The following list contains persons of note who were born, raised, or spent portions of their lives in the American state of Kentucky.[1]
Authors and journalists
| Name | Notable for | Connection to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| James Lane Allen (1849–1925) | Author, called the state's first important novelist[2] | Born near Lexington[2] |
| Harriette Simpson Arnow (1908–1986) | Writer of novels, memoirs, and regional histories | Born in Wayne County, raised in Pulaski County |
| Wendell Berry (born 1934) | Author and poet[3] | Born in New Castle[3] |
| Myram Borders (born 1936) | 20-year manager of Las Vegas United Press International bureau | Born in Kentucky |
| Pamela Brown (born 1983) | CNN reporter and newscaster[4] | Born in Louisville[4] |
| Harry M. Caudill (1922–1990) | Author, historian, and attorney[5] | Born in Whitesburg[5] |
| Irvin S. Cobb (1876–1944) | Author, humorist | Born in Paducah |
| Clive Cussler (1931–2020) | Author and oceanic explorer | Lived in Louisville |
| Rachael Denhollander (born 1984) | Author, advocate, lawyer | Lives in Louisville |
| Greg Downs (born 1971) | Author[6] | Raised in Elizabethtown[6] |
| John Fetterman (1920–1975) | Pulitzer prize-winning journalist for Louisville Courier-Journal | Born in Danville |
| Larry Flynt (1942–2021) | Hustler magazine publisher | Born in Lakeville (Magoffin County) |
| Joey Goebel (born 1980) | Author[7] | Born in Henderson[7] |
| bell hooks (Gloria Jean Watkins) (1952–2021) | Author, feminist, and social activist | Born and raised in Hopkinsville[8] |
| Silas House (born 1971) | Author[9] | Reared in Lily (Laurel County)[9] |
| Lewis Craig Humphrey (1875–1927) | Editor of the Louisville Evening Post and co-editor of the Louisville Herald-Post[10] | Born and reared in Louisville, Kentucky |
| Robert Kirkman (born 1978) | Comic book writer, co-creator of The Walking Dead[11] | Raised in Cynthiana[11] |
| Bobbie Ann Mason (born 1940) | Author[12] | Born in Mayfield[12] |
| Robert K. Massie (1929) | Pulitzer Prize-winning author | Born in Lexington |
| Ed McClanahan (1932–2021) | Novelist, essayist, professor | Born in Brooksville; lives in Lexington |
| Tony Moore (born 1978) | Comic book illustrator, co-creator of The Walking Dead[11] | Born and raised in Cynthiana, Kentucky |
| Gurney Norman (born 1937) | Novelist, documentarian, professor | Raised in Allais; worked for Hazard Herald; professor at University of Kentucky |
| Marsha Norman (born 1947) | Author and lyricist[13] | Born in Louisville[13] |
| Andrew J. Offutt (1934–2013) | Author; father of Chris Offutt | Born near Morehead, lived in Louisville |
| Chris Offutt (born 1958) | Author[14] | Raised in Haldeman (Rowan County)[14] |
| Bill Plaschke (born 1958) | Columnist for Los Angeles Times; TV personality | Born in Louisville, attended Ballard High School |
| Steve Raible (born 1954) | News anchor, sports announcer, former NFL player | Born in Louisville, attended Trinity High School |
| Elizabeth Madox Roberts (1881–1941) | Poet and novelist | Born in Perryville, spent most of her life in Springfield |
| Charles P. Roland (1918–2022) | Historian | Spent academic career partly at University of Kentucky, retired to Lexington[15] |
| Adelaide Day Rollston (1854–1941) | Poet, periodical literature contributor, wrote novelettes | Born and died in Paducah[16] |
| Jesse Stuart (1907–1984) | Novelist, poet, short-story writer | Born in Greenup County, poet laureate of Kentucky 1954 |
| Allen Tate (1899–1979) | Poet, novelist, literary critic[17] | Born in Winchester[17] |
| Helen Thomas (1920–2013) | News service reporter in White House press corps[18] | Born in Winchester[18] |
| Hunter S. Thompson (1937–2005) | Journalist and author | Born in Louisville |
| Robert Penn Warren (1905–1989) | First poet laureate of the United States[19] | Born in Guthrie[19] |
| Anne Elizabeth Wilson (1901–1946) | Kentucky-born Canadian poet, writer, editor | Born in Frankfort[20] |
Explorers, pioneers, and military personnel
| Name | Notable for | Connection to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Roy Bean (1825–1903) | Eccentric Old West justice of the peace[21] | Born in Mason County[21] |
| Stephen Bishop (1780–1857) | Cave explorer and guide, enslaved person[22] | Published the first map of Mammoth Cave[22] |
| Daniel Boone (1734–1820) | Iconic explorer and trapper, first entered Kentucky on hunting expeditions in 1767, carved Wilderness Trail from Eastern Tennessee through Cumberland Gap into Central Kentucky to Kentucky River; established his fort, Boonesborough, in Madison County where he lived from 1775 to 1779; fought during Revolutionary War, primarily against pro-British Indian tribes in region | |
| Jim Bowie (1796–1836) | Died at the Battle of the Alamo, made famous the Bowie knife[23] | Born in Logan County[23] |
| Creed Burlingame (1905–1985) | U.S. Navy submarine commander in the Pacific Theater during World War II | Born in Louisville |
| Kit Carson (1809–1868) | Indian agent, trapper scout[24] | Born in Madison County[24] |
| Floyd Collins (1887–1925) | Cave explorer[25] | Trapped and killed in Sand Cave[25] |
| William J. Crowe Jr. (1925–2007) | U.S. Navy admiral and chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff | Born in La Grange |
| William R. Higgins (1945–1990) | U.S. Marine colonel who was captured in 1988 and eventually murdered[26] | Born in Danville[26] |
| Joseph Holt (1807–1894) | United States Postmaster General and Judge Advocate General[27] | Born in Breckinridge County[27] |
| Husband E. Kimmel (1882–1968) | Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet during the attack on Pearl Harbor[28] | Born in Henderson[28] |
| Hal Moore (1922–2017) | US Army lieutenant general and author | Born in Bardstown |
| Franklin Sousley (1925–1945) | One of six in iconic photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima[29] | Born in Hilltop, Fleming County[29] |
Film, radio, and television personalities
| Name | Notable for | Connection to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Ned Beatty (1937–2021) | Actor | Born in Louisville |
| James Best (1926–2015) | Actor | Born in Powderly |
| Rodger Bingham (born 1947), nicknamed "Kentucky Joe" | Fifth runner-up on Survivor: The Australian Outback[30] | Lives in Crittenden[30] |
| Olive Blakeney (1899–1959) | Actress | Born in Newport |
| Foster Brooks (1912–2001) | Comedian | Born in Louisville |
| W. Earl Brown (born 1963) | Actor | Born in Murray |
| Tod Browning (1880–1962) | Actor and director | Born in Louisville |
| Leo Burmester (1944–2007) | Actor | Born in Louisville |
| Jennifer Carpenter (born 1979) | Actress | Born in Louisville |
| John Carpenter (born 1948) | Film director | Reared in Bowling Green and attended Western Kentucky University |
| Will Chase (born 1970) | Actor | Born in Frankfort |
| George Clooney (born 1961) | Oscar-winning actor and director | Born in Lexington, reared in Augusta[31] |
| Nick Clooney (born 1934) | Television personality and journalist | Born in Maysville |
| Rosemary Clooney (1928–2002) | Actress and singer | Born and reared in Maysville |
| Joyce Compton (1907–1997) | Actress | Born in Lexington |
| William Conrad (1920–1994) | Actor, director, narrator in radio, film, TV | Born and reared in Louisville |
| Tom Cruise (born 1962) | Actor and producer[32] | Raised in Louisville[32] |
| Kassie DePaiva (born 1961) | Actress best known for role on One Life to Live | Born and reared in Morganfield |
| Johnny Depp (born 1963) | Actor, producer, musician, singer, three-time oscar nominee, painter | Born in Owensboro |
| Irene Dunne (1898–1990) | Actress, five-time Oscar nominee | Born in Louisville |
| Bob Edwards (born 1947) | NPR radio host[33] | Born in Louisville[33] |
| Farah Fath (born 1984) | Actress known for her roles on Days of Our Lives and One Life to Live | Born in Lexington |
| Don Galloway (1937–2009) | Actor | Born and reared in Brooksville |
| Rebecca Gayheart (born 1971) | Actress | Born in Hazard |
| Billy Gilbert (1894–1971) | Actor and comedian | Born in Louisville |
| D. W. Griffith (1875–1948) | Filmmaker | Born in La Grange |
| Chris Hardwick (born 1971) | Host, comedian, and actor | Born in Louisville |
| Florence Henderson (1934–2016) | Actress best known for her role on The Brady Bunch[34] | Reared in Owensboro[34] |
| Boyd Holbrook (born c. 1981) | Actor | Born in Prestonsburg |
| Josh Hopkins (born 1970) | Actor | Born in Lexington |
| Elizabeth Ann Hulette, aka "Miss Elizabeth" (1960–2003) | Professional wrestling manager and valet | Born in Louisville, reared in Frankfort |
| Josh Hutcherson (born 1992) | Actor | Born in Union |
| Ashley Judd (born 1968) | Actress[35] | reared in Ashland[35] |
| Patricia Kalember (born 1956) | Actress | Partly reared in Louisville |
| Robert Karnes (1917–1979) | Actor | Born in Paducah |
| Tommy Kirk (born 1941) | Actor | Born in Louisville |
| Jennifer Lawrence (born 1990) | Oscar-winning actress | Born and reared in Louisville |
| Maggie Lawson (born 1980) | Actress | Born in Louisville |
| Matt Long (born 1980) | Actor | Born in Winchester |
| Lee Majors (born 1939) | Actor | reared in Middlesboro |
| Terrence Mann (born 1951) | Actor | Born in Ashland |
| William Mapother (born 1965) | Actor | Born in Louisville |
| Victor Mature (1915–1999) | Actor | Born in Louisville |
| Melissa McBride (born 1965) | Actress and casting directorl | Born in Lexington |
| Catherine McCord (born 1974) | Actress and model | Born in Louisville |
| Marie McDonald (1923–1965) | Actress and singer | Born in Burgin |
| Charles Middleton (1874–1949) | Actor | Born in Elizabethtown |
| Charles Napier (1936–2011) | Actor | Born in Scottsville |
| Patricia Neal (1926–2010) | Oscar-winning actress | Born in Packard (Whitley County) |
| Grady Nutt (1937–1981) | Religious humorist; television personality (Hee Haw)[36] | Lived in Louisville from 1960 until his death including the entire time of his rise to fame[36] |
| Warren Oates (1928–1982) | Actor | Born in Depoy (Muhlenberg County) |
| Sean O'Bryan (born 1963) | Actor | Born in Louisville |
| Annie Potts (born 1952) | Actress | Reared in Franklin |
| Lawrence Pressman (born 1939) | Actor | Born in Cynthiana |
| Wes Ramsey (born 1977) | Actor | Born in Louisville |
| Marisha Ray (born 1989) | Voice Actress. Co-Founder and Creative Director of Critical Role Productions | Born in Mount Washington |
| Jeffrey Reddick (born 1969) | Screenwriter, actor, and film producer | reared in Jackson |
| Jessica Rey (born 1982) | Actress | Born in Fort Campbell |
| Rob Riggle (born 1970) | Actor[37] on The Daily Show, The Office and Saturday Night Live | Born in Louisville[37] |
| Kelly Rutherford (born 1968) | Actress on Melrose Place and Gossip Girl | Born in Elizabethtown |
| Jeri Ryan (born 1968) | Actress on Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Picard | Reared in Paducah |
| Mitchell Ryan (1928–2022) | Actor | Born in Louisville |
| Diane Sawyer (born 1945) | TV journalist | Born and reared in Glasgow; lived in Louisville[38] |
| Michael Shannon (born 1974) | Actor | Born in Lexington |
| William Shatner (born 1931) | Actor | Seasonally resides in Woodford County |
| Sam Shepard (1943–2017) | Actor and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright | Lived in Midway |
| Molly Sims (born 1973) | Actress and model | Born in Murray |
| J. Smith-Cameron (born 1955) | Actress | Born in Louisville |
| Hal Sparks (born 1969) | Actor | Reared in Peak's Mill |
| Harry Dean Stanton (1926–2017) | Actor | Born in West Irvine (Estill County) |
| Chrishell Stause (born 1981) | Actress known for her role on All My Children and Selling Sunset | Born in Draffenville (Marshall County) |
| Martha Stewart (1922–2021) | Actress | Born in Bardwell |
| Madame Sul-Te-Wan (1873–1959) | Actress | Born in Louisville |
| Gus Van Sant (born 1952) | Film director | Born in Louisville |
| Jim Varney (1949–2000) | Actor and comedian | Born in Lexington |
| Jack Warden (1920–2006) | Actor | Reared in Louisville |
| Muse Watson (born July 20, 1948) | Actor | Attended Berea College; lives in Berea |
| Chuck Woolery (born 1940) | Game show host | Born in Ashland |
| Sean Young (born 1959) | Actress | Born in Louisville |
| Steve Zahn (born 1967) | Actor | Lives in Scott County |
Government and political leaders
| Name | Notable for | Connection to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Alben W. Barkley (1877–1956) | Vice President of the United States[39] | Born in Graves County, lived much of his adult life in Paducah[39] |
| Andy Beshear (born 1977) | Governor of Kentucky and Attorney General of Kentucky | Born in Louisville |
| Steve Beshear (born 1944) | 61st Governor of Kentucky; 49th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky and Attorney General of Kentucky | Born in Dawson Springs |
| Louis Brandeis (1856–1941) | US Supreme Court Justice[40] | Born and reared in Louisville[40] |
| John C. Breckinridge (1821–1875) | Vice President of the United States[41] | Born just outside Lexington[41] |
| John Y. Brown Jr. (1933–2022) | Governor of Kentucky[42] | Born in Lexington[42] |
| A. B. "Happy" Chandler (1898–1991) | Governor of Kentucky and Baseball Commissioner[43] | Born in Corydon[43] |
| Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810–1903) | Abolitionist; Ambassador to Russia negotiating purchase of Alaska; newspaper editor[44] | Born and lived in Clermont;[44] resident of Madison County; buried in the Richmond Cemetery |
| Henry Clay (1777–1852) | Statesman[45] | Lived in Lexington[45] |
| Kelly Craft (née Guilfoil; born 1962) | United States Ambassador to the United Nations and United States Ambassador to Canada[46] | Born in Lexington; grew up in Glasgow, Kentucky[46] |
| John J. Crittenden (1787–1863) | US Attorney General, Senator, and Representative; Governor of Kentucky[47] | Born in Versailles; lived in Frankfort[47] |
| Jefferson Davis (1808–1889) | President of the Confederate States | Born in Christian County |
| Wendell Hampton Ford (1924–2015) | 53rd Governor of Kentucky, 1971–1974; 45th Lieutenant Governor 1967–1971; U.S. Senator 1974–1999, member of Democratic Party, veteran of Army and Kentucky National Guard, serving 1944–1946 and 1949–1962 | Born and reared in Owensboro |
| Sara Beth Gregory (born 1982) | Member of Kentucky State Senate; former member of state House, first elected at age 28; attorney[48] | Born in Monticello in Wayne County[48] |
| Julian Carroll (born 1931) | 54th Governor of Kentucky; 46th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky; member of the Kentucky State Senate, member of the Kentucky House of Representatives[49] | Born in Paducah[50] |
| John Marshall Harlan (1833–1911) | US Supreme Court Justice[51] | Born in Boyle County[51] |
| Jimmy Higdon (born 1953) | Current member of the Kentucky State Senate, former member of the Kentucky House of Representatives, businessman[52] | Born in Taylor County; resident of Lebanon in Marion County[52] |
| Clayborne F. Jackson (1806–1862) | 15th Governor of Missouri[53] | Born in Fleming County[53] |
| Richard M. Johnson (1780–1850) | 9th Vice President of the United States[54] | Born in Jefferson County[54] |
| Robert W. Johnson (1814–1879) | C.S. Senator from Arkansas[55] | Born in Scott County[55] |
| Mae Street Kidd (1909–1999) | State legislator[56] | Represented a district in Louisville[56] |
| Juanita M. Kreps (1921–2010) | Former US Secretary of Commerce | Born in Lynch |
| Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865) | 16th President of the United States[57] | Born in a portion of Hardin County that now lies in LaRue County[57] |
| Mary Todd Lincoln (1818–1882) | Wife of Abe Lincoln and First Lady 1861–1865; subject of multiple psychiatric case studies. | Born and raised in Lexington |
| Mitch McConnell (born 1942) | U.S. Senator from Kentucky since 1985 and Republican Leader of the U.S. Senate[58] | Raised in Louisville[58] |
| Suzanne Miles (born 1970) | Member of Kentucky House of Representatives from District 7[59] | Born and resides in Owensboro[59] |
| Samuel Freeman Miller (1816–1890) | US Supreme Court Justice[60] | Born in Richmond[60] |
| Doug Moseley (1928–2017) | State senator (1974–1987)[61] | Resident of Campbellsville, Columbia, and Bowling Green[61] |
| Carrie Nation (1846–1911) | Prohibitionist[62] | Born in Garrard County[62] |
| Ruth Ann Palumbo (born 1949) | Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives[63] | Born, raised, and resides in Lexington[63] |
| Scott Pruitt (born 1968) | Attorney General of Oklahoma[64] | Grew up in Lexington[64] |
| Stanley Forman Reed (1844–1980) | US Supreme Court Justice[65] | Born in Minerva[65] |
| Wiley Blount Rutledge (1894–1949) | US Supreme Court Justice | Born in Cloverport |
| Tony Snow (1955–2008) | White House Press Secretary to President George W. Bush[66] | Born in Berea[66] |
| James Speed (1812–1887) | US Attorney General under Abraham Lincoln[67] | Born in Jefferson County[67] |
| Adlai E. Stevenson I (1835–1914) | Vice President of the United States[68] | Born in Christian County[68] |
| Zachary Taylor (1784–1850) | 12th President of the United States[69] | Raised in Kentucky[69] |
| Ken Upchurch (born 1969) | Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from District 52[70] | Resides in his native Monticello in Wayne County[70] |
| Fred M. Vinson (1890–1953) | Chief Justice of the United States[71] | Born in Louisa[71] |
| Roger Vinson (born 1940) | Senior Federal Judge[72] | Born in Cadiz[72] |
| James E. Whitlock (born 1934) | State Representative[73] | Resident of Marion County[73] |
| David L. Williams (born 1953) | Member of the Kentucky State Senate from 1987 to 2012, president of the state Senate from 2000 to 2012; Republican U.S. Senate nominee in 1992, gubernatorial nominee in 2011; current 40th District circuit judge[74] | Born in Burkesville in Cumberland County[74] |
| Max Wise (born 1975) | Member of the Kentucky State Senate from District 16 in south central Kentucky, former FBI agent[75] | Born, reared, and resides in Campbellsville[76] |
| Whitney Young (1921–1971) | Civil rights administrator[77] | Born in Lincoln Ridge[77] |
| Ron Ziegler (1939–2003) | White House Press Secretary to President Richard Nixon[78] | Born in Covington[78] |
Infamous persons
| Name | Notable for | Connection to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Larry Birkhead (born 1973) | Father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter, Dannielynn Hope Marshall Birkhead | Born, resides in Louisville[79] |
| Lynndie England (born 1982) | Convicted in the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal[80] | Born in Ashland[80] |
| Donald Harvey (1952–2017) | Convicted serial killer | Raised in Booneville |
| Charles Manson (1934–2017) | Convicted criminal and cult leader | Raised in Ashland |
Musicians
| Name | Notable for | Connection to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| David "Stringbean" Akeman (1916–1973) | Country and comedy musician, member of the Grand Ole Opry, cast member on Hee Haw | Born in Annville |
| John J. Becker (1886–1961) | Composer[81] | Born in Henderson[81] |
| Adrian Belew (born 1949) | Guitarist and vocalist for the band King Crimson[82] | Born in Covington, raised in Alexandria and Ludlow[82] |
| Kenny Bishop (born 1966) | Gospel and Christian singer[83] | Raised in Richmond[83] |
| Mark Bishop (born 1965) | Southern gospel singer[84] | Raised in Richmond[84] |
| Laura Bell Bundy (born 1981) | Country singer and actress[85] | Raised in Lexington[85] |
| Steven Curtis Chapman (born 1962) | Contemporary Christian musician[86] | Born and raised in Paducah[86] |
| Tyler Childers (born 1991) | Country singer | Born in Lawrence County |
| John Conlee (born 1946) | Country singer | Born and raised in Versailles |
| Billy Ray Cyrus (born 1961) | Country singer and actor | Born in Flatwoods |
| Skeeter Davis (1931–2004) | Country singer | Born in Dry Ridge |
| Jackie DeShannon (born 1941) | Singer-songwriter | Born in Hazel |
| Don Everly (1937–2021) | Member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame[87][88] | Born near Central City[87] |
| Phil Everly (1939–2014) | Member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Country Music Hall of Fame[87][88] | Born near Central City[87] |
| Red Foley (1910–1968) | Singer in Country Music Hall of Fame | Born in Blue Lick |
| Crystal Gayle (born 1951) | Country singer[89] | Born in Paintsville[89] |
| EST Gee (born 1994) | Rapper[90] | Born and raised in Louisville[90] |
| Troy Lee Gentry (1967–2017) | Country singer | Born in Lexington |
| Ashley Gorley | Country songwriter and record producer[91] | Born in Danville[91] |
| Tom T. Hall (born 1936–2021) | Country singer-songwriter | Born in Olive Hill |
| Lionel Hampton (1908–2002) | Jazz musician[92] | Born in Louisville[92] |
| Jack Harlow (born 1998) | Rapper | Born and raised in Louisville[93] |
| Larnelle Harris | Gospel singer[94] | Born in Danville[94] |
| Telma Hopkins (born 1948) | Singer and actress | Born in Louisville |
| Grandpa Jones (1913–1998) | "Old time" country and gospel music singer, member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry; cast member on Hee Haw | Born in Niagara |
| Jonah Jones (1919–2000) | Jazz trumpeter | Born in Louisville |
| Tinashe Jorgensen Kachingwe (born 1993) | Singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, actress, and model | Born in Lexington[95][96] |
| Naomi Judd (1946–2022) | Country singer | Born and raised in Ashland |
| Wynonna Judd (born 1964) | Country singer | Born and raised in Ashland |
| James Kottak (born 1962) | Former drummer for hard rock groups Kingdom Come, Wild Horses and Warrant; current drummer for German heavy metal band The Scorpions[97] | Born in Louisville[97] |
| Nick Lachey (born 1973) | Member of the band 98 Degrees; married to Jessica Simpson and starred on reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica | Born in Harlan |
| Homer Ledford (1927–2006) | Bluegrass musician and instrument maker | Lived in Winchester |
| Brian Littrell (born 1975) | Member of the Backstreet Boys[98] | Born in Lexington[98] |
| Patty Loveless (born 1957) | Country singer | Born in Pikeville |
| Loretta Lynn (1932–2022) | Country singer[99] | Born and raised in Butcher Holler[99] |
| Les McCann (born 1935) | Soul jazz piano player and vocalist; crossover artist into R&B and soul | Born in Lexington |
| Bill Monroe (1911–1996) | "Father of bluegrass music" and member of the Country Music Hall of Fame[100] | Born and raised in Rosine[100] |
| Eddie Montgomery (born 1963) | Country singer | Born in Danville, raised in Garrard County |
| John Michael Montgomery (born 1965) | Country singer | Born in Danville, raised in Garrard County |
| Will Oldham (born 1970) | Songwriter and musician | Born in Louisville |
| Joan Osborne (born 1963) | Singer-songwriter[101] | Born in Anchorage[101] |
| Artimus Pyle (born 1948) | Former drummer for the Southern Rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd | Born in Louisville |
| Dottie Rambo (1934–2008) | Member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame[102] | Born in Madisonville, raised in Morganfield[102] |
| Kevin Richardson (born 1971) | Member of the Backstreet Boys | Born in Lexington, raised in Irvine |
| Jean Ritchie (1922–2015) | Folk singer[103] | Born in Viper (Perry County)[103] |
| Nicole Scherzinger (born 1978) | Pop singer, former member of The Pussycat Dolls, television personality | Raised in Louisville |
| Sturgill Simpson (born 1978) | Grammy-winning musician | Born in Jackson, grew up in Versailles |
| Ricky Skaggs (born 1954) | Bluegrass and country music artist[104] | Born and raised in Cordell (Lawrence County)[104] |
| Kevin Skinner (born 1974) | Country singer, winner of 2009 America's Got Talent[105] | Native of Mayfield[105] |
| Jordan Smith (born 1994) | Pop singer, winner of The Voice season 9 | Born in Harlan (Harlan County) |
| Chris Stapleton (born 1978) | Country singer | Born in Lexington |
| Rick Steier (born 1960) | Former guitarist for hard rock groups Kingdom Come, Wild Horses and Warrant[106] | Born in Louisville[106] |
| Mark Stuart (born 1968) | Member of the Christian band Audio Adrenaline[107] | Born and raised in Owensboro[107] |
| Noah Thompson (born 2002) | American Idol season 20 winner | Raised in Blaine (Lawrence County) |
| David Tolliver | Singer-songwriter, Halfway to Hazard | Born in Hindman |
| Mary Travers (1936–2009) | Folk singer with Peter, Paul and Mary | Born in Louisville |
| Merle Travis (1917–1983) | Member of the Country Music Hall of Fame[108] | Born in Rosewood (Muhlenberg County)[108] |
| Keith Whitley (1955–1989) | Country singer | Born in Sandy Hook |
| Dwight Yoakam (born 1956) | Country singer | Born in Pikeville |
Scientists and inventors
| Name | Notable for | Connection to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| James Gilbert Baker (1914–2005) | Astronomer, designer of optics systems, co-founder of Louisville Astronomical Society | Born in Louisville, graduated from the University of Louisville |
| Isaac Chuang | Inventor, realized the first quantum computer[109] | Born in Corbin |
| George Devol (1912–2011) | Inventor of Unimate, the first industrial robot[110] | Born in Louisville[110] |
| Rex Geveden | Associate Administrator of NASA[111] | Born in Mayfield[112] |
| J. Richard Gott (born 1947) | Princeton University astrophysical sciences professor and Doomsday argument theory | Born in Louisville |
| Robert H. Grubbs (1942–2021) | 2005 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry[113] | Born in Marshall County, raised in Paducah[113] |
| G. Scott Hubbard (born 1948) | NASA scientist, associate director of NASA's Ames Research Center, "Mars czar"[114] | Born and raised in Elizabethtown[114] |
| William Lipscomb (1919–2011) | 1976 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry[115] | Raised in Lexington[115] |
| Garrett A. Morgan (1877–1963) | Traffic light and gas mask inventor[116] | Born in Paris[116] |
| Thomas Hunt Morgan (1866–1945) | 1933 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine[117] | Born in Lexington[117] |
| Phillip A. Sharp (born 1944) | 1993 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine[118] | Born in Falmouth[118] |
| Nathan Stubblefield (1860–1928) | Inventor, demonstrated wireless radio[119] | Born in Murray[119] |
| John T. Thompson (1860–1940) | Inventor of the "Tommy" Gun[120] | Born in Newport[120] |
| George Whitesides (born 1939) | Harvard University chemistry professor[121] | Born in Louisville[121] |
| Terrence W. Wilcutt (born 1949) | Astronaut[122] | Born in Russellville[122] |
Sports figures
| Name | Notable for | Connection to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Nate Adcock (born 1988) | MLB relief pitcher[123] | Born in Elizabethtown[123] |
| David Akers (born 1974) | NFL placekicker[124] | Born and raised in Lexington[124] |
| Shaun Alexander (born 1977) | NFL running back[125] | Born and raised in Florence[126] |
| Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Clay) (1942–2016) | Olympic and professional boxing champion and activist[127] | Born and raised in Louisville[127] |
| Dave Anderson (born 1960) | MLB infielder and coach[128] | Born in Louisville[128] |
| Derek Anderson (born 1974) | NBA shooting guard[129] | Born in Louisville[129] |
| Josh Anderson (born 1982) | MLB center fielder | Born and raised in Somerset |
| Bill Arnsparger (1926–2015) | New York Giants and LSU head coach | Born in Paris, Kentucky |
| Len Barker (born 1955) | MLB pitcher | Born in Fort Knox |
| Jeremy Bates (born 1974) | Boxer nicknamed "The Beast" | Born in Argillite |
| Butch Beard (born 1947) | NBA player and coach | Born and raised in Hardinsburg[130] |
| Gus Bell (1928–1995) | MLB player | Born in Louisville |
| Todd Benzinger (born 1964) | MLB player | Born in Dayton, Kentucky |
| Bernie Bickerstaff (born 1944) | Head coach of five NBA teams | Born in Benham |
| Rob Bironas (1978–2014) | NFL placekicker | Born and raised in Louisville[131] |
| Gay Brewer (1932–2007) | Pro golfer, 1967 Masters champion | Raised in Lexington |
| Don Brumfield (born 1938) | Hall of Fame jockey | Born in Nicholasville |
| Greg Buckner (born 1976) | NBA shooting guard and coach[132] | Born in Hopkinsville[132] |
| Jay Buhner (born 1964) | MLB outfielder | Born in Louisville |
| Jim Bunning (1931–2017) | Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher[133] and politician[134] | Born in Southgate[133] |
| Chris Burke (born 1980) | MLB second baseman[135] | Born in Louisville[135] |
| Paul Byrd (born 1970) | MLB pitcher[136] | Born in Louisville[136] |
| Dwane Casey (born 1957) | Head coach of NBA's Toronto Raptors[137] | Born in Morganfield[137] |
| Steve Cauthen (born 1960) | National Horse Racing Hall of Fame jockey[138] | Born in Covington,[138] raised in Walton[139] |
| Ray Chapman (1891–1920) | Only Major League Baseball player to be killed during a game | Born in Beaver Dam[140] |
| Rex Chapman (born 1967) | NBA shooting guard[141] | Born in Bowling Green,[141] attended Owensboro's Apollo High School[142] |
| Jerry Claiborne (1928–2000) | College Football Hall of Fame coach[143] | Born in Hopkinsville[143] |
| Tyler Clippard (born 1985) | MLB pitcher | Born in Lexington |
| Blanton Collier (1906–1983) | Cleveland Browns and Kentucky head coach | Born in Millersburg |
| Cris Collinsworth (born 1959) | Wide receiver for Cincinnati Bengals, TV sportscaster[144] | Resides in Fort Thomas[145] |
| Earle Combs (1889–1976) | Baseball Hall of Famer[146] | Born in Pebworth (Owsley County)[146] |
| Tim Couch (born 1977) | NFL quarterback[147] | Born and raised in Hyden[147] |
| Dave Cowens (born 1948) | Basketball Hall of Famer[148] | Born and raised in Newport[148] |
| Denny Crum (1937–2023) | Basketball Hall of Fame coach[149] | Lived in Louisville |
| Dermontti Dawson (born 1965) | NFL center | Born in Lexington |
| Paul Derringer (1906–1987) | MLB pitcher | Born in Springfield[150] |
| E. A. Diddle (1895–1972) | Basketball Hall of Fame coach[151] | Born in Gradyville (Adair County)[151] |
| Chris Dowe (born 1991) | Professional basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League[152] | Born in Louisville[152] |
| Scott Downs (born 1976) | MLB relief pitcher[153] | Born in Louisville[153] |
| Brian Doyle (born 1954) | MLB infielder | Born in Glasgow |
| Denny Doyle (1944–2022) | MLB infielder | Born in Glasgow |
| Laura duPont (1949–2002) | Tennis player | Born in Louisville |
| Hugh Durham (born 1937) | College Hall of Fame basketball coach | Born in Louisville |
| Steve Finley (born 1965) | MLB outfielder[154] | Raised in Paducah[155] |
| Hugh Durham (born 1937) | College Hall of Fame basketball coach | Born in Louisville |
| Bud Foster (born 1959) | Virginia Tech Defensive Coordinator 1995–2019 | Born in Somerset, Kentucky |
| Woodie Fryman (1940–2011) | MLB infielder | Born and raised in Ewing |
| Joe Fulks (1921–1976) | Basketball Hall of Famer[156] | Born in Birmingham (Marshall County)[156] |
| Clarence Gaines (1923–2005) | College Hall of Fame basketball coach | Born in Paducah |
| Tyson Gay (born 1982) | Sprinter, 2007 world champion at 100 and 200 meters[157] | Born[158] and raised in Lexington |
| Jack Givens (born 1956) | Basketball player, 1978 Final Four MVP | Born in Lexington |
| Sean Green (born 1979) | MLB relief pitcher[159] | Born in Louisville[159] |
| Ted Greene (1932–1982) | AFL linebacker[160] | Born in Kentucky |
| Darrell Griffith (born 1958) | College Hall of Fame basketball player | Born in Louisville |
| Don Gullett (born 1951) | MLB pitcher | Born in Lynn, attended high school in South Shore |
| Eddie Haas (born 1935) | MLB player | Born in Paducah |
| Cliff Hagan (born 1931) | Hall of Fame basketball player | Born in Owensboro |
| Joe B. Hall (1928–2022) | College Hall of Fame basketball coach | Born in Cynthiana |
| Clem Haskins (born 1943) | NBA player and coach | Born in Campbellsville |
| Nicky Hayden (1981–2017) | MotoGP racer[161] | Born and raised in Owensboro[161] |
| JB Holmes (born 1982) | PGA Tour golfer[162] | Born and raised in Campbellsville[162] |
| Paul Hornung (1935–2020) | Notre Dame and Pro Football Hall of Famer, sportscaster[163] | Born and raised in Louisville[163] |
| Allan Houston (born 1971) | NBA shooting guard[164] | Born and raised in Louisville[164] |
| Lou Johnson (1932–2020) | MLB outfielder | Born in Lexington |
| Monique Jones (born 1979) | IFBB professional bodybuilder | Born in Fort Knox |
| Gregory Kaidanov (born 1959) | U.S. chess grandmaster[165] | Lives in Lexington[165] |
| Austin Kearns (born 1980) | MLB outfielder[166] | Born in Lexington[166] |
| Shawn Kelley (born 1984) | MLB relief pitcher[167] | Born in Louisville[167] |
| Shipwreck Kelly (1910–1986) | NFL halfback | Born in Simstown[168] |
| Roy Kidd (born 1931) | College Football Hall of Fame coach[169] | Born in Corbin[169] |
| Stephen Mather (1970–2005) | Pro tennis player | Born and raised in Louisville |
| Jeremy Mayfield (born 1969) | NASCAR driver[170] | Born and raised in Owensboro[170] |
| Carl Mays (1891–1971) | MLB pitcher | Born in Liberty |
| George McAfee (1918–2009) | Pro Football Hall of Fame halfback for Chicago Bears[171] | Born in Corbin[171] |
| Mary T. Meagher (born 1964) | 1984, 1988 Olympic medalist swimmer | Born in Louisville |
| Trever Miller (born 1973) | MLB pitcher[172] | Born in Louisville[172] |
| C. J. Mosley (born 1983) | NFL defensive end[173] | Born in Fort Knox[173] |
| Tori Murden (born 1963) | First woman to make solo crossing of Atlantic Ocean by rowboat or ski to geographic South Pole | Raised and lives in Louisville |
| Bobby Nichols (born 1936) | Pro golfer, 1964 PGA Championship winner | Born in Louisville |
| Betty Pariso (born 1956) | IFBB professional bodybuilder | Born in Cynthiana[174] |
| John Pelphrey (born 1968) | University of Kentucky basketball player and Florida assistant coach | Born in Paintsville |
| Kenny Perry (born 1960) | Professional golfer[175] | Born in Elizabethtown, raised in Franklin, graduated from high school in Lone Oak[175] |
| Mel Purcell (born 1959) | Pro tennis player | Raised in Murray |
| Frank Ramsey (1931–2018) | Basketball Hall of Famer[176] | Born in Corydon[176] |
| Jon Rauch (born 1978) | Professional baseball pitcher[177] | Born in Louisville and raised in Westport[177] |
| Pee Wee Reese (1918–1999) | Baseball Hall of Famer[178] | Born in Ekron and raised in Louisville[178] |
| Mark Reynolds (born 1983) | MLB infielder[179] | Born in Pikeville[179] |
| Weston Richburg (born 1991) | Professional football player[180] | Born in Louisville[180] |
| Rajon Rondo (born 1986) | Professional basketball player[181] | Born in Louisville[181] |
| Gene Roof (born 1958) | MLB player | Born in Paducah |
| Phil Roof (born 1941) | MLB player | Born in Paducah |
| Jack Roush (born 1942) | International Motorsports Hall of Famer[182] | Born in Covington[183] |
| Vincent Sanford (born 1990) | Professional basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League | Born in Lexington |
| Howard Schnellenberger (1934–2021) | College football coach, Miami, Louisville and Florida Atlantic | Raised in Louisville |
| Frank Selvy (born 1932) | College Hall of Fame basketball player | Born in Corbin |
| John Shelby (born 1958) | MLB outfielder[184] | Born in Lexington[184] |
| Jeff Sheppard (born 1974) | Basketball player for Kentucky Wildcats | resides in London (Laurel County) |
| Phil Simms (born 1955) | NFL quarterback and TV sportscaster[185] | Born in Lebanon, raised in Louisville[185] |
| Donta Smith (born 1983) | Professional basketball player in NBA and for Maccabi Haifa, 2014 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP[186] | Born in Louisville[186] |
| C. J. Spillman (born 1986) | NFL safety and special teamer[187] | Born in Louisville[187] |
| Woody Stephens (1913–1998) | Hall of Fame thoroughbred trainer | Born in Stanton |
| Danny Sullivan (born 1950) | C.A.R.T. and Formula 1 auto racer; winner of 1985 Indianapolis 500[188] | Born in Louisville[188] |
| Jacob Tamme (born 1985) | NFL tight end[189] | Born in Lexington[189] |
| Justin Thomas (born 1993) | Pro golfer, 2017 PGA Championship champion | Born in Louisville |
| Dan Uggla (born 1980) | MLB second baseman[190] | Born in Louisville[190] |
| Wes Unseld (1946–2020) | Basketball Hall of Famer[191] | Born and raised in Louisville[191] |
| Darrell Waltrip (born 1947) | NASCAR driver and broadcaster[192] | Born and raised in Owensboro[192] |
| Michael Waltrip (born 1963) | NASCAR driver[193] | Born and raised in Owensboro[193] |
| Jeff Walz (born 1971) | Louisville women's basketball coach[194] | Born and raised in Fort Thomas[194] |
| Larry Warford (born 1991) | NFL offensive lineman[195] | Raised in Richmond[195] |
| Brandon Webb (born 1979) | MLB pitcher[196] 2006 National League Cy Young Award winner[197] | Born and raised in Ashland[196] |
| Todd Wellemeyer (born 1978) | MLB pitcher | Born in Louisville |
| John Wooden (born 1910) | Basketball player and coach | Taught English and coached several sports at Dayton High School.[198] |
Visual artists
| Name | Notable for | Connection to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Ann Stewart Anderson (1935–2019) | Painter, artist | Born in Frankfort, but spent most of her life in Louisville |
| John James Audubon (1785–1851) | Wildlife artist[199] | Spent much of his career painting in Henderson[199] |
| Lance Burton (born 1960) | Stage magician | Born in Louisville |
| Frank Duveneck (1848–1919) | Figure and portrait painter[200] | Born in Covington[200] |
| Larry Elmore (born 1948) | Fantasy artist | Born in Louisville |
| Fontaine Fox (1884–1964) | Cartoonist | Born in Louisville |
| Joel Tanner Hart (1810–1877) | Sculptor | Born near Winchester, in Clark County |
| Harlan Hubbard (1900–1988) | Artist and author[201] | Born in Bellevue, Kentucky and lived in Fort Thomas, Kentucky and Trimble County, Kentucky |
| Mac King (born 1959) | Stage magician | Born in Hopkinsville |
| Loren Long | Illustrator[202] | Raised in Lexington[202] |
| David W. Mack (born 1972) | Comic book artist and writer[203] | Lives in Bromley, graduate of Northern Kentucky University[203] |
| Amanda Matthews (born 1968) | Artist of The Girl Puzzle (NYC),[204] artist of United We Stand, Divided We Fall (COVID Memorial KY), public speaker | Born in Mt. Washington; lives in Lexington |
| Kate Matthews (1870–1956) | Photographer[205] | Born in New Albany, Indiana, but spent most of her life in Pewee Valley[205] |
| Ralph Eugene Meatyard (1925–1972) | Photographer[206] | Born in Normal, Illinois, but established his photography and optometry careers in Lexington[206] |
| Don Rosa (born 1951) | Cartoonist, Donald Duck illustrator[207] | Born in Louisville[207] |
| Paul Sawyier (1865–1917) | Painter, artist | Raised in Frankfort, Kentucky and spent most of his painting career there[208] |
| Gideon Shryock (1802–1880) | Architect[209] | Born in Lexington[209] |
| Moneta Sleet Jr. (1926–1996) | 1969 Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography[210] | Born in Owensboro[210] |
| Bruce Tinsley (born 1958) | Cartoonist, known for his comic strip Mallard Fillmore[211] | Born in Louisville[211] |
| Edgar Tolson (1904–1984) | Woodcarver and folk artist[212] | Born in Trent Fork[212] |
Other notable persons
| Name | Notable for | Connection to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| David Boaz (born 1953) | Executive Vice President of the Cato Institute[213] | Born in Mayfield[213] |
| Ben M. Bogard (1868–1941) | Clergyman, founder of American Baptist Association; pastor of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church of Little Rock, Arkansas, pastor under Southern Baptist Convention in 1890s Kentucky[214] | Born in Elizabethtown[214] |
| Anne Braden (1924–2006) | Civil rights activist, journalist, educator[215] | Born in Louisville[215] |
| LaVerne Butler (1926–2010) | Clergyman and college president[216] | Born in Henderson County; pastor of 9th & O Baptist Church in Louisville, president of Mid-Continent University in Mayfield, also resided in Lexington |
| Brian Cashman (born 1967) | Senior VP and general manager of New York Yankees[217] | Raised in Lexington[217] |
| Edgar Cayce (1877–1945) | Mystic[218] | Born in Beverly, seven miles (11 km) south of Hopkinsville[218] |
| Thomas D. Clark (1903–2005) | Historian credited with preserving much of Kentucky's history[219] | Lived in Lexington, taught at University of Kentucky for more than seven decades[219] |
| Chris Clarke (born 1957) | Southern Baptist missionary to the equestrian community[220] | Operates Happy Trails Ministry in Burna[220] |
| David and Mary Conley | The Amazing Race contestants known as "Team Kentucky" | Live in Stone[221] |
| Tara Conner (born 1985) | 2006 Miss USA[222] | Raised from early childhood in Russell Springs[222] |
| Mordecai Ham (1877–1961) | Tent revivalist who preached the sermon, converting Billy Graham to Christianity | Born in Allen County[223] |
| Heather French Henry (born 1974) | 2000 Miss America[224] | Born in Augusta, raised in Maysville[224] |
| Duncan Hines (1880–1959) | Food critic[225] | Born in Bowling Green[225] |
| Willie K. Hocker (1862–1944) | Designer of the Arkansas state flag | Born in Madison County |
| Robert S. James (1818–1850) | Revivalist Pastor; father of Jesse James and Frank James; co-founder of William Jewell College | Born in Logan County |
| Casey Jones (1864–1900) | Railroad engineer of song; killed trying to stop a train collision; subject of a television series based loosely on his career[226] | Born in Cayce[226] |
| Brandi Mudd (born 1989) | Elementary school teacher and contestant from MasterChef season 7 | Born in Irvington |
| Venus Ramey (1924–2017) | 1944 Miss America[227] | Born in Ashland, raised in Paintsville[228] |
| Gene Robinson (born 1947) | First openly gay noncelibate Episcopal bishop[229] | Born in Lexington[229] |
| Col. Harland Sanders (1890–1980) | Founder of KFC[230] | Lived in Corbin[230] |
| "Papa" John Schnatter (born 1962) | Founder of Papa John's Pizza[231] | Lives in Anchorage[231] |
See also
References
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