# Most Famous People From Your Area **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 18, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286 "2011-05-18T04:23:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/21 "2011-05-18T13:07:28Z")
Elvis wasn’t from here but he died here and we’re famous for his mansion. Also Kathy Bates and Cybill Shepherd and Dixie Carter were born in Memphis. And Shannen Doherty and Justin Timberlake, although I think they were born in Germantown. I know there are a bunch more but I can’t recall right now. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/22 "2011-05-18T13:14:19Z")
> [@Maiira](#): > > Garrison Keillor > Terry Gilliam > Josh Hartnett (does he count?) > The Andrews Sisters > Michelle Bachman (unfortunately) > Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver)–went to my high school, in fact. > Bob Dylan > > Um…that’s all I can think of off the top of my head. Good Lord, how could you forget the Purple One? There’s also the Coen Brothers. ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/23 "2011-05-18T13:29:40Z")
Memphis TN: Elvis Kathy Bates Justin Timberlake Dixie Carter Johnny Cash Shannen Doherty Ginnifer Goodwin Aretha Franklin Al Green Isaac Hayes Howlin’ Wolf BB King Jerry Lee Lewis Cybill Shepherd ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/24 "2011-05-18T13:35:21Z")
John Adams John Quincy Adams JFK RFK Teddy The other JFK Aerosmith Julia Child e e cummings Thomas Paine King Philip Paul Revere Ben Affleck Matt Damon ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/25 "2011-05-18T13:36:59Z")
Ed Gein :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/26 "2011-05-18T13:43:45Z")
I will be after “The UN Plaza Incident” happens. Of course it might be more accurate to say Infamous. (We have reached the half way point in the planning stage and are on schedule.) ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/27 "2011-05-18T13:44:35Z")
Me\* [sub]\*for limited definitions of “your area”[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/28 "2011-05-18T13:58:35Z")
Henry Mancini. Mike Ditka. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/29 "2011-05-18T14:38:15Z")
Philadelphia, PA: I really don’t have the energy. Ya got the whole founding of the U.S.A and all that just to start. Take your pick. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/30 "2011-05-18T14:44:19Z")
E. E. “Doc” Smith Jackie Mason ---
**Author:** ![kenner116](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecb155/32.png) [@kenner116](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenner116)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/31 "2011-05-18T15:27:39Z")
From [Absecon, NJ](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absecon,_New_Jersey), a town of about 8000. K-pop singer [Brian Joo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Joo) Conservative commentator [Michelle Malkin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Malkin) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/32 "2011-05-18T15:28:01Z")
Jimmy Stewart Jack Lambert ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/33 "2011-05-18T15:33:33Z")
John Travolta Bruce Harper ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/34 "2011-05-18T15:49:01Z")
Since my current city is too easy for this, let’s go with the city of my birth: Ashton Kutcher Elijah Wood Ron Livingston Orville Wright Wilbur Wright ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/35 "2011-05-18T16:07:30Z")
How do you define “Area”? How do you define “Famous”? In response to Governor Goodhair’s blathering about secession, Houston writer John Nova Lomax wrote [A Musical Guide to Post-Secession Texas](http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2009/08/a_musical_guide_to_post-secess_4.php). He put Houston in > [@](#): > > …the new state of Brazoria, encompassing all of Southeast Texas from the Brazos Valley to Sabine Pass. > > **Patron Saint:** Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown. A master of rock and roll, country, Cajun/Creole, blues and jazz, no one area musician sounded more like Southeast Texas… > > **Lesser Icons:** Destiny’s Child/Beyonce, ZZ Top, Janis Joplin, George Jones, Clint Black, Tracy Byrd, Bobby Blue Bland, Big Mama Thornton, La Mafia, DJ Screw, the Geto Boys / Scarface, Devin the Dude, Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, Mike Jones, Lil’ Keke, Lil’ Flip, Fat Pat, South Park Mexican, BJ Thomas, Roy Head, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Bush, Floyd Tillman, Johnny Lee, Mickey Gilley, Clifton Chenier, UGK / Bun B, Johnny Guitar Watson, Albert Collins, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Arnett Cobb, Milt Larkin, Illinois Jacquet, Kirk Whalum, Eddie Cleanhead Vinson. > > **​Also:** Sippie Wallace, Peck Kelly, Big Moe, Slim Thug, Z-Ro, Trae, the Big Bopper, Blind Willie Johnson, Mance Lipscomb, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Calvin Owens, Joe Scott, Fever Tree, Archie Bell and the Drells, Johnny Nash, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Guy Clark, Lucinda Williams, Rodney Crowell, Esther Phillips, Robert Earl Keen, the Judy’s, Texas Johnny Brown, Goree Carter, Joe Guitar Hughes, Lil’ Joe Washington, Percy Mayfield, Joe Tex, Ted Daffan, Jimmy “T-99” Nelson, Charles Brown, Lyle Lovett, Fito Olivares, Baby Bash, Amos Milburn. > > **And:** Gene Watson, Mickey Newbury, Hersal Thomas, Harry Choates, Bubble Puppy, the Crusaders/Joe Sample, K-Rino, Brooke Valentine, Leela James, Hayes Carll, Dobie Gray, Ivory Joe Hunter, Yolanda Adams, Mark Chesnutt, Barbara Lynn, Johnny and Edgar Winter, Clay Walker. One ex-President retired here; his ex-President son chose [The Metroplex](http://blogs.houstonpress.com/rocks/2009/08/a_musical_guide_to_post-secess_1.php). But I’d rather dwell on the\* important\* famous people! ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/36 "2011-05-18T16:10:18Z")
The band Slipknot (maggots represent!) From the state of Iowa in general: John Wayne Herbert Hoover Ann Landers Johnny Carson > **[Famous Iowa People](https://www.50states.com/bio/iowa.htm)** > > Directory of famous Iowa people. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/37 "2011-05-18T16:15:08Z")
Bill Gates and the msft crew A Boeing A Weyerhaeuser Quincy Jones probably others. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/38 "2011-05-18T16:19:14Z")
Jennifer Love Hewitt Jessica Simpson Shannon Elizabeth Steve Martin ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/39 "2011-05-18T16:19:26Z")
> [@otternell](#): > > From the state of Iowa in general: Where in Iowa? I was born in Cedar Rapids. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286/40 "2011-05-18T16:26:04Z")
It’s a long list. [List of people from Nashville, Tennessee](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_people_from_Nashville,_Tennessee) If you mean “my hometown” the list is much shorter (small town): - Senator Scott Brown, R-MA - Mosi Tatupu, former Patriots running back - Helen Keller - Horace Mann - Lofa Tatupu, Seahawks linebacker - Garth Snow, former NHL goalie and owner Garth and I went to elementary school together. I remember he was a wicked little league pitcher. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-famous-people-from-your-area/582286.md?page=3)