# List of people from Tennessee

The following is a list of prominent people who were born in the U.S. state of Tennessee, live (or lived) in Tennessee, or for whom Tennessee is significant part of their identity:
* Top
* A
* B
* C
* D
* E
* F
* G
* H
* I
* J
* K
* L
* M
* N
* O
* P
* Q
* R
* S
* T
* U
* V
* W
* X
* Y
* Z
* See also
* References

## A

* Roy Acuff (1903–1992), musician; born in Maynardville
* Charlie Adams, drummer
* Calpernia Addams (born 1971), transgender actress; born in Nashville
* James Agee (1909–1955); Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, screenwriter, poet, critic; born in Knoxville
* The Aldridge Sisters, singing duo on The Lawrence Welk Show (1977–1982)
* Jessi Alexander (born 1976), singer-songwriter; born in Jackson
* Lamar Alexander (born 1940), lawyer and U.S. Senator; born in Maryville
* Mo Alexander (born 1970), comedian; born in Memphis
* Duane Allman (1946–1971), guitarist; born in Nashville
* Gregg Allman (1947–2017), singer-songwriter, musician; born in Nashville
* Jarrod Alonge (born 1993), comedian and musician; lives in Chattanooga
* Monroe Dunaway Anderson, banker, cotton trader; from Jackson
* William R. Anderson (1921–2007), naval officer, politician; born in Humphreys County
* Lona Andre (1915–1992), actress, golfer; born in Nashville
* Jessica Andrews (born 1983), singer
* Jill Andrews, singer-songwriter, musician, born in Johnson City
* Lil Hardin Armstrong, jazz musician, wife of Louis Armstrong; from Memphis
* Eddy Arnold (1918–2008), singer; born in Henderson
* Victor Ashe, Knoxville mayor, Ambassador to Poland; born in Knoxville
* Chet Atkins (1924–2001), guitarist and record producer; born in Luttrell
* Doug Atkins (1930–2015), Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end primarily with Chicago Bears
* Rodney Atkins (born 1969), singer; born in Knoxville
* Estelle Axton (1918-2004), co-founder of Stax Records

## B

* Nathan L. Bachman (1878–1937), U.S. Senator
* DeFord Bailey (1897–1982), musician, Grand Ole Opry performer; from Smith County
* Ed Bailey (1931–2007), baseball player
* H. E. Bailey (1898 or 1899–1976)
* Howard Baker (1925–2014), politician, U.S. Senator and White House Chief of Staff; born in Huntsville
* Julien Baker (born 1995), singer-songwriter; born in Germantown, Tennessee
* Robert Baker (born 1979), actor; born in Memphis
* Kelsea Ballerini (born 1993), singer; born in Mascot, grew up in Knoxville
* Adrian Banks (born 1986), basketball player, 2011-12 top scorer in the Israel Basketball Premier League
* Ava Barber (born 1954), singer; born in Knoxville
* George Franklin Barber (1854–1915), architect; lived in Knoxville
* Ronnie Barrett (born 1954), firearms manufacturer; born in Murfreesboro
* Ross Bass (1918–1993), U.S. Senator
* William M. Bass (born 1928), forensic anthropologist
* William B. Bate (1826–1905), governor and U.S. Senator
* Daren Bates (born 1990), football player; born in Memphis
* Kathy Bates (born 1948), Academy Award-winning actress; born in Memphis
* Kate Batts (also known as The Bell Witch), mythic poltergeist
* Robin Beard (1939–2007), politician; born in Knoxville
* Casey Beathard, songwriter; from Spring Hill
* Bianca Belair (born 1989), WWE wrestler; born in Knoxville
* Bill Belichick (born 1952), head coach of New England Patriots; born in Nashville
* Brian Bell (born 1968), guitarist; from Knoxville
* John Bell (1796–1869), politician, Secretary of War under William Henry Harrison; from Mill Creek
* William Bell (born 1939), singer
* Jeff Bennett (born 1980), baseball pitcher; born in Donelson
* Aaron Benward (born 1973), singer
* Polly Bergen (1930–2014), actress, singer, entrepreneur; born in Knoxville
* George L. Berry (1882–1948), U.S. Senator
* Mookie Betts (born 1992), baseball player; born in Brentwood
* Greg Bird (born 1992), baseball player; born in Memphis
* Tarik Black, basketball player
* Joe Blanton (born 1980), baseball pitcher; born in Nashville
* Jerry Blevins (born 1983), baseball pitcher; born in Johnson City
* William Blount (1749–1800), statesman, governor and senator
* Willie Blount (1768–1835), early governor of Tennessee
* Julian Bond (1940–2015), activist, politician; born in Nashville
* Alexander Bonnyman Jr. (1910–1943), decorated U.S. Marine; raised in Knoxville
* Arna W. Bontemps (1902–1973), poet and novelist
* Maci Bookout, reality TV personality
* Pat Boone (born 1934), singer and actor; raised in Nashville
* Rachel Boston (born 1982), actress; born in Chattanooga
* Charles Boyce, syndicated cartoonist
* Craig Wayne Boyd (born 1978), singer, winner of NBC's The Voice season 7; resides in Nashville
* Richard Henry Boyd (1843–1922), founder, National Baptist Publishing Board
* Jarrett Boykin (born 1989), football player; born in Chattanooga
* Virginia Frazer Boyle (1863-1938), author, poet
* Rod Brasfield (1910–1958), comedian
* Corey Brewer (born 1986), basketball player; from Portland
* Bill Brock (1930–2021), U.S. Senator and U.S. Secretary of Labor
* Cary Brothers, indie rock singer-songwriter; from Nashville
* Rex Brothers (born 1987), baseball player; born in Murfreesboro
* Clarence Brown (1890–1987), film director; attended school in Knoxville
* John C. Brown (1827–1889), governor
* Marlon Brown (born 1991), football player; born in Memphis
* Neill S. Brown (1810–1896), governor
* Gordon Browning (1889–1976), governor
* Jonathan Browning (1805–1879), maker of firearms; born in Sumner County
* William Gannaway Brownlow (1805–1877), editor and governor
* James M. Buchanan, economist, Nobel laureate
* John P. Buchanan (1847–1930), governor
* Young Buck (born 1981), rapper
* Josh Bullocks (born 1983), football player; born in Chattanooga
* Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849–1924), English-born author; settled near Knoxville
* Morgan Burnett, football player; born in Memphis
* Kenneth C. Burns (1920–1989), musician, "Jethro" of Homer and Jethro
* Charles Burson (born 1944), chief of staff for Al Gore; grew up in Shelby County
* Kristian Bush (born 1970), singer; born in Knoxville
* Jake Butcher (1936–2017), banker and politician
* Carl Butler (1927–1992), singer-songwriter; born in Knoxville
* Derrick Byars (born 1984), basketball player; born in Memphis
* Bill Byrge (born 1932), actor, comedian; born in Nashville
* Joseph W. Byrns (1869–1936), 14-term congressman; born in Cedar Hill
* Bill Lee (born 1959), Governor of Tennessee;born in Franklin

## C

* Matt Cain, baseball pitcher
* Howard Caine, actor
* Mike Caldwell, football player
* Duke Calhoun, football player
* Mickey Callaway, baseball pitcher, coach
* Archie Campbell, entertainer, Hee Haw star
* William B. Campbell, governor
* Guy Carawan, folk musician
* Hattie Caraway, politician
* Deana Carter, singer
* Dixie Carter, actress
* Kellye Cash, 1987 Miss America
* June Carter Cash, singer
* Rosanne Cash, singer
* David Catching, singer
* John Catron, Supreme Court justice
* Tracy Caulkins, Olympic gold-medalist swimmer (born in Minnesota)
* Benjamin F. Cheatham, Confederate general
* Doc Cheatham, musician
* Kitty Cheatham, singer
* Richard Boone Cheatham, 19th-century mayor of Nashville
* Richard Cheatham, 19th-century congressman
* John R. Cherry III, film director
* Kenny Chesney, singer
* Henry Cho, comedian
* Tyson Clabo, football player
* Alysha Clark (born 1987), American-Israeli basketball player for the Israeli team Elitzur Ramla and the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
* Philander P. Claxton, educator
* Jim Clayton, housing developer
* Frank G. Clement, governor of Tennessee
* John Ray Clemmons (born 1977), member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
* Antonius Cleveland (born 1994), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Chad Clifton, football player
* Randall Cobb, football player
* Fred Coe, television producer and director
* Michael Coe, football player
* Lynnette Cole, Miss USA 2000
* Mark Collie, singer
* Todd Collins, football player
* Britton Colquitt, football player
* Dustin Colquitt, punter for NFL's Kansas City Chiefs
* Darby Conley, cartoonist
* Lester Conner, basketball player and coach
* Barry Cook, film director
* John Cooper, musician, lead singer of Christian rock band Skillet
* Prentice Cooper, governor
* Mary Costa, opera singer, actress
* Jerome Courtland, actor, director
* John I. Cox, governor
* Morgan Cox, football player
* Cylk Cozart, actor
* Zack Cozart, baseball player
* James Craig, actor
* David "Davy" Crockett, frontiersman, politician, hero of the Alamo
* Dixie Lee Crosby, early 20th-century entertainer
* Edward Hull "Boss" Crump, politician, former mayor of Memphis
* John Cullum, actor
* Benny Cunningham, football player
* Lowell Cunningham, comic-book writer
* Elizabeth Litchfield Cunnyngham, missionary and church worker
* Brandi Cyrus, singer
* Miley Cyrus, singer
* Noah Cyrus, singer

## D

* Rod Daniel, director
* Orleans Darkwa, football player
* Jeremy Davis, musician (originally from Arkansas)
* Bill Dedman, journalist
* Beauford Delaney, painter
* Tony Delk, basketball player
* Rick Dempsey, baseball player
* George Roby Dempster, inventor
* Jamie Denton, actor
* Cleavant Derricks, actor, singer-songwriter
* Clinton Derricks-Carroll, actor, musician
* Dale Dickey, actress
* R. A. Dickey, baseball pitcher
* Bobby Dodd, football coach
* Shannen Doherty, actress
* Andrew Jackson Donelson, diplomat
* Aaron Douglas, painter
* Christopher Douglas, actor
* Josh Drake, music educator
* Johnny Duncan, singer
* King Dunlap, football player
* Donald "Duck" Dunn (1941-2012), bassist
* Natalia Dyer, actress

## E

* Justin Townes Earle, musician
* John Early, comedian, actor
* Edward H. East, acting governor
* William Edmondson, folk art sculptor
* Lindsay Ellis, Youtuber, author
* Dan Evins, founder of Cracker Barrel

## F

* Nikki Fargas, basketball coach; grew up in Oak Ridge
* David Farragut, admiral
* Josh Farro, musician
* Zac Farro, musician
* Jerome Felton, football player
* Larry Finch, basketball player
* Chad Finchum, NASCAR driver
* Finesse2tymes, rapper
* Ric Flair, professional wrestler
* Lester Flatt, musician
* Bruce Fleisher, golfer
* Shelby Foote, author
* Colin Ford, actor
* Harold Ford Jr., politician
* Tennessee Ernie Ford, entertainer
* Nathan Bedford Forrest, American Civil War officer
* Logan Forsythe, baseball player
* Abe Fortas, U.S. Supreme Court justice
* Ramon Foster, football player
* Megan Fox, actress
* Aretha Franklin, singer
* Aubrayo Franklin
* James B. Frazier, governor
* Morgan Freeman, Academy Award-winning actor
* Bill Frist, physician and politician
* Phillip Fulmer, football coach

## G

* A. H. Garland (1832–1899), politician; born in Tipton County
* Phil Garner, baseball player and manager
* Marc Gasol, basketball player
* Jacob Gentry, film director
* Annie Somers Gilchrist, writer
* Jim Gilliam, baseball player
* Nikki Giovanni (1943–2024), poet and educator
* Guilford Glazer, land developer
* Key Glock, rapper
* GloRilla, rapper
* Ernest William Goodpasture (1886–1960), physician
* Ginnifer Goodwin, actress
* Al Gore, former Tennessee Senator, 45th Vice President of the United States under Bill Clinton (1993–2001), and 2000 Democratic nominee for president
* Albert Gore, Sr. (1907–1998), politician, senator, father of Al Gore
* Yo Gotti, rapper
* Lou Graham, golfer, 1975 U.S. Open champion
* Aaron Grant, football player
* Sonny Gray, baseball player
* Jack Greene (1930–2013), musician
* Justin Grimm, baseball player
* Red Grooms, artist

## H

* Keith Habersberger, Youtuber, musician
* Wayne Haddix, football player
* Lucy Hale, actress and singer; Pretty Little Liars
* Alex Haley, author
* Carla Hall, chef
* George Hamilton, actor
* Ken Hamlin, football player
* W.C. Handy, composer
* Anne Haney, actress
* Jack Hanna, zookeeper
* William Happer, physicist
* Penny Hardaway, basketball player
* Chris Hardwick, comedian, actor, television personality, and host of At Midnight with Chris Hardwick; born in Kentucky but raised in Memphis
* Greg Hardy, football player
* Bill Harlow, freestyle and folkstyle wrestler
* Bob Harper, personal trainer
* Demonte Harper (born 1989), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Thelma Harper, U.S. Senator
* George "Two Ton" Harris, professional wrestler
* Isham G. Harris, governor and U.S. Senator
* Mary Styles Harris, biologist, geneticist
* Phil Harris, actor, singer, bandleader
* Lori Harvey, model
* Dennis Haskins, actor
* James Haslam Jr., businessman, owner of NFL's Cleveland Browns
* Trenton Hassell, basketball player
* Donald Hawkins, football player
* Whit Haydn, magician
* Isaac Hayes, musician and actor
* Henry D. Haynes, "Homer" of Homer and Jethro
* Thomas "The Hitman" Hearns, boxer
* Todd Helton, baseball player
* Christina Hendricks, actress
* Elaine Hendrix, actress
* Dwight Henry, actor, baker
* Jim Hickman, baseball player
* Dont'a Hightower, football player
* Hunter Hillenmeyer, football player
* Thomas C. Hindman, Confederate general
* Will Hoge, musician
* Charles O. (Chad) Holliday, chief executive officer of Bank of America
* Austin Hollins (born 1991), basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Rick Honeycutt, baseball pitcher and coach
* The Honky Tonk Man, professional wrestler
* John Jay Hooker, attorney
* Benjamin Hooks, minister, NAACP director
* Ben W. Hooper, governor
* Ed Hooper, author
* Myles Horton, educator
* Sam Houston, soldier and politician
* Bailey Howell, basketball player
* Allan B. Hubbard, National Economic Council Director
* Dakota Hudson, baseball player
* Dick Hudson, football player
* Thomas Hughes, English author of Tom Brown's School Days; founded Rugby, Tennessee
* Yolanda Hughes-Heying, IFBB professional bodybuilder
* Cordell Hull, U.S. Secretary of State; recipient, Nobel Peace Prize
* Claude Humphrey, football player
* Con Hunley, singer
* Courtney Hunt, screenwriter and director
* Alberta Hunter, blues singer
* Les Hunter, basketball player
* Dennis Hwang, graphic artist

## J

* Juicy J, rapper and producer
* Al Jackson Jr. (1935-1975), drummer
* Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States (1829–1837)
* Howell Edmunds Jackson, Supreme Court Justice
* Quinton Jackson, former UFC light heavyweight champion; born in Memphis
* Mark Jacoby, performer
* Claude Jarman Jr., actor
* Jeff Jarrett, professional wrestler
* Josh Jasper (born 1987), All-American college football player (placekicker)
* Carol Mayo Jenkins, actress
* Chad Jenkins, baseball player
* John Jenkins, basketball player
* William L. Jenkins, U.S. House of Representatives (R-TN-01) (1997–2007)
* John Jerry, football player
* Peria Jerry, football player
* Michael Jeter, actor
* Andrew Johnson, 17th President of the United States (1865–1869)
* Thomas Johnson, football player
* Cave Johnson, politician and U.S. Postmaster General (1865–1869)
* Allan Jones, businessman and founder of Check Into Cash
* Booker T. Jones (born 1944), multi-instrumentalist and songwriter
* Cherry Jones, actress
* Christopher Jones, actor
* Ed "Too Tall" Jones, football player
* Jesse Holman Jones, politician
* Mary Jane Richardson Jones, abolitionist and activist
* Popeye Jones, basketball player
* Van Jones, environmental advocate
* Caleb Joseph, baseball player

## K

* Huda Kattan, CEO Huda Beauty
* Margaret Keane, artist
* Josh Kear, songwriter
* Josephine E. Keating, musician, music teacher, critic
* Estes Kefauver, U.S. Senator
* David Keith, actor
* Frank B. Kelso II, admiral
* K.Michelle, singer
* Kem, singer
* Tony Kemp, baseball player
* Kesha, singer
* Daniel Kilgore, football player
* Johnny Knoxville, actor
* Rachel Korine, actress
* Bill Kovach, journalist
* Joseph Wood Krutch, naturalist

## L

* "Nature Boy" Buddy Landel, professional wrestler
* Dan Landrum, hammered-dulcimer player
* Walter Lang, film director
* Lucille La Verne, actress
* Jerry "The King" Lawler, professional wrestler
* Renee Lawless, actress, singer
* William P. Lawrence, U.S. Navy Vice admiral (United States)
* Arthur Lee, musician
* Clyde Lee, basketball player
* Kai-Fu Lee, Google executive
* Adriane Lenox, actress
* D. D. Lewis, football player
* Steve Liddle, baseball coach
* Beth Littleford, actress, comedian
* Sondra Locke, actress
* Z. Alexander Looby, lawyer
* Horace Harmon Lurton, Supreme Court justice
* Dustin Lynch, singer
* Andrew Nelson Lytle, novelist

## M

* Jean (Faircloth) MacArthur, heiress, wife of General Douglas MacArthur
* "Uncle Dave" Macon, musician and comedian
* Bill Madlock, baseball player
* Matt Mahaffey, musician
* Johnny Majors, football coach
* Delbert Mann, screenwriter and director
* Nick Marable, freestyle and folkstyle wrestler
* Jamie Marchi, voice actress
* Shawn Marion, basketball player
* Sterling Marlin, two-time Daytona 500 winner
* Wink Martindale, television personality
* Shaq Mason, football player
* Christopher Massey, actor, rapper
* Mike Massey, professional pool player
* Matthew Fontaine Maury, oceanographer, astronomer
* William Gibbs McAdoo, politician
* Hill McAlister, governor
* Macon McCalman, actor
* Cormac McCarthy, novelist
* Tim McCarver, baseball player and broadcaster
* Byron McKeeby, artist and educator
* Ted McClain, basketball player
* Jacques McClendon, football player
* Michael McDonald, singer
* Brownie McGhee, musician
* Stick McGhee, musician
* Ralph McGill, journalist
* Kenneth McKellar, politician
* Reggie McKenzie, football player and executive
* Bill McKinney, actor
* Ellen McLain, opera singer, voice actress
* Jon Meacham, publishing executive
* Jodie Meeks, basketball player
* Ron Mercer, basketball player
* Cary Middlecoff, golfer
* Jerry Minor, actor
* Mike Minor, baseball pitcher
* John Mitchell, baseball pitcher
* Chris Moneymaker, poker player; from Knoxville
* Ashley Monroe, singer
* Grace Moore, opera soprano
* Shelly Moore, Miss Teen USA 1997
* Craig Morgan, singer
* Lorrie Morgan, singer
* Bryan Morris, baseball player
* Gideon Morris, trans-Appalachian pioneer and founder of Morristown
* Ricky Morton, professional wrestler
* Anson Mount, writer
* James Cole Mountflorence, 19th-century diplomat
* Mary Noailles Murfree, author
* Robert Myers, football player

## N

* Elise Neal, actress
* Patricia Neal, Academy Award-winning actress
* Lindsey Nelson, sportscaster
* Johnny Neumann, basketball player
* Josef Newgarden, Indy Car driver
* Robert Neyland, UT Vols football coach, namesake for Neyland Stadium
* Alfred O. P. Nicholson, politician
* Bishop James Daniel Niedergeses, clergyman
* Kenneth Nixon, musician

## O

* Adolph Ochs, publisher
* Oconostota
* Joe O'Donnell, photojournalist
* Michael Oher, football player
* Joe Oliver, baseball player
* Frank Omiyale, football player
* Randall Keith Orton, professional wrestler
* Claude Osteen, baseball pitcher
* Jimmy Outlaw, baseball player
* Park Overall, actress
* Chord Overstreet, actor, singer
* Major Owens, politician

## P

* Bettie Page, model
* John Palmer, television journalist
* Matt Palmer, baseball pitcher
* Hermes Pan, choreographer
* Paramore, four members from Franklin
* Lara Parker, actress
* Cindy Parlow, soccer player and coach
* Chris Parnell, comedian
* Wes Parsons, baseball pitcher
* Hope Partlow, singer
* Dolly Parton, singer and actress
* Randy Parton, singer
* Stella Parton, actress
* Elizabeth Patterson, actress
* Quinton Patton, NFL player
* Cameron Payne, NBA player
* Waylon Payne, singer
* Minnie Pearl, comedian and Grand Ole Opry star
* Puggy Pearson, professional poker player
* Chad Pennington, NFL player
* Sydney Penny, actress
* Carl Perkins, musician
* Michael Peterson, novelist, criminal
* John J. Pettus, 23rd Governor of Mississippi (1859–1863)
* John M. Pickard, actor
* Landon Pigg, singer
* Vada Pinson, baseball player
* Dontari Poe, NFL player
* Antoinette Van Leer Polk, southern belle and Baroness de Charette
* James K. Polk, 11th President of the United States (1845–1849)
* Leonidas Polk, bishop
* VanLeer Polk, politician
* Sarah Childress Polk, First Lady of the United States, wife of President James K. Polk
* Drew Pomeranz, baseball pitcher
* James D. Porter, governor
* Annie Potts, actress
* Casey Prather (born 1991), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Elvis Presley, "king of rock and roll", actor
* David Price, baseball pitcher
* Tommy Prothro, football coach
* Will Provine, historian of science
* Missi Pyle, actress and singer

## Q

* DJ Qualls, actor
* Jimmy Quillen, politician

## R

* Dave Ramsey, author, motivational speaker
* Jalen Ramsey, football player
* John Rankin, abolitionist
* John Crow Ransom, educator and critic
* Isaiah Rashad, rapper and songwriter
* Wallace Rasmussen, businessman and philanthropist
* Wendell Rawls Jr., journalist
* Robbie Ray, baseball player
* Sam Rayburn, politician
* J. J. Redick, basketball player
* B. Carroll Reece
* Florence Patton Reece, folk singer
* Kennedy J. Reed, theoretical atomic physicist
* Jerry Reese, football executive
* Brad Renfro, actor
* Garrett Reynolds, football player
* Cynthia Rhodes, actress, singer
* Grantland Rice, sportswriter
* Herb Rich (1928–2008), 2x All-Pro NFL football player
* John S. Roane, 4th Governor of Arkansas (1849–1852)
* Lee Roberson, educator
* Rick Roberson, basketball player
* Albert H. Roberts, governor
* James Robertson, explorer
* Oscar Robertson, basketball player
* Pat Robertson, televangelist
* Olan Rogers, comedian, actor
* John Ross, Cherokee chief
* Mitch Rouse, actor and director
* Vic Rouse, basketball player
* Mason Rudolph, golfer
* Wilma Rudolph, athlete, Olympic gold medalist
* Campy Russell, basketball player
* Fred Russell, sportswriter
* Thomas Clarke Rye, governor

## S

* Christine Sadler, journalist
* Shane Salerno, screenwriter
* Chip Saltsman, politician
* William Sanderson, actor, Newhart, Deadwood, True Blood
* Paul Satterfield, actor
* Clarence Saunders, grocer
* Dan Schneider, television producer
* Aaron Schoenfeld (born 1990), Major League Soccer player
* Tom Schulman, screenwriter
* John T. Scopes, schoolteacher
* Alvin Scott, basketball player
* Hillary Scott, lead singer of Lady Antebellum
* Josey Scott, lead singer of Saliva
* Rhea Seddon, astronaut
* John Seigenthaler, television journalist
* John Michael Seigenthaler, television journalist
* Gerald Sensabaugh, football player
* Dewitt Clinton Senter, governor
* Sequoyah, polymath of the Cherokee Nation
* John Sevier, one of Tennessee's founding fathers
* Paul Shanklin, satirist
* Vicellous Reon Shannon, actor, The Hurricane, 24 Season 1
* Cybill Shepherd, actress
* William Shepherd, astronaut
* T. G. Sheppard, singer
* George Sherrill, baseball pitcher
* John K. Shields, U.S. Senator
* Pooh Shiesty, rapper
* Dinah Shore, singer, actress and television personality
* Daniel Simberloff, biologist
* Walt Simonson, comic book writer/artist
* Benjamin "Pap" Singleton, activist
* Jonathan Singleton, singer-songwriter
* Bessie Smith, singer
* Bingo Smith, basketball player
* Brent Smith, lead singer of Shinedown
* Carl Smith, singer
* Daniel Smith, surveyor
* Frederick W. Smith, businessman
* Harrison Smith, football player
* Lane Smith, actor
* Lee Smith, football player
* Rachel Smith, Miss USA 2007
* Bobby Sowell (born 1947), musician, songwriter
* Richard Speight Jr., actor
* Steve Spurrier, football coach
* Bethany Stahl, author
* Edwin Starr, singer
* Alfred Steele, CEO of PepsiCo
* Lewie Steinberg (1933-2016), bassist
* Ricky Stenhouse Jr., NASCAR driver
* Andrew Stevens, actor and producer
* Morgan Stevens, actor
* Jim Stewart (born 1930), record producer and co-founder of Stax Records
* Tom Stewart, U.S. Senator
* James Stone, football player
* John M. Stone, politician
* Tyler Stone (born 1991), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Harry Stonecipher, aviation executive
* Thomas S. Stribling, writer
* Samuel Stritch, archbishop
* Pat Summitt, basketball coach
* Frank Sutton, actor
* Grady Sutton, actor
* Lynn Swann, football player
* Austin Swift, actor, brother of Taylor Swift
* Taylor Swift, singer-songwriter and record producer

## T

* George Taliaferro, football player
* Edward Talley, soldier; Medal of Honor recipient
* Roscoe Tanner, tennis player
* James Tappan (1825–1906), politician, lawyer, and Confederate general; born in Franklin
* Quentin Tarantino, film director, actor, and screenwriter; born in Knoxville
* Allen Tate, poet
* Golden Tate, football player
* Alfred A. Taylor, governor
* Jordan Taylor, YouTuber
* Peter Taylor, author
* Robert Love Taylor, governor and U.S. Senator
* Adonis Thomas (born 1993), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
* Carla Thomas (born 1942), singer, dubbed "the Queen of Memphis Soul"
* J. Karen Thomas, actress, singer
* Jake Thomas, actor
* Lane Thomas, baseball player
* Hugh F. Thomason (1826–1893), politician; born in Smith County
* Fred Dalton Thompson, politician and actor
* Three 6 Mafia
* Faye Throneberry, baseball player
* Marv Throneberry, baseball player
* Isaac Tigrett, businessman, founder of Hard Rock Cafe
* Justin Timberlake, singer and actor
* Mageina Tovah, actress; Joan of Arcadia, the Spider-Man films
* Andrew Triggs, baseball player
* Cal Turner, co-founder of Dollar General
* Elston Turner, basketball player
* James Luther Turner, co-founder of Dollar General
* Tina Turner, singer
* Peter Turney, governor

## U

* Ryan Upchurch, country music songwriter and rapper
* Reggie Upshaw (born 1995), basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League
* Usher, entertainer

## V

* Anthony Wayne Van Leer, iron works owner
* Gore Verbinski, actor and director
* Lark Voorhies, actress

## W

* Bill Wade, football player
* Chuck Wagner, actor
* Leon Wagner, baseball player
* Barbara Jo Walker, Miss America 1947
* William Walker, lawyer, journalist
* Randall Wallace, screenwriter and director
* Gretchen Walsh, swimmer
* Herbert S. Walters, U.S. Senator
* Darrell Waltrip, auto racer, winner of 1989 Daytona 500
* Calvin Ward, soldier; Medal of Honor recipient
* Koko B. Ware, professional wrestler
* Mary Ware, poet and writer
* Taylor Ware, singer
* William W. Watkins (1826–1898), politician; born in Jefferson County
* Cameron Watson, actor and director
* Robert Penn Warren, author
* David Weathers, baseball pitcher
* Lucy Webb, comedian
* Ida B. Wells, journalist (originally from Mississippi)
* Kitty Wells, singer
* Scott Wells, football player
* David West, baseball pitcher
* Red West, stuntman, actor, associate of Elvis Presley
* James Westerfield, actor
* Kent Whitaker, culinary writer, chef (born in Kentucky, raised in Nashville)
* Hugh Lawson White, politician
* Nera White, basketball player
* Reggie White, football player, Hall of Famer
* Ed Whitson, baseball pitcher
* John S. Wilder, politician
* Snootie Wild, rapper
* Dan Williams, football player
* Elliot Williams, basketball player
* Hank Williams III, singer
* Hayley Williams, singer for Paramore (originally from Mississippi)
* Louis Williams, basketball player
* Shawne Williams, basketball player
* Sonny Boy Williamson, blues musician
* Patrick Willis, football player
* Cedrick Wilson, football player
* E. Bright Wilson, chemist
* Oprah Winfrey, talk show host, actress, producer (originally from Mississippi)
* Don Wise, saxophonist, music producer, songwriter
* Tim Wise, activist
* Reese Witherspoon, Academy Award-winning actress
* Jason Witten, football player, Dallas Cowboys
* Brandan Wright, basketball player
* Clyde Wright, baseball pitcher
* K. J. Wright, football player

## Y

* Susan Yeagley, actress
* Moneybagg Yo, rapper
* Alvin York, World War I soldier who captured 132 Germans almost single-handedly, Sergeant York
* Taylor York, guitarist
* Bob Young, TV producer
* Young Buck, rapper
* Chris Young, singer, winner of Nashville Star
* Thaddeus Young, basketball player

## Z

* Chris Zachary, baseball player
* Felix Zollicoffer, American Civil War general, congressman