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

Charles I. Barber (1887–1962), architect George Franklin Barber (1854–1915), architectKatherine Wheeler, "Barber & McMurry Architects." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. 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"Comic Creator: Darby Conley." Retrieved: 24 April 2008. Beauford Delaney (1901–1979), painter Joseph Delaney (1904–1991), painter DeWitt Sanford Dykes Sr. (1903–1991), architect, Methodist minister 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 FestivalWayne Bledsoe, "Man of Constant Motion ." Knoxnews.com, 15 June 2006. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. George Dempster (1887–1964), inventor of the Dempster-Dumpster, mayor of Knoxville Guilford Glazer (1921–2014), real estate developer and philanthropist"The 400 Richest Americans – Guilford Glazer." Forbes.com. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. Dee Haslam (b. 1954), CEO of RIVR Media Jim Haslam (b. 1930), founder of Pilot Corp."James Haslam II Receives 2004 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Business Administration ." Retrieved: 24 April 2008. 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), entrepreneurLaura Holder, "Mabry-Hazen House." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. 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 James G. Sterchi (1867–1932), furniture tycoon Dave Thomas (1932–2002), restaurant owner, founder of Wendy's 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 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

Kelsea Ballerini (b. 1993), singer-songwriter Bianca Belair (b. 1989), professional wrestler 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"John Cullum." IMDb.com. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. Dale Dickey (b. 1961), actress Harry Fujiwara (1935–2016), better known as "Mr. Fuji," professional wrestler"Superstar Lookback: Mr. Fuji." 8 February 2008. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. Christina Hendricks (b. 1975), actress"." IMDb.com. Jeff Jarrett (b. 1967), professional wrestler"Biography – Jeff Jarrett." Retrieved: 24 April 2008. Kane (Glenn Jacobs, b. 1967), professional wrestler, Knox County mayor"Online World of Wrestling Profiles – Kane." Retrieved: 24 April 2008. David Keith (b. 1954), actor Johnny Knoxville (b. 1971), actor and daredevil, changed his last name in reference to his hometown Jamie Marchi (b. 1977), actress Patricia Neal (1926–2010), Academy Award-winning actress Lillian Randolph (1898–1980), actress Brad Renfro (1982–2008), actor Cailee Spaeny (b.1998), actress born in Knoxville but raised in Missouri Quentin Tarantino (b. 1963), Academy Award-winning screenwriter and directorCity of Knoxville official website , 24 April 2008. Bob Thomas (b. 1954), radio personality, actor, writer Jake Thomas (b. 1990), actor Tina Wesson (b. 1960), contestant, Survivor television series; winner of Survivor: The Australian Outback

Military

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) admiralLeo Goodsell, "David Glasgow Farragut." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. 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

10 Years, alternative rock band Roy Acuff (1903–1992), country music singer Sheila Aldridge (b. 1956), country music singer, the Aldridge Sisters"Sheila and Sherry: The Aldridge Sisters." Retrieved: 24 April 2008. Sherry Aldridge (b. 1954), country music singer, the Aldridge Sisters 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 on The Lawrence Welk Show"Ava Barber" — official site. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. 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 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 SuperdragDarren Paltrowitz, "Superdrag's John Davis: The Daily Vault Interview." Retrieved: 24 April 2008. 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 singerNeely, From the Shadow Side, pp. 167–174. Joseph Patrick Moore (b. 1969), jazz composer, bassist, arranger, producerWayne Bledsoe, "." KnoxNews, 19 January 1997. Retrieved 23 January 2017. Bobby Ogdin (b. 1945), musician Nick Raskulinecz (b. 1970), Grammy Award-winning record producerWayne Bledsoe, "Have you heard? Knoxville home to variety of music." Knoxnews.com, 25 March 2007. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. Florence Reece (1900–1986), folk songwriter; coal mining labor activist"." Retrieved: 24 April 2008. Emily Ann Roberts (b. 1998), singer/songwriter, The Voice runner-up Brent Smith (b. 1978), rock singer, lead vocalist for Shinedown Ed Snodderly (b. 1952), folk musician and songwriter Richard Aaker Trythall (1939–2022), composer and pianist Myra Brooks Turner (1936–2017), composer Whitechapel, deathcore band

Politics and law

Robert H. Adams (1792–1830), United States senator from Mississippi 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 senatorForrest Conklin, "William Gannaway "Parson" Brownlow." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. Tim Burchett (born 1964), U.S. representative for Tennessee 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 judgeLinda Wynn, "William Henry Hastie." Retrieved: 24 April 2008. 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"Glenn Harlan Reynolds." Retrieved: 24 April 2008. 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 TennesseeRobert Corlew, "John Sevier." Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture, 2002. Retrieved: 24 April 2008. 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 Gerald North (b. 1938), climatologist Helen Smith, forensic psychologist

Sports

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