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Revision as of 00:06, 21 September 2024 by Poorlyglot (talk | contribs) (Fixed typo)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) List of prominent people from the state of TennesseeThis is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
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:
Contents:
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
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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
- 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
- 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 19th-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
- 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
- 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, educator
- Guilford Glazer, land developer
- Key Glock, rapper
- GloRilla, rapper
- 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
- 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
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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 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
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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
- 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
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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
- 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
See also
- By educational institution affiliation
- List of Baylor School alumni
- List of leaders of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
- List of Sewanee: The University of the South people
- List of Tennessee State University presidents
- List of University of Memphis people
- List of University of Tennessee people
- List of Vanderbilt University people
- By governmental office
- List of governors of Tennessee
- List of justices of the Tennessee Supreme Court
- List of lieutenant governors of Tennessee
- List of speakers of the Tennessee House of Representatives
- List of United States senators from Tennessee
- List of United States representatives from Tennessee
- By location
- 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
- Staff (October 26, 1976). "Death Takes H. E. Bailey H.E. Bailey Dead at 77".The Daily Coloradoan. pp. 1, 20. Retrieved April 7, 2021. "A native Tennessean, he first worked keeping the timebook on a Santa Fe railroad construction gang in Texas..."
- "Nikki Caldwell Accepts UCLA Head Coaching Job". WATE-TV. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
- "Nikki Caldwell Bio- LSUsports.net". Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- "Rapper Pooh Shiesty Pleads Guilty to Federal Conspiracy Charge". United States Department of Justice. January 4, 2022.
- Bliss, Jessica (June 24, 2016). "Nashville swimmer youngest Olympic Trials qualifier". The Tennessean. Retrieved November 24, 2021.