is stopping.
“Our return to civilization and the miraculous recovery of our internet connection.”
“There is both urgency and conviction here in what to do about the killing of Tyre Nichols, in what to do about police brutality, and it has national implications. We’re doing it. We must do it. And in memory of your gentle soul, Mr. Nichols, we must continue.”
A unique world-class park is taking shape on the riverfront. Renowned designers Studio Gang and Scape are taking their inspiration from the river in front of the park and inviting the entire city on the bluff behind it to enjoy it year-round.
“I firmly believe if Thomas (Boggs) was still with us, the Greensward parking controversy would have been solved over two beers and a burger.”
We’re showing all the originality of a bad band covering somebody else’s song, and not even a Memphis song at that.
“For a hundred Lents, words have been offered — mixed, seasoned, and served — from the pulpit of Calvary Episcopal Church just as ingredients have been from its kitchen below.”
Tennessee has officially and legislatively become a judgmental, vindictive, homophobic, misogynistic, intolerant, small-minded, history-denying, science-denying, racially insensitive if not racist, and holier-than-thou state simmering in its own toxic stew.
“Few of us, and certainly not this writer, can truly know the gift of immense talent and the impact of fame and mountains of money at age 23.”
“Cops know that putting a loaded gun on the hip of a teenager, or in the hands of a high school cheerleader, a ‘watch this’ bubba, or a something-to-prove street kid is guaranteed lethal.”
Getting away from it all is all around us, and — if only for a morning in the woods or an afternoon or day on the water, or in a peaceful moment of reflection — we need but see it.
“Dinner at his and Carol’s house, or five minutes on the phone, or two minutes in the corner of a theater lobby at intermission – be assured – you’d spit out whatever you were drinking.”
This city already pays less for light, gas and water than any other in Tennessee, and less than most cities in the country. If we really want to help the poor with their utilities, there are subsidies, sliding scales and credits.
“This adolescent muscle-flex, this junior high hissy fit, this racist knee-jerk, this blatant abuse of power, this embarrassing lack of judgment put Tennessee in the national spotlight again.”
“I didn’t mention that we put our house on the market that same day. Staged it, coughing. Fixed it, coughing. Moved ‘clutter' to storage, coughing. Then I moved into Methodist Germantown and left the rest to Nora.”
“Lies are fluid, based on fiction rather than fact, floating on a septic sea of deception, changing course to suit the lie, navigating an ever-false course, seeking an ever-false destination.”
“I’ve had as much fun inside windowless studio rooms working with Jack Parnell as in any space in a 52-year career.”
“Brian Kelsey is certainly not the only example of the moral bankruptcy of so much of our society; he’s just a ready and easy pick of low-hanging rotten fruit.”
“Instead of dealing with a deadly situation now — deadlier by the day — the council pushed a decision on the ordinances to a referendum in August of 2024 — more than a year from now.”
“With that tragic event came an understanding that we have the unique responsibility to reject everything that pulled that trigger, the national events and mindsets that were behind that bullet then and now.”
“If you’ve seen any of these before, just laugh again.”
“Cas Walker was a Knoxville grocer, promoter, broadcaster, politician, con man and character. He wasn’t in denial about his outrageous business practices and politics; he knew they were outrageous, and he was proud of every one of them.”
“Tennessee is flunking childhood education, and the valedictorian of that failure just might be Memphis.”