A trip to Florida is perfect for anyone in need of a relaxing day at the beach. Florida is recognized for its soft sand, clear ocean water, and warm weather. Florida is also widely recognized for being home to Walt Disney World. The amusement park is a solid attraction for visitors and locals to visit all year long.
The talented musicians originally born in Florida are collectively another reason why this particular state is so special.
24/7 Tempo consulted several music-centered entertainment sites to gather this list of the 10 biggest musicians from Florida. Some of these sites include Hello Music Theory, Singers Room, and Last FM. (For a slightly different list, click here for the most popular duos of all time.)
Sam Moore
Sam Moore was born in Florida.
- Hometown: Miami
Sam Moore was born on October 12, 1935, in Miami, Florida. To this day, Moore is recognized for musical contributions he’s made to the soul and R&B genres. He was once part of a duo called Sam & Dave from 1961 until 1981, but they eventually split up. Unfortunately, Moore and Dave Prater didn’t get along very well when they weren’t performing on stage.
Thanks to Moore’s impressive career in the music industry, he’s now a member of the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame, the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, and the Grammy Hall of Fame. Some of his biggest songs are “Hold On I’m Coming,” “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love,” and “She Caught the Katy.” After five Grammy nominations, Moore finally won one for his song “Soul Man.”
T-Pain (Faheem Rashad Najm)
T-Pain is another Florida-born musician.
- Hometown: Tallahassee
Faheem Rashad Najm, who goes by the stage named T-Pain, was born on September 30, 1984, in Tallahassee, Florida. He’s a singer, songwriter, record producer, and rapper. When Najm helped autotune songs become popular in the music scene, it was a total game changer.
Some of his biggest hits to date are “Bartender,” “I’m Sprung,” “Buy You a Drink,” and “Best Love Song.” His list of collaborations with other talented artists is extensive. He’s performed with Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, DJ Khaled, Jamie Foxx, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, and so many others from the hip-hop realm.
As proof of his skillset, Najm has taken home plenty of awards. Some of these include the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song, the BET Hip Hop Award for Best Hip Hop Video, and the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Hip-Hop Song.
Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry is another artist who was born in Florida.
- Hometown: Miami
Debbie Harry is a singer and songwriter who was born on July 1, 1945, in Miami, Florida. She made a name for herself as a lead vocalist in one of the biggest rock bands from the 70s. She performed with Blondie after connecting with other musicians who shared her vision back in 1974.
Some of Harry’s most memorable songs are “Heart of Glass,” The Tide is High,” and “I Want That Man.” Harry’s been nominated for two Grammy awards in her lifetime, but the actual winning title she was given in 1978 was the NME Award for Best Female Singer.
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande was born in Baco Raton.
- Hometown: Boca Raton
Ariana Grande has millions of devoted fans who support her and her music career. In fact, she currently has more than 380 million followers on Instagram. She was born on June 26, 1983, in Boca Raton, Florida. The pop culture icon has been compared to the likes of Mariah Carey since she has such a wide vocal range.
Her music fits into the pop genre since it’s playful, lighthearted, and contemporary. Some of her biggest songs are “Side to Side,” “7 Rings,” and “Dangerous Woman.” She’s collaborated with several talented musicians like Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Lana Del Rey, and Miley Cyrus.
Some of the awards Grande’s won throughout the course of her career are the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album, the Billboard Music Award for Top Female Artist, and the American Music Award for Artist of the Year.
Mike McCready
Mike McCready is a Pearl Jam member born in Florida.
- Hometown: Pensacola
Mike McCready is a founding member of a beloved rock band called Pearl Jam. He’s the lead guitarist for the group, but he’s also been tied to other bands like Temple of the Dog, Mad Season, Flight to Mars, and The Rockfords. As a band member of Pearl Jam, McCready has tons of great songs on his resume.
“Black,” “Even Flow,” “Hunger Strike,” and “Yellow Ledbetter” are just some of the biggest songs the group released to the public in the early 90s. As far as awards go, Pearl Jam won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance, the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, and the American Music Award for Favorite Rock Artist — just name a few. Along with the rest of his Pearl Jam bandmates, McCready was inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
Flo Rida (Tramar Lacel Dillard)
Flo Rida, aka Tramar Lacel Dillard, was born in Florida.
- Hometown: Carol City
Tramar Lacel Dillard, who goes by the stage name Flo Rida, was born on September 16, 1979, in Carol City, Florida. Back in 2007, Dillard became a top rapper in the music industry after releasing his breakout single “Low.” The song was such a hit that it stayed in the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for 10 consecutive weeks.
Dillard has continued releasing catchy songs for music lovers to dance to including “Club Can’t Handle Me,” “Apple Bottom Jeans,” and “Right Round.” He’s collaborated with talented musicians like Kesha, Timbaland, Nelly Furtado, Ne-Yo, David Guetta, and Akon. Some of the awards he’s been given are the NRJ Music Award for Hit of the Year, the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Hip-Hop Song, and the Outstanding Contribution to Dance Music Industry.
Ronnie Van Zant
- Hometown: Jacksonville
Ronnie Van Zant was the lead vocalist in a southern rock band called Lynyrd Skynyrd. Zant was born on January 15, 1948, in Jacksonville, Florida. He passed away on October 20, 1977 in Gillsburg, Mississippi. He died in a tragic plane crash along with other members of Lynyrd Skynyrd.
When Zant was still alive and performing music with Lynyrd Skynyrd, they never shied away from releasing catchy songs from music lovers to enjoy. Some of their greatest hits include “Free Bird,” “Tuesday’s Gone,” and “Call Me the Breeze.” If you’re curious to know who came up with most of the lyrics for Lynyrd Skynyrd, Zant was the primary lyricist behind the bulk of them.
Pitbull (Armando Christian Perez)
Pitbull is a rapper who was born in Miami.
- Hometown: Miami
Armando Christian Perez, who professionally goes by Pitbull, was born on January 15, 1981, in Miami, Florida. As of now, he’s recognized for his talents as a rapper, singer, and songwriter. His music fits into a handful of genres as proof that he’s a versatile star. Latin, hip-hop, and Reggaeton are the genres he’s most closely associated with.
Perez’s debut album came out in 2004 with a hit single called “Culo.” Perez went on to release several other chart-topping hits including “I Know You Want Me,” “Hotel Room Service,” and “International Love.” His list of collaborations is beyond impressive since he’s had the honor of working with beloved musicians.
Some of Perez’s collaborations have been with Trina, Afrojack, and Enrique Iglesias. Perez’s notable awards include the Grammy Award for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album, the Latin Grammy Award for Best Urban Fusion/Performance, and the Billboard Latin Music Award for Tropical Song of the Year.
Tom Petty
Tom Petty is a talented Florida-born musician.
- Hometown: Gainesville
Tom Petty is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was born on October 20, 1950, in Gainesville, Florida. Petty died on October 2, 2017, in Santa Monica, California. Before his death, he was the lead singer in a rock band called Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
He also performed with a band called Mudcrutch and another group called The Traveling Wilburys. Despite the fact that he was connected to three different bands in his lifetime, he’s also remembered as successful solo artist who did well on his own. His solo superstardom was always enough to carry him.
Some of Petty’s biggest songs include “Free Fallin’,” “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” and “I Won’t Back Down.” His awards list includes the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance, the Billboard Music Century Award, and the MusiCares Person of the Year.
Steve Aoki
Steve Aoki is a talented Florida-born DJ.
- Hometown: Miami
Steve Aoki is one of the most talked about DJs and music producers of this generation. He was born on November 30, 1977, in Miami, Florida. The first few songs to put Aoki on the map were released in the early 2010s. “No beef” and “Turbulence” are two tracks that turned him into a household name in the pop music an EDM worlds. (Here is a list of top-charting collaborations between legendary musicians and new artists.)
Aoki has recorded songs with musicians like 2 Chainz, Machine Gun Kelly, Louis Tomlinson from One Direction, and Iggy Azalea. Some of the awards he’s taken home include the Teen Choice Award for Choice Electronic/Dance Song and the DJ Award for Ibiza Set.