List of people from Tennessee

This 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: 

• 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

State flag of Tennessee

Location of Tennessee on the U.S. map

A

Doug Atkins

• 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

Kathy Bates

Kelsea Ballerini

Mookie Betts

Pat Boone

Corey Brewer

• 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 (1898/1899–1976)^[1]
• 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 (1932–2025), actor, comedian; born in Nashville
• Joseph W. Byrns (1869–1936), 14-term congressman; born in Cedar Hill

C

Tracy Caulkins

Kenny Chesney

Morgan Cox

Davy Crockett

Miley Cyrus

• 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

Natalia Dyer

• 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

Ric Flair

Aretha Franklin

Morgan Freeman

• Nikki Fargas, basketball coach; grew up in Oak Ridge^[2][3]
• 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

Ginnifer Goodwin

Sonny Gray

• 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

Carla Hall

Thelma Harper

Christina Hendricks

Todd Helton

Dont'a Hightower

Bailey Howell

• 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

Ed "Too Tall" Jones

• 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

Johnny Knoxville

• 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

Jerry Lawler

William P. Lawrence

• "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
• Arthur Lee, musician

• Bill Lee (born 1959), governor of Tennessee; born in Franklin

• 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

Mike Massey

Chris Moneymaker

Mary Noailles Murfree

• 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

Robert Neyland

• 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

Dolly Parton

Chad Pennington

Annie Potts

Elvis Presley

David Price

• 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

Jalen Ramsey

Wilma Rudolph

• 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

Sequoyah

Frederick W. Smith

Harrison Smith

Steve Spurrier

Pat Summitt

• 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^[4]
• 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 (1930–2022), 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

Justin Timberlake

Tina Turner

• 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

Kitty Wells

Nera White

Patrick Willis

Jason Witten

• 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^[5]
• 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

Alvin York

Chris Young

• 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

• Biography portal
• Lists portal
• United States portal
• Tennessee portal

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