List of people from Tennessee

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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:

## A
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*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
*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
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*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
*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, author, illustrator
*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
*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

## C
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*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 Seattle Storm of the Women's National Basketball Association
*Philander P. Claxton, educator
*Jim Clayton, housing developer
*Frank G. Clement, governor of Te
*John Ray Clemmons (born 1977), member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
*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 19th-century entertainer
*Edward Hull "Boss" Crump, politician, former mayor of Memphis
*John Cullum, actor
*Benny Cunningham, football player
*Lowell Cunningham, comic-book writer
*Brandi Cyrus, singer
*Miley Cyrus, singer
*Noah Cyrus, singer

## D
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*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
*Dan Evins, founder of Cracker Barrel

## F
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*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
*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
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*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, educator
*Guilford Glazer, land developer
*Ernest William Goodpasture, 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., 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, musician
*Justin Grimm, baseball player
*Red Grooms, artist

## H
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*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
*Bob Harper, personal trainer
*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
*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
*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
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*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
*Samuel L. Jackson, actor
*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
*Popeye Jones, basketball player
*Van Jones, environmental advocate
*Caleb Joseph, baseball player

## K
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*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
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*"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
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*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 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
*Robert Myers, football player

## N
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*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
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*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
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*Dave Ramsey, author, motivational speaker
*Jalen Ramsey, football player
*John Rankin, abolitionist
*John Crow Ransom, educator and critic
*Isaiah Rashad, rapper and songwriter 
*Wendell Rawls Jr., journalist
*Robbie Ray, baseball player
*Sam Rayburn, politician
*J. J. Redick, basketball player
*B. Carroll Reece
*Florence Patton Reece, folk singer
*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
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*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
*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
*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
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*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
*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 singer-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
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*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
*Reggie White, football player, Hall of Famer
*Ed Whitson, baseball pitcher
*John S. Wilder, politician
*Snootie Wild, rapper/singer
*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
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*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

## Related pages 
* List of people from Chattanooga, Tennessee
* List of people from Knoxville, Tennessee
* List of people from Memphis, Tennessee
* List of people from Nashville, Tennessee

## References