FAMOUS KNOXVILLIANS

Here are a few folks and items with roots in Knoxville, Tennessee. This list is in no way complete but gives a general overview.

Roy Acuff, country singer James Agee, Pulitzer prize winning writer Chet Atkins, musician Marilou Awiakta, writer Charlotte Barr, poetry writer Polly Bergen, actress & singer Brian Bell, Guitarist for music group "Weezer" William Blount, U.S. Statesman Rebecca Brandewyne, romance writer Jake Butcher, banker Carl Butler, musician Julie Cannon, writer Kenny Chesney, country music singer Henry Cho, comedian Mary Costa, voice used in Disney movies Linda Cousins, writer John Cullum, actor, TV Series "Northern Exposure", Tony Award winner Lowell Cunningham, comic book creator of "Men in Black" series Kid Curry, a member of Butch Cassidy’s Wild Bunch Beauford Delaney, artist Joseph Delaney, artist George Dempster, former Knoxville Mayor, Dempster Dumpster inventor Eleanor Dickinson, artist Steve Duncan, member of Grand Ole opry Milton Estes, Grand Ole Opry star Roy Evans, Major League baseball player Everly Brothers, singing duo Faith Fancher, first African American woman television reporter in Knoxville David Glasgow Farragut, American Naval Hero Dave Foster, writer Graham Foust, writer Nikki Giovanni, writer Daryl Green, writer Alex Haley, American biographer, scriptwriter, famous author of the novel "Roots" Jack Hanna, zoo director & animal adventurer, guest on David Letterman & other TV shows William Henry Hastie, first black federal judge Todd Helton, MLB's Colorado Rockies first baseman & former UT player Nora Hendrix, grandmother of Jimi Hendrix Homer & Jethro, parody singers Con Hunley, musician Dennis Hwang, designs special logos for Google.com JFG Coffee Caledonia Johnson, a slave who became Knoxville's first millionaire Judybats, band David Keith, actor, won golden globe for "An Officer and a Gentlemen" in 1982 General Henry Knox, military, city named after him Johnny Knoxville (P.J. Clapp), actor and MTV funnyman Charles Krutch, photographer Joseph Wood Krutch, writer Peyton Manning, NFL star for the Indianapolis Colts, former UT football player Lowell Mason, "World's Smallest Gospel Singer" Mayfield Dairy Cormac McCarthy, novelist Walter "Brownie" McGhee, guitarist & songwriter Reggie McKenzie, pro football player, former UT football player Raleigh McKenzie, pro football player, former UT football player George McMillan, writer & reporter Scott Miller, musician for the "Blue Collar TV" series Mountain Dew, soft drink Ryan Murphy,creator of the acclaimed cable drama "Nip/Tuck" Patricia Neal, actress Lara Parker, TV actress Dolly Parton, country music star, song writer, actress, author, owner of Dollywood Chad Pennington, pro football player Petro's Chili & Chips, restaurant began at 1982 Worlds Fair in Knoxville Dr. Jerry Punch, analyst on ESPN Brad Renfro, movie actor, biggest movie "The Client" John Rogers Sr., judge Mitch Rouse, comedian & tv actor Doris Sams, one of the first female baseball players Edward Terry Sanford, Supreme Court Justice Bessie Smith, blues singer Quentin Tarantino, actor & director of "Pulp Fiction" & "Kill Bill" John Tate, WBA Heavyweight Champion Bernard Taylor, One-Time Olympian and Former Top Featherweight Contender Eddie Taylor, famous billiard player known as the "Knoxville Bear" Tennessee Marble, largely exported marble Bob Thomas, actor, radio announcer, writer Dave Thomas, Wendy's Restaurant creator, worked at Regas Restaurant Jake Thomas, actor on "Lizzie McGuire" TV show Joyce Carol Thomas, writer Joseph Reddeford Walker, founded Walker's Pass in Yosemite James Melvin Washington, writer Tina Wesson, won one million dollars on TV's "Survivor" in 2001 Hugh Lawson White, political leader Reggie White, NFL star for the Green Bay Packers, former UT Defensiveman Ralph Wiley, Sports Illustrated & ESPN sports journalist