List of people from Knoxville, Tennessee

The following is a list of notable people who have lived in Knoxville, Tennessee . For University of Tennessee students and alumni not otherwise associated with Knoxville, see List of University of Tennessee people.

Art and architecture

Self-portrait by American artist Catherine Wiley (1879–1958)

• Charles I. Barber (1887–1962), architect
• George Franklin Barber (1854–1915), architect ^[1]
• Albert Baumann, Jr. (1897–1952), architect
• Albert Baumann, Sr. (1861–1942), architect
• Joseph Baumann (1844–1920), architect
• Lloyd Branson (1853–1925), painter
• Darby Conley (b. 1970), cartoonist, Get Fuzzy ^[2]
• Beauford Delaney (1901–1979), painter
• Joseph Delaney (1904–1991), painter
• DeWitt Sanford Dykes Sr. (1903–1991), architect, Methodist minister ^[3]
• R. F. Graf (1865–1929), architect
• Thomas Hope (1757–1820), architect
• Dennis Hwang (b. 1978), graphic artist for Google and Niantic
• Joseph Knaffl (1861–1938), photographer
• Adelia Armstrong Lutz (1859–1931), painter
• Bruce McCarty (1920–2013), architect
• T. M. Schleier (1832–1908), photographer
• Catherine Wiley (1879–1958), painter

Business and industry

• Alexander Arthur (1846–1912), entrepreneur
• Jake Butcher (1936–2017), rogue banker and gubernatorial candidate
• Eldad Cicero Camp (1839–1920), coal tycoon
• Ashley Capps (b. 1955), AC Entertainment founder, co-creator of Bonnaroo Music Festival ^[4]
• George Dempster (1887–1964), inventor of the Dempster-Dumpster, mayor of Knoxville
• Guilford Glazer (1921–2014), real estate developer and philanthropist ^[5]
• Dee Haslam (b. 1954), CEO of RIVR Media
• Jim Haslam (b. 1930), founder of Pilot Corp. ^[6]
• Jimmy Haslam (b. 1954), owner of the Cleveland Browns
• Cal Johnson (1844–1925), saloon and racetrack owner
• Peter Kern (1835–1907), confectioner, founder of Kern's Bakery
• Joseph Alexander Mabry, Jr. (1826–1882), entrepreneur ^[7]
• Charles McClung McGhee (1828–1907), railroad tycoon
• William J. Oliver (1867–1925), contractor and manufacturer, original low bidder for the construction of the Panama Canal
• Edward J. Sanford (1831–1902), manufacturing tycoon
• Hugh W. Sanford (1879–1961), president of Sanford-Day Iron Works, chief of ferro-alloys section of the War Industries Board ^[8]
• James G. Sterchi (1867–1932), furniture tycoon
• Dave Thomas (1932–2002), restaurant owner, founder of Wendy's ^[9]
• Cas Walker (1902–1998), grocery store magnate, radio and television personality
• Chris Whittle (b. 1947), entrepreneur, founder of Channel One News and Edison Schools

Education

• Eben Alexander (1851–1910), Greek language scholar and ambassador
• Charles W. Cansler (1871–1953), Austin High School principal, civil rights advocate and author
• William Henderson Franklin (1852–1935), educator, minister, journalist, and founder of Swift Memorial College ^{[10] [11] [12]}
• Thomas William Humes (1815–1892), president of the University of Tennessee (1865–1883)
• Harcourt Morgan (1867–1950), president of the University of Tennessee (1919–1934), director and chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority

Entertainment

Polly Bergen in 1953

• Kelsea Ballerini (b. 1993), singer-songwriter
• Bianca Belair (b. 1989), professional wrestler ^[13]
• Polly Bergen (1930–2014), actress, singer
• Natalie Bible' (b. 1983), film director
• Clarence Brown (1890–1987), film director
• Archie Campbell (1914–1987), television personality
• Henry Cho (b. 1962), comedian, actor
• Simeon Coxe (1938–2020), musician, pioneer of electronic music
• Cylk Cozart (b. 1957), actor
• John Cullum (b. 1930), Tony Award-winning actor and singer ^[14]
• Dale Dickey (b. 1961), actress
• Harry Fujiwara (1935–2016), better known as "Mr. Fuji," professional wrestler ^[15]
• Christina Hendricks (b. 1975), actress ^{[16] [ unreliable source? ]}
• Glenn Jacobs (b. 1967), better known as "Kane," professional wrestler, Knox County mayor ^[17]
• Jeff Jarrett (b. 1967), professional wrestler ^[18]
• David Keith (b. 1954), actor
• Johnny Knoxville (b. 1971), actor and daredevil, changed his last name in reference to his hometown ^[9]
• Jamie Marchi (b. 1977), actress
• Patricia Neal (1926–2010), Academy Award-winning actress ^[9]
• Lillian Randolph (1898–1980), actress
• Brad Renfro (1982–2008), actor ^[9]
• Cailee Spaeny (b.1998), actress born in Knoxville but raised in Missouri
• Quentin Tarantino (b. 1963), Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director ^[9]
• Bob Thomas (b. 1954), radio personality, actor, writer
• Jake Thomas (b. 1990), actor ^[9]
• Tina Wesson (b. 1960), contestant, Survivor television series; winner of Survivor: The Australian Outback

Military

CINCPAC ADM Weisner

• Alexander Bonnyman Jr. (1910–1943), Medal of Honor recipient; killed in action during the Battle of Tarawa
• Roddie Edmonds (1919–1985), World War II POW credited with saving the lives of Jewish service members; honored as Righteous Among the Nations
• David Farragut (1801–1870), Civil War (Union) admiral ^[19]
• Norman C. Gaddis (1923–2024), Air Force general and Vietnam War POW
• Thomas C. Hindman (1828–1868), Civil War (Confederate) general
• Bruce K. Holloway (1912–1999), Commander-in-Chief of the Strategic Air Command (1968–1972)
• Lawrence Tyson (1861–1929), World War I general and United States Senator
• Maurice F. Weisner (1917–2006), admiral, Commander-in-Chief of United States Pacific Command, 1976–1979

Music

Rodney Atkins in 2009

• Roy Acuff (1903–1992), country music singer
• Sheila Aldridge (b. 1956), country music singer, the Aldridge Sisters ^[20]
• Sherry Aldridge (b. 1954), country music singer, the Aldridge Sisters ^[20]
• Chet Atkins (1924–2001), country music guitarist
• Rodney Atkins (b. 1969), country musician
• Kelsea Ballerini (b. 1993), country music artist
• Ava Barber (b. 1954), country music singer, featured performer from The Lawrence Welk Show ^[21]
• Dave Barnes (b. 1978), singer/songwriter/musician
• Brian Bell (b. 1968), guitarist for the band Weezer
• Didi Benami (b. 1986), singer/songwriter, top-ten American Idol finalist
• Chris Blue (b. 1990), singer/songwriter, The Voice season 12 winner
• Kenny Chesney (b. 1968), country musician ^[9]
• Ashley Cleveland (b. 1957), gospel musician
• Mary Costa (b. 1930), opera singer, voice of Briar Rose / Princess Aurora in Disney's 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty
• Jerome Courtland (1926–2012), actor and director
• John Davis (b. 1974), musician, lead singer of Superdrag ^[22]
• The Dirty Works, punk band
• Don Everly (1937–2021), early rock-and-roll singer, the Everly Brothers
• Phil Everly (1939–2014), early rock-and-roll singer, the Everly Brothers
• Con Hunley (b. 1945), country music artist
• Ryan Kinder (b. 1988), country music artist
• Phil Leadbetter (b. 1962), bluegrass musician
• Briston Maroney (b. 1998), folk rock musician
• Harry McClintock (1882–1957), folk musician, "The Big Rock Candy Mountains"
• Mary McDonald, sacred music composer
• Brownie McGhee (1915–1996), blues musician
• Stick McGhee (1917–1961), blues musician
• Ashley Monroe (b. 1986), country singer
• Grace Moore (1898–1947), opera singer ^[23]
• Joseph Patrick Moore (b. 1969), jazz composer, bassist, arranger, producer ^[24]
• Bobby Ogdin (b. 1945), musician
• Nick Raskulinecz (b. 1970), Grammy Award-winning record producer ^[25]
• Florence Reece (1900–1986), folk songwriter; coal mining labor activist ^[26]
• Emily Ann Roberts (b. 1998), singer/songwriter, The Voice runner-up
• Brent Smith (b. 1978), rock singer, lead vocalist for Shinedown
• Richard Aaker Trythall (1939–2022), composer and pianist
• Myra Brooks Turner (1936–2017), composer
• 10 Years, alternative rock band
• Whitechapel, deathcore band

Politics and law

Justice Edward Terry Sanford, 1865-1930

• Robert H. Adams (1792–1830), United States Senator from Mississippi ^[27]
• Alexander O. Anderson (1794–1869), United States Senator
• Victor Ashe (b. 1945), former mayor, U.S. Ambassador to Poland
• George W. Baxter (1855–1929), territorial governor of Wyoming
• William Blount (1749–1800), Constitutional Convention delegate, Governor of the Southwest Territory, United States Senator
• William G. "Parson" Brownlow (1805–1877), publisher of the Knoxville Whig , Governor of Tennessee, United States Senator ^[28]
• Tim Burchett (born 1964), U.S. representative for Tennessee ^[29]
• John Hervey Crozier (1812–1889), U.S. congressman
• James Alexander Fowler (1863–1955), U.S. Assistant Attorney General and Knoxville mayor
• Lizzie Crozier French (1851–1926), women's suffragist
• Lucius F. C. Garvin (1841–1922), former governor of Rhode Island
• Sion Harris (1811–1854), member of the Liberian legislature
• Bill Haslam (b. 1958), Governor of Tennessee, former mayor of Knoxville
• William H. Hastie (1904–1976), U.S. Virgin Islands governor, first African American federal appellate court judge ^[30]
• Leonidas Houk (1836–1891), U.S. congressman
• Ray Jenkins (1897–1980), attorney, Senate counsel during the Army-McCarthy Hearings
• Horace Maynard (1814–1882), U.S. congressman and postmaster general
• William Gibbs McAdoo (1863–1941), U.S. Secretary of the Treasury
• Lee McClung (1870–1914), U.S. Treasurer
• John Randolph Neal, Jr. (1876–1959), law professor, Scopes Trial attorney
• T.A.R. Nelson (1812–1873), U.S. congressman
• John Reinhardt (1920–2016), diplomat
• Glenn Reynolds (b. 1960), legal academic and blogger ^[31]
• James Herman Robinson (1907–1972), clergyman, founder of Operation Crossroads Africa
• Edward Terry Sanford (1865–1930), U.S. Supreme Court justice
• John Sevier (1745–1815), pioneer and soldier, first governor of Tennessee ^[32]
• William Henry Sneed (1812–1869), U.S. congressman
• Oliver Perry Temple (1820–1907), attorney, judge, and historian
• Hugh Lawson White (1773–1840), United States Senator, presidential candidate
• James White (1747–1820), pioneer, founder of Knoxville
• John Williams (1778–1837), United States Senator
• William F. Yardley (1844–1924), attorney, first African American to run for governor of Tennessee

Science

• William M. Bass (b. 1928), founder of the University of Tennessee's Body Farm; author of Death's Acre
• Randall Collins (b. 1941), sociologist and author
• Weston Fulton (1871–1946), meteorologist, inventor
• Jack Hanna (b. 1947), zoologist
• Lexemuel Ray Hesler (1919–1977), mycologist ^[33]
• Gerald North (b. 1938), climatologist^{[ citation needed ]}
• Helen Smith, forensic psychologist

Sports

Pat Summitt

• Erik Ainge (b. 1986), former NFL quarterback and sports radio personality
• Trevor Bayne (b. 1991), NASCAR driver and 2011 Daytona 500 winner
• Chad Bell (b. 1989), Major League Baseball player
• Ralph Boston (1939–2023), Olympic athlete
• John Bruhin (b. 1964), NFL player
• Ken Burkhart (1916–2004), MLB player and umpire
• Brett Carroll (b. 1982), MLB player
• Joey Clinkscales (b. 1964), NFL player and executive
• Reggie Cobb (1968–2019), NFL running back
• Mike Cofer (1960–2019), NFL linebacker
• Tony Cosey (b. 1974), All-American cross country and track runner; Olympic athlete in the steeplechase at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games
• Cartha Doyle (b. 1929), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Chad Finchum (b. 1994), NASCAR driver
• Phillip Fulmer (b. 1950), former head coach of Tennessee Volunteers football team ^[34]
• Ray Graves (1918–2015), former NFL player and head coach at Florida
• Anthony Hancock (b. 1960), former NFL player
• Todd Helton (b. 1973), Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player
• Adam Henley (b. 1994), professional soccer player
• Paul Hogue (1940–2009), former NBA player
• Scott Holtzman (b. 1983), mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor
• Garth Iorg (b. 1954), Major League Baseball player and coach ^[35]
• Tim Irwin (b. 1958), former NFL offensive lineman
• Todd Kelly (b. 1970), NFL linebacker ^[36]
• Pete Kreis (1900–1934), race car driver
• Terry McDaniel (b. 1965), NFL defensive back ^[36]
• Raleigh McKenzie (b. 1963), NFL lineman
• Reggie McKenzie (b. 1963), NFL linebacker, General Manager of the Oakland Raiders
• Kathleen Malach (1926–2011), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Billy Meyer (1893–1957), Major League Baseball player and manager
• Robert Neyland (1892–1962), University of Tennessee football coach
• Kevin O'Connell (b. 1985), NFL player
• Rafaello Oliveira (b. 1982), mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor
• Peter Oppegard (b. 1959), Olympic figure skater
• Randy Orton (b. 1980), professional wrestler, actor
• Jackie Parker (1932–2006), CFL football player
• Chad Pennington (b. 1976), NFL quarterback
• Jerry Punch (b. 1953), ESPN analyst
• Fuad Reveiz (b. 1963), NFL placekicker
• Ovince St. Preux (b. 1983), mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor
• Doris Sams (1927–2012), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player ^[37]
• Aaron Schoenfeld (b. 1990), American-Israeli Major League Soccer player
• Steve Searcy (b. 1964), former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Harrison Smith (b. 1989), NFL safety for Minnesota Vikings
• Lee Smith (b. 1987), NFL tight end
• Pat Summitt (1952–2016), former head coach, Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team ^[38]
• Davis Tarwater (b. 1984), Olympic swimmer
• John Tate (1955–1998), Olympic and professional boxer
• Ben Testerman (b. 1962), professional tennis player
• Leroy Thompson (b. 1968), former NFL running back
• Bubba Trammell (b. 1971), Major League Baseball player
• Elston Turner (b. 1959), NBA player and coach
• Jackie Walker (1950–2002), All-American linebacker at Tennessee
• Josh Walker (b. 1991) NFL guard
• Jason Witten (b. 1982), NFL tight end
• Chris Woodruff (b. 1973), professional tennis player ^[39]
• Trey Cabbage (b. 1997), Major League Baseball player

Writers and journalists

Alex Haley

• James Agee (1909–1955), Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• Paul Y. Anderson (1893–1938), Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter
• Anne W. Armstrong (1872–1958), author of This Day and Time (1930) ^[40]
• Carson Brewer (1920–2003), journalist and conservationist
• Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849–1924), author of The Secret Garden ^[41]
• Albert Chavannes (1836–1903), Utopian philosopher
• Lowell Cunningham (b. 1959), comic book writer, Men in Black creator
• Nikki Giovanni (1943–2024), poet
• Alex Haley (1921–1992), author of Roots
• George Washington Harris (1814–1869), Southern humorist
• Frederick Heiskell (1786–1882), pioneering Tennessee journalist; cofounder of the Knoxville Register
• Ed Hooper (b. 1964), author, journalist ^[42]
• Joseph Wood Krutch (1893–1970), writer, naturalist
• S. J. Mathes (1849?–1927), pioneer California newspaperman
• Cormac McCarthy (1933–2023), Pulitzer Prize-winning author
• Adolph Ochs (1858–1935), newspaper publisher ^[43]
• J. G. M. Ramsey (1797–1884), historian
• William Rule (1839–1928), newspaper editor, mayor of Knoxville
• Ed Sams (b. 1952), author and educator
• Bernadotte Schmitt (1886–1969), Pulitzer Prize-winning historian ^[44]
• Karl Edward Wagner (1945–1994), fantasy writer

Other

• Jane Franklin Hommel Denney (1878–1946), socialite and women's club leader
• Adam Ragusea (b. 1982), YouTube chef
• Mary Boyce Temple (1856–1929), philanthropist and preservationist

See also

• History of Knoxville, Tennessee
• List of people from Tennessee

References

1. Katherine Wheeler, "Barber & McMurry Architects." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
2. "Comic Creator: Darby Conley." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
3. Wilson, Dreck Spurlock (March 1, 2004). "DeWitt Sanford Dykes Sr. (1903–1991)". African American Architects: A Biographical Dictionary, 1865-1945. Routledge. pp. 235–250. ISBN   978-1-135-95628-8.
4. Wayne Bledsoe, "Man of Constant Motion Archived 2008-10-10 at the Wayback Machine ." Knoxnews.com, 15 June 2006. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
5. "The 400 Richest Americans – Guilford Glazer." Forbes.com. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
6. "James Haslam II Receives 2004 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Business Administration Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine ." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
7. Laura Holder, "Mabry-Hazen House." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
8. Leonard, John William, ed. (1932). Who's Who in Finance Banking and Insurance, 1931–1932. p. 947. Retrieved April 17, 2025– via Archive.org.
9. City of Knoxville official website Archived 2011-05-01 at the Wayback Machine , 24 April 2008.
10. "Franklin, William Henderson". Who's Who in Colored America. Who's Who in Colored America Corporation. 1927. p. 65 – via Google Books.
11. Smith, Jessie Carney (December 1, 2012). Black Firsts: 4,000 Ground-Breaking and Pioneering Historical Events. Visible Ink Press. p. 367. ISBN   978-1-57859-425-2 – via Google Books.
12. Penn, Irvine Garland (1891). The Afro-American Press and Its Editors. unknown library. Springfield, Mass.: Willey & Co. pp. 347–348 – via Internet Archive.
13. "Bianca Blair Crawford Makes History at Wrestlemania". News. April 13, 2021. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
14. "John Cullum." IMDb.com. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
15. "Superstar Lookback: Mr. Fuji." 8 February 2008. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
16. "." IMDb.com.
17. "Online World of Wrestling Profiles – Kane." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
18. "Biography – Jeff Jarrett." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
19. Leo Goodsell, "David Glasgow Farragut." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
20. "Sheila and Sherry: The Aldridge Sisters." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
21. "Ava Barber" — official site. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
22. Darren Paltrowitz, "Superdrag's John Davis: The Daily Vault Interview." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
23. Neely, From the Shadow Side, pp. 167–174.
24. Wayne Bledsoe, "." KnoxNews, 19 January 1997. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
25. Wayne Bledsoe, "Have you heard? Knoxville home to variety of music." Knoxnews.com, 25 March 2007. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
26. "Florence Reece at IMDb." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
27. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who. 1963.
28. Forrest Conklin, "William Gannaway "Parson" Brownlow." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
29. "BURCHETT, Timothy". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved September 28, 2025.
30. Linda Wynn, "William Henry Hastie." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
31. "Glenn Harlan Reynolds." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
32. Robert Corlew, "John Sevier." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
33. Petersen RH. (1978). "Lexemuel Ray Hesler: February 20, 1888-November 20, 1977" . Mycologia . 70 (4): 757–765. doi:10.1080/00275514.1978.12020281. JSTOR   3759355. PMID   364304.
34. "Biography of Phillip Fulmer." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
35. "." Retrieved: 20 August 2011.
36. 1 2 Mike Strange, "Ex-Vols Terry McDaniel, Todd Kelly, Charlie Severance in GKSHOF 2012 class," Knoxville News Sentinel, 28 April 2012. Retrieved: 20 June 2012.
37. "Baseball Almanac – Doris Sams: Knoxville's All-American All-Star Outfielder and Pitcher, biography by Jim Sargent." Retrieved: 11 May 2010.
38. Carroll Van West, "Pat Head Summit." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
39. "Chris Woodruff – Bio Archived 2003-07-12 at the Wayback Machine ." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
40. M. Thomas Inge, Charles Reagan Wilson, et al., The New Encyclopedia of Southern Culture: Literature (University of North Carolina Press, 2008), p. 174.
41. "Francis Hodgson Burnett – Biography and Works." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
42. "Arcadia Publishing: Knoxville." Arcadia bio. Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
43. "Adolph Ochs." Retrieved: 24 April 2008.
44. Finding Aid for Bernadotte E. Schmitt Papers, University of Tennessee Special Collections. Retrieved: 15 May 2013.