Allen, Deborah
Born Deborah Lynn Thurmond, she is best-known for her smooth Country Pop-styled hits of the early 1980s. Her best known recording is the crossover hit "Baby I Lied". Visit her official website here. |
| Bates, Kathy |
Cash, Kellye
The 1987 Miss America started her pageant career by placing second in the Miss Memphis State pageant. A Navy brat, she lived in Memphis when she was crowned Miss America, and she now resides in Milan, Tennessee. She is Johnny Cash's neice. Visit her official website here. |
Evans, Dale
Lived and worked in Memphis prior to her marriage to singing cowboy Roy Rogers. The couple often returned to Memphis to perform and to do charity work. See a 1950s photo of the Roy Rogers & Dale Evans' Parade. |
Fraklin, Aretha
Born in Memphis to a Baptist minister, Franklin combined her gospel roots with R&B and pop. Over her career she has had 20 number one hits on the Billboard R&B Singles Chart. She is most known for single Respect. |
Freeman, Morgan
Born in Memphis, Freeman has been in over 60 films including Driving Miss Daisy and Glory. He owns the blues club, Ground Zero, in downtown Memphis. |
Gates, David
The lead singer and songwriter for 70s pop group Bread grew up in Frayser |
| Green, Al |
| Handy,
W.C. |
Haver,June
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| Hayes, Isaac |
Hummel, Barbara Walker
The 1947 Miss America was a Memphis native who attended Memphis State University. |
| King, B.B. |
| Lewis. Jerry Lee |
Lindsey, Mark
(of 60s pop group Paul Revere & The Raiders) |
Martindale, Wink
The Jackson, Tennessee native made his first television appearances in Memphis on WHBQ's Mars Patrol in 1954. Following his massive success as host of Tic Tac Dough in the early 80s, he opened Martindale's restaurant on Overton Square. He often returns to Memphis for various charity appearances. |
Parnell, Chris
A regular on Saturday Night Live from 1998-2006, Parnell grew up in Germantown and is the son of local radio personality and voice-over talent Jack Parnell. |
| Piazza, Marguerite |
Presley, Elvis
The city's most famous son recorded his first records here, maintained his principal residence here, and died here.
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| Rich, Charlie |
| Saunders, Clarence |
| Segal, Steven |
| Shepard, Cybil |
Smith, Lane (1936-2005)
A Memphis native, Smith was a successful character actor who played "Perry White" on the 1993-1997 Lois & Clark television series. |
Stevens, Andrew
Son of Stella Stevens, Stevens was born and raised in Memphis and graduated from Messick High School in 1974. He is currently the President/CEO of Andrew Stevens Entertainment and Stevens Entertainment Group, and has produced and/or financed over one hundred and seventy films through his various production and distribution companies. |
Stevens, Stella
From Hot Coffee, Mississippi, Stevens attended Memphis State College to pursue acting. She was discovered modeling in the tea room of Goldsmith's Department Store in Memphis TN. She acted in numerous movies during the 1960s-80s including The Ballad of Cable Hogue. She is the mother of Andrew Stevens.View her official site here. |
Starr, Kay
Kay Starr was known as Katherine Starks when she graduated from Tech in 1940. She often sang on Memphis radio station WMPS, and misspellings in her fan mail persuaded her to change her name. She became a major recording artist of the 50's. Some of her top hits include: Wheel of Fortune, Side by Side, and The Man Upstairs. |
| Sumudio, Sam (Sam The Sham) |
| Thomas, Rufus |
| Thomas, Carla |
Thompson, Fred
Alumnus of the University of Memphis |
| Three Six Mafia |
Timberlake, Justin
The pop sensation grew up in Millington and maintains close ties to the area. |
Williams, Tennessee
The playwright's first play was performed in the backyard of a Memphis home while he was staying with his grandparents in Midtown. |
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Ali, Muhammad
In the 1970s, the heavyweight champion opened the Muhammed Ali movie theater on Beale Street. |
Diamond, Neil
Diamond's most productive period began with the recording of several albums in Memphis for the Uni label. He wrote "Sweet Caroline" and "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" while holed up in Memphis hotels. |
King, Jr., Martin Luther
King came to Memphis to lead civil rights marches during the sanitation strike of the late 60s. He delivered his "Been to the Mountaintop" speech here, then was killed by an assassin's bullet at the Lorraine Motel. |
McCoy, Clyde
The trumpet player, whose biggest hit was 1931's "Sugar Blues," met his wife while performing at the Peabody in 1937. The couple retired to Memphis, and McCoy died here in 1990. |
Osmond, Donny & Marie
The brother & sister pop singers have visited the patients of Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center many times as part of their involvement in the annual Children's Miracle Network Telethon. |
Schneider, John
The star of The Dukes of Hazzard and Smallville served for many years as host of the annual Children's Miracle Network Telethon, and in that capacity he has visited the patients of Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center many times. |
Thomas, Danny
Thomas founded St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in his adopted hometown of Memphis, then remained active in the hospital and its annual golf tournament until his death. |
Thomas, Marlo
The star of TV show That Girl has carried on her father's work with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital to the present day. |
Turner, Ike
Turner ran away from home as a child and moved to Memphis. He lived in an alley behind the Peabody until he was hired to polish the mahogany doors inside the hotel. Ike Turner's music career began in the late-1940s where he formed The Kings of Rhythm. In 1951, the band recorded Rocket 88 at Sun Studio in Memphis. |
| Turner, Tina |
ZZ Top
The Texas rock trio has recorded several albums in Memphis. |
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(The list above does not include entertainers who came to
Memphis only for a performance. For musicians,
see
Concerts & Shows. For actors, speakers,
etc., see the pages for the various venues.)
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