# What famous musicians have even more famous musician children? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [April 7, 2026, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092 "2026-04-07T13:42:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/81 "2026-04-07T20:03:43Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > And how about acting families? Chris Elliott seems to have eclipsed his father Bob (of Bob and Ray)…perhaps one day his daughter Abby will do the same. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/82 "2026-04-07T20:08:36Z")
I don’t think that is true, in their day, I believe Bob & Ray were better known than Chris Elliott. Trivia bit: With Bob Elliot hosting SNL in the 70s and Chris Elliot being part of the cast later on and then Abby joining the cast much later, they were apparently the first 3 generation family to be on SNL. ---
**Author:** ![raspberry\_hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@raspberry\_hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raspberry_hunter)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/83 "2026-04-07T20:13:32Z")
How famous is famous? I don’t know if Raymond Keenlyside would count as a famous musician, but he was a professional musician who played in the Aeolian Quartet, which is famous enough to be on Wikipedia. His son Simon Keenlyside is a quite famous opera baritone. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/84 "2026-04-07T20:42:43Z")
Responding to myself again to mention trivia of interest to me: John Sebastian Senior taught JS Jr. how to play the autoharp - _without_ the chord bars. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/85 "2026-04-07T20:47:37Z")
English musician [Ross MacManus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_MacManus) enjoyed a successful career from the 1950s to the 1970s. His 1972 album was _Elvis Presley’s Golden Hits Sung by Big Ross & The Memphis Sound._ For its CD release in 2008, the album was retitled _Elvis’ Dad Sings Elvis_ – a nod to the fact that Ross MacManus also happened to be the father of Elvis Costello. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/86 "2026-04-07T20:48:30Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > Ricky Nelson was more famous as a musician than his father Ozzie. My vague impression is that Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra were pretty big in the 30’s and 40’s, but with TV and movie exposure I guess Ricky could have been the more famous musician. BTW I learned today that Ozzie had a Law Degree. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/87 "2026-04-07T20:59:26Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Johann Sebastian Bach’s His son [PDQ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._D._Q._Bach) was pretty darned popular in our day. I can’t say he was more popular than his dad when taken over time - but I’ve yet to see a live performance of JS Bach’s compositions and I absolutely HAVE seen PDQ’s “music” performed live - at places like Wolf Trap and the Kennedy Center. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/88 "2026-04-07T21:25:03Z")
> [@raspberry\_hunter](#): > > How famous is famous? I don’t know if Raymond Keenlyside would count as a famous musician, but he was a professional musician who played in the Aeolian Quartet, which is famous enough to be on Wikipedia. His son Simon Keenlyside is a quite famous opera baritone. “Famous enough to be on Wikipedia.” ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/89 "2026-04-07T21:25:57Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > BTW I learned today that Ozzie had a Law Degree. Interesting. Yes he graduated from Rutgers University both undergraduate and law school. What I discovered a short time ago is he published several really racist cartoons in the school humor magazine. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/90 "2026-04-07T23:32:05Z")
> [@stopnonstop](#): > > I think Rufus Wainwright has had more success than his father Loudon Wainwright lll or mother Kate McGarrigle Dammit, this was the one I was going to post! > [@griffin1977](#): > > I think Duncan Jones gets an honorable mention for having a far more successful cinematic career than his father David Bowie That’s arguable. I’ve liked Jones’ movies that I’ve seen, but they are pretty niche. Between _The Man Who Fell to Earth_, _Labyrinth_, _Basquiat_, and _The Prestige_, Bowie racked up a pretty successful movie career. I suspect more people have seen _Labyrinth_ alone than all of Duncan’s movies put together. (No shade to Duncan, again, who makes very interesting films.) ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/91 "2026-04-07T23:36:19Z")
you forgot “The Hunger” with David ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2026, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/92 "2026-04-07T23:40:12Z")
I chose not to post his entire filmography, as I didn’t need it to make my argument. I also didn’t include “The Linguini Incident,” among many others. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/93 "2026-04-08T00:18:50Z")
I submit Judy Garland and her daughter Liza. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/94 "2026-04-08T00:27:21Z")
Mentioned above, and Liza is not bigger than Judy was. No hit on Liza, but Judy Garland is an all time great. Dorothy alone leaves her on another level but then so much more. Liza’s biggest success is probably Caberet? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/95 "2026-04-08T00:35:42Z")
I’d rank jazz singer John Pizzarelli as a smidge more popular than his jazz guitarist father Bucky. (Fun fact: John wrote the Foxwoods jingle.) ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/96 "2026-04-08T00:59:35Z")
Jamie Lee Curtis, maybe??? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/97 "2026-04-08T01:17:32Z")
Efrem Zimbalist was a renowned violinist and conductor; his wife, Alma Gluck, was a famous opera singer. Their son, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., was a big TV star of the 50 and 60s and is better known to the general public. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/98 "2026-04-08T01:42:26Z")
> [@dirtball](#): > > Jamie Lee Curtis, maybe??? Bigger than Janet Leigh, her mom, yes. Bigger than Tony Curtis was in his day? No way. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/99 "2026-04-08T01:47:23Z")
June Carter Cash was Johnny Cash’s wife, not husband. Franklin Mills made an appearance on the “Ed Sullivan Show” back in the day, performing an operatic aria. His son Mike was later the bassist and occasional singer for R.E.M. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2026, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092/100 "2026-04-08T01:51:58Z")
Judy Garland’s other daughter, Lorna Luft, has been a respected musician in her own right. I was a bit surprised to find out that Liza Minnelli is almost 80 years old. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-famous-musicians-have-even-more-famous-musician-children/1029092.md?page=6)