Biographical Records

Notable People from Tennessee

1,705 notable figures born in Tennessee, showing page 1 of 35, ranked by historical prominence.

Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
American singer, songwriter, and pianist (1942–2018)
1942 – 2018
soul musicianactivistsongwriter
Tina Turner
Tina Turner
American-born Swiss singer and songwriter (1939–2023)
1939 – 2023
autobiographerrecording artistdancer
Huell Howser
Huell Howser
American television personality (1945-2013)
1945 – 2013
film actortelevision actorvoice actor
James M. Buchanan
James M. Buchanan
American economist, recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize for Economics (1919–2013)
1919 – 2013
university teachereconomist
Cordell Hull
Cordell Hull
American politician, U.S. Secretary of State from 1933 to 1944
1871 – 1955
foreign ministerjuristdiplomat
Shannen Doherty
Shannen Doherty
American actress (1971–2024)
1971 – 2024
autobiographerfilm actortelevision actor
Dixie Carter
Dixie Carter
American actress (1939–2010)
1939 – 2010
television actorfilm actorvoice actor
Lisa Marie Presley
Lisa Marie Presley
American singer-songwriter (1968–2023)
1968 – 2023
pop singerfilm actortelevision actor
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
American musician and actor (1942-2008)
1942 – 2008
recording artistsaxophonistfilm actor
Edward Emerson Barnard
Edward Emerson Barnard
American astronomer and astronomical photographer (1857-1923)
1857 – 1923
university teacherphotographerastronomer
Michael Jeter
Michael Jeter
American actor (1952–2003)
1952 – 2003
film actortelevision actorvoice actor
Bessie Smith
Bessie Smith
American blues singer (1892–1937)
1894 – 1937
dancerstreet artistmime artist
Wilma Rudolph
Wilma Rudolph
American athlete (1940–1994)
1940 – 1994
sprinter
Davy Crockett
Davy Crockett
American frontiersman and politician (1786–1836)
1786 – 1836
trapperfrontiersmanexplorer
Ralphie May
Ralphie May
American stand-up comedian
1972 – 2017
stand-up comediantelevision actorpodcaster
David Farragut
David Farragut
United States Navy admiral (1801–1870)
1801 – 1870
military officeradmiralpolitician
James Agee
American author, journalist, poet, screenwriter and film critic (1909-1955)
1909 – 1955
autobiographerfilm directorlibrettist
Brad Renfro
Brad Renfro
American actor (1982–2008)
1982 – 2008
television actormusicianscreenwriter
Herman Cain
Herman Cain
American businessman (1945–2020)
1945 – 2020
presenterradio personalityjournalist
Carl Perkins
Carl Perkins
American guitarist
1932 – 1998
recording artistguitaristbandleader
Chet Atkins
Chet Atkins
American guitarist (1924–2001)
1924 – 2001
country musicianjazz musicianclassical guitarist
Dinah Shore
Dinah Shore
American singer and actress (1916-1994)
1916 – 1994
recording artistgolferfilm actor
Eliza McCardle Johnson
Eliza McCardle Johnson
First Lady of the United States from 1865 to 1869
1810 – 1876
politicianpresident
Steve Fossett
Steve Fossett
American businessman, record-setting aviator, sailor, and adventurer
1944 – 2007
explorerracing automobile drivermountaineer
Sarah Childress Polk
Sarah Childress Polk
First Lady of the United States from 1845 to 1849
1803 – 1891
politician
Emily Donelson
Emily Donelson
niece of U.S. President Andrew Jackson
1807 – 1836
politician
Sondra Locke
Sondra Locke
American actress (1944–2018)
1944 – 2018
autobiographerfilm actortelevision actor
Duane Allman
Duane Allman
American guitarist (1946–1971)
1946 – 1971
guitaristsongwritermusician
Anne Haney
American actress (1934–2001)
1934 – 2001
film actortelevision actorvoice actor
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Nathan Bedford Forrest
Confederate States Army general (1821-1877)
1821 – 1877
Brigadegeneralarmy officerslave trader
Hayden White
Hayden White
American historian (1928–2018)
1928 – 2018
literary scholarphilosopheruniversity teacher
Gregg Allman
Gregg Allman
American musician (1947–2017)
1947 – 2017
recording artistautobiographerrock musician
Bobby Bland
Bobby Bland
American soul & blues musician (1930–2013)
1930 – 2013
blues musicianmusiciansinger
Nancy Roman
Nancy Roman
American astronomer and principal in the Hubble Space Telescope project (1925-2018)
1925 – 2018
astronomer
Margaret Keane
American artist (1927–2022)
1927 – 2022
painterartist
Grace Moore
Grace Moore
American operatic soprano and actress in musical theatre and film (1898-1947)
1898 – 1947
film actorstage actorZiegfeld girl
William Walker
William Walker
American filibuster, physician, lawyer, journalist and mercenary (1824-1860)
1824 – 1860
filibusteradventurerjournalist
Leslie Jordan
Leslie Jordan
American actor (1955–2022)
1955 – 2022
film actortelevision actorstage actor
Polly Bergen
Polly Bergen
American actress, singer, entrepreneur (1930-2014)
1930 – 2014
television actorfilm actorstage actor
Maurice White
Maurice White
American musician (1941–2016)
1941 – 2016
recording artistpercussionistfilm score composer
Alvin York
Alvin York
United States Army Medal of Honor recipient (1887-1964)
1887 – 1964
diaristsoldiernational hero
Yusef Lateef
Yusef Lateef
American jazz multi-instrumentalist, composer, educator and spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (1920–2013)
1920 – 2013
jazz saxophonistrecording artistjazz musician
Scotty Moore
Scotty Moore
American guitarist (1931–2016)
1931 – 2016
guitaristmusicianaudio engineer
John Templeton
American-born British stock investor, businessman and philanthropist
1912 – 2008
patron of the artsfinanciermerchant
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Tennessee Ernie Ford
American recording artist and television host (1919–1991)
1919 – 1991
recording artisttelevision actorradio personality
Koko Taylor
Koko Taylor
American Chicago blues musician
1928 – 2009
musiciansingercomposer
Nikki Giovanni
Nikki Giovanni
American poet, writer and activist
1943 – 2024
pedagoguecivil rights advocateuniversity teacher
Junior Wells
Junior Wells
American Chicago blues vocalist, harmonica player, and recording artist (1934–1998)
1934 – 1998
blues musicianmusiciansinger
Donald "Duck" Dunn
Donald "Duck" Dunn
American bass guitarist, record producer and songwriter (1941–2012)
1941 – 2012
bass guitaristmusiciansongwriter
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