Music lovers have much to love about Georgia. The Peach State is where plenty of talented musicians were born! Whether you love music from the R&B genre or the country music genre, there are artists you’ll undoubtedly love, respect, and appreciate who came straight from the heart of Georgia.
Some of these talented musicians know how to use their vocals to tell beautiful stories with melodies. Others classify as songwriters who come up with some of the catchiest and most relatable lyrics of all time. Other musicians know what it takes to play intricate instruments like the piano, the guitar, or the drums. (Here is a list of 25 artists who never seem to leave the Hot 100.)
24/ Tempo consulted some music-centered publications to compile this list of noteworthy musicians who were born in Georgia. Some of those sites include Hello Music Theory, Singers Room, and Last FM.
Kanye West
- Hometown: Atlanta
One of the most controversial rappers of this era happens to be Kanye West. He was born on June 8, 1977, in Atlanta, Georgia. When he was still young, his parents divorced and he relocated away with his mother. He ended up moving to Chicago, Illinois. Now, West is thought of as a talented rapper, songwriter, singer, and record producer. Outside of the music realm, he’s also made a name for himself as a fashion designer.
Along with releasing great music, designing clothes and shoes is something West has always been passionate about. Some of West’s biggest songs to date are “Heartless,” “Runaway,” and “Flashing Lights.” As far as awards go, West won the Grammy Award For Best Rap Album, the BET Award for Best Male Hip-hop Artist, and the American Music Awards For Favorite Rap/Hip-hop Male Artist – just to name a few.
Andre 3000
Andre 3000 is a talented musician from Georgia.
- Hometown: Atlanta,
The career of Andre 3000 has been lovely to keep up with since he first started making waves in the music industry. His real name is Andre Lauren Benjamin and he was born on May 27, 1975, in Atlanta, Georgia. Benjamin is a respected singer, rapper, flattest, songwriter, record producer, and actor.
When he joined together with another Atlanta-based rapper named Big Boi to form a hip-hop duo called OutKast, nearly every hip-hop music lover became a fan overnight. Some of the biggest songs you’ll recognize from Benjamin include “Hey Ya!,” “Roses,” and “Ms. Jackson.” Benjamin’s taken home seven Grammy awards over the years along with Big Boi.
Luke Bryan
Luke Bryan is a great country music star.
- Hometown: Leesburg
Luke Bryan is one of the most beloved country singers of this generation. Bryan was born on July 17, 1976 in Leesburg, Georgia. Although he grew up in such a small town and he grew up looking up to a father, who earned a living as a peanut and fertilizer businessman, music was ultimately the end game for Bryan. He has released several studio albums with hit singles for country music lovers to enjoy. A few of his more popular songs? “Country girl,” “Play It Again,” and “One Margarita.” Bryan is an award-winning country music star with some incredible accolades under his belt. Some of those include the Country Music Association Award for Entertainer of the Year, the Academy of Country Music Award for Entertainer of the Year, and the Billboard Music Award for Top Country Artist.
Zac Brown
Zac Brown is a talented Georgia-born musician.
- Hometown: Atlanta
Just like Luke Bryan, Zac Brown is another talented country music star to come from Georgia. He was born on July 31, 1978, in Atlanta, Georgia. The American singer and songwriter is the lead man in charge of the Zac Brown Band. Another music group he’s been linked to is called Sir Rosevelt. The dance music group is behind some of the most enjoyable pop music ever.
When Brown released his debut single “Chicken Fried,” it didn’t get a lot of traction back in 2003. He re-recorded the song and released it in 2008. Brown has been nominated for eight Grammy awards, and he’s actually taken home three of them.
Ray Charles
Ray Charles was born in Georgia.
- Hometown: Albany
Ray Charles is born on September 23, 1930, in Albany, Georgia. Charles died on June 10, 2004, in Beverly Hills, California. Before his death, he was labeled one of the most influential and iconic singers in history. One of the reasons people respect Charles so much is that he was able to pursue a career as a musician despite his blindness.
He lost his sight around four or five years old, and he was totally blind by the time he was seven. Still, he was capable of playing the alto, saxophone, trumpet, and clarinet. Arguably, the most impressive instrument Charles would play was the piano. He’s won 18 Grammy awards over the course of his career – and five of them were granted to him after his death.
Little Richard
Little Richard was born in Georgia.
- Hometown: Macon
Little Richard is a notable musician who was born on December 5, 1932, and Macon, Georgia. Along with being a singer and songwriter, he was also a wonderful pianist. He died on May 9, 2020, in Tullahoma, Tennessee. Across the span of seven decades, he left a huge mark on the music industry.
Some of the biggest songs you might know from Little Richard include “Tutti Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally,” and “Good Golly Miss Molly.” The 50s was a wonderful era for this hard-working individual. His birth name was Richard Wayne Penniman, but music lovers affectionately always referred to him by his stage name: Little Richard.
Sam Hunt
Sam Hunt is a fabulous Georgia-born musician.
- Hometown: Cedartown
Sam Hunt was born on December 18, 1984, in Cedartown, Georgia. Before diving in headfirst to the music scene, he played football in high school and college. His dreams as a youngster were to make it as a professional athlete, but the table certainly turned for him. He is now recognized for his talents as a singer and songwriter above all else.
Some of Hunt’s most memorable songs include “Body Like a Back Road,” “Take Your Time,” and “Make You Miss Me.” Hunt has taken home several impressive awards including the American Music Award for New Artist of the Year, the Academy of Country Music Award for Single of the Year, and the Billboard Music Award for Top Country Song.
Otis Redding
Otis Redding was a great musician from Georgia.
- Hometown: Dawson
Would the genre of rhythm and blues be the same without an artist like Otis Redding making a difference? He was born on September 9, 1941, in Dawson, Georgia. To this day, music lovers still appreciate his soul music and think of him as one of the best singer songwriters in American history. Redding died on December 10, 1964, in Lake Monona, Wisconsin.
Before his passing, he was the man behind some incredible songs! “The Dock of the Bay,” “These Arms of Mine,“ and “Try a Little Tenderness” are just a few of his greatest hits. Redding was the winner of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Grammy Award for Best R&B Song, and the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight is another talent from Georgia.
- Hometown: Atlanta
When you hear a song like “Midnight Train to Georgia,” it instantly makes you want to learn more about the woman behind the track. That happens to be Gladys Knight. She released that hit song in 1973, and it was life-changing for R&B music lovers around the globe. Knight is a seven time Grammy Award-winning artist who released wonderful songs throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
She was born on May 28, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia, and is now affectionately known as the “Empress of Soul.” Some of Knight’s awards include the Grammy Award for Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance, the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, and the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Artist.
Quavo
- Hometown: Athens
Quavo, who’s birth name is Quavious Keyate Marshall, was born on April 2, 1991, in Athens, Georgia. He was once part of the hip-hop trio Migos before the group disbanded. Unfortunately, one of the members of the group – Takeoff, who’s real name was Kirsnick Khari Ball – has since died. Marshall’s career has been full of success in the hip-hop world thanks to a lot of the songs he released with his hip hop group Migos.
A few of their biggest tracks include “Bad and Boujee,” “Handsome And Wealthy,” and “Hannah Montana.” Some of the awards Quavo’s won over the years include the Teen Choice Award for Choice Music: R&B/Hip-Hop Song, the American Music Award for Favorite Song Rap/Hip-hop, and the BET Award for Best Collaboration. It’s clear that plenty of talented musicians came from Georgia, but what about other states? Meet the 10 biggest musicians from Tennessee.