Tennessee happens to be the 15th most populated state in the entire U.S. The southern state is recognized for its Country Music Hall of Fame, grand Ole Opry, and the most impressive Bass Pro Shop for consumers to visit. Some of the most talented musicians in the world were born and raised in different cities across the state of Tennessee, too.
Older musicians from Tennessee who’ve been adored by the masses for decades include Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner. Some of the newer musicians to make names for themselves in the music industry are Miley Cyrus and Lucy Hale. It’s obvious that Tennessee is a fabulous home base for some undeniable talent. Tennessee isn’t the only state to produce noteworthy musicians, though. Meet the 10 biggest musicians from Nevada, for example.
To gather this list of the biggest musicians to come from Tennessee, 24/7 Tempo consulted several music-centered publications including Hello Music Theory, Singers Room, and Last FM.
Dolly Parton
- Hometown: Pittman Center
There’s no denying that Dolly Parton is a total icon. She was born on January 19, 1946, in Pittman Center, Tennessee. Her career has been in motion for decades since she released “Puppy Love” with Gold Band Records back in 1959. Although the single didn’t land on any charts, it was enough to get people talking about Parton. Her first solo hit was called “Joshua” in 1971.
She continued releasing songs like “Jolene,” “Love is Like a Butterfly,” and “I Will Always Love You” in 1974. Parton’s list of accolades includes the Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance, the Country Music Association Award for Entertainer of the Year, and the Academy of Country Music Award for Album of the Year. The mark she’s left in the world of country music cannot be ignored.
Justin Timberlake
- Hometown: Memphis
Justin Timberlake was born on January 31, 1981, in Memphis, Tennessee. As of today, he’s recognized for being a singer, record producer, songwriter, and actor. His vocal performances are one of the reasons he’s so popular among his fan base. Before Timberlake pursued a solo career, he was part of a popular boy band from 1995 until 2002. *NSYNC had other band members in the lineup including JC Chasez, Lance Bass, Joey Fatone, and Chris Kirkpatrick.
Timberlake’s solo career is arguably more impressive than the time he spent with *NSYNC since he released many popular songs on his own. Some of those hits include “Mirrors,” “Cry Me a River,” and “SexyBack.” Timberlake’s won several awards including the Grammy Award for Best Music Video, the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, and the Billboard Music Award for Top Artist.
Miley Cyrus
- Hometown: Franklin
Out of all the celebrities to come from the Disney Channel, Miley Cyrus is certainly one of the most noteworthy. She was born on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tennessee. When she landed the titular role in “Hannah Montana,” her entire life was flipped upside down. She already had a taste of what life was like in the music industry thanks to her country singing father, Billy Ray Cyrus.
Her Disney Channel fame, catapulted her into superstardom beyond what she was familiar with already. Some of Cyrus’s biggest songs include “Flowers,“ “Wrecking Ball, and “Party in the USA.” To top it off, her list of awards is extensive. She’s won the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year, the NRJ Music Award for International Song of the Year, and the World Music Award for World’s Best Video, just to name a few.
Tina Turner
- Hometown: Brownsville
Tina Turner was dubbed the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” while she was still alive. She passed away on May 24, 2023, while living in Switzerland. She was born on November 26, 1939 in Brownsville, Tennessee. Years before her passing, she made an impact in the world of music as a successful solo performer. Some of her greatest hits include “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” “Simply the Best,” and “River Deep Mountain High.”
The 80s was a powerful era for Turner who was always filming music videos and performing in front of live audiences. The talented songstress was an award winner with plenty of accolades under her belt. Some of those include the Grammy Award for Album of the Year, American Music Award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist, and the World Music Legend Award for Outstanding Contribution To The Music Industry.
Kenny Chesney
- Hometown: Knoxville
When you think of the country music genre, Kenny Chesney is an obvious artist who comes to mind. He was born on March 26, 1968, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Over the course of his career, he’s recorded over 20 albums that have included some incredibly popular hit singles. More than 40 of the singles he’s released have landed on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts.
Out of 40 of those hit singles, 32 of them actually reached the number one spot at one point or another. Some of Chesney’s biggest songs include “There Goes My Life,” “When the Sun Goes Down,” and “The Boys of Fall.” As far as awards go, Chesney has taken home the Country Music Association Award for Entertainer of the Year, Billboard Music Award for Top Country Artist, and the Academy of Country Music Award for Entertainer of the Year — among others.
Aretha Franklin
- Hometown: Memphis
Aretha Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee. Although she’s widely recognized for being a singer, she was also a songwriter and pianist before her passing on August 26, 2018. She’s affectionately nicknamed the “Queen of Soul” thanks to her long list of popular songs and accolades. Rolling Stone named her the greatest singer of all time — twice.
Since Rolling Stone is one of the most reputable music publications of all time, that title is a true honor. Songs you recognize from Franklin include “A Natural Woman,” “Respect,“ and “Ain’t No Way.” The late 60s was a wonderful era for Franklin and her bustling career. Some of her awards include the Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance, the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album, and the American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist.
Dustin Lynch
- Hometown: Tullahoma
Country music has always been the name of the game for Dustin Lynch. He was born on May 14, 1985, in Tullahoma, Tennessee. The country music singer and songwriter is currently signed to Broken Bow Records. Over the course of his career, he’s released six studio albums, including one in 2023 called “Killed the Cowboy.”
Dustin’s songs have had a positive impact on country music listeners since they’re highly relatable and pleasant to listen to. One of his most popular songs happens to be “Small Town Boy” from 2017. As far as awards go, Dustin’s taken home the CMT Music Award for Male Video of the Year, the iHeartRadio Music Awards Country Song of the Year, and the Academy of Country Music Awards for Top New Artist of the Year in the past.
Chord Overstreet
Chord Overstreet is a Tennessee-born star,
- Hometown: Nashville
One of the more obvious places you recognize Chord Overstreet from is the hit drama “Glee.” Overstreet played the role of a teenage boy named Sam Evans from 2009 until 2015. It was pretty obvious that Overstreet was a talented singer based on his time filming the show. After all, the entire show is based on high school students performing covers of some of the most iconic songs in history.
Some of Overstreet’s biggest songs beyond the show include “Hold On,” “Tortured Soul,” and “What’s Left of You.” Overstreet was born on February 17, 1989, in Nashville, Tennessee. His talent serves as proof that musicians who genuinely know how to sing are likely to come from a state like Tennessee.
Lucy Hale
Lucy Hale was born in Memphis.
- Hometown: Memphis
Lucy Hale’s career took off after she landed the role of Aria Montgomery on the teen drama “Pretty Little Liars.” The show was based on a series of novels of the same name. It did its best to keep up with the popularity of shows like “Gossip Girl” and “The Vampire Diaries.”
Though Hale didn’t get a chance to show off her vocal talents while filming “Pretty Little Liars” for the CW network, she still chose to pursue a singing career beyond the show. She was born on June 14, 1989 in Memphis, Tennessee, and hasn’t shied away from microphones over the years. Some of her more popular songs include “Make You Believe,” “Bless Myself,” and “Run This Town.”
Kelsea Ballerini
- Hometown: Mascot
Kelsea Ballerini was born on September 12, 1993, in Mascot, Tennessee. The country pop singer and songwriter started writing catchy lyrics when she was still a child. By the time 2014 rolled around, she was given the opportunity to sign a contract with Black River Entertainment. A year later, she released her debut studio album. It was called “The First Time.” In 2017, she followed that up with her sophomore album “Unapologetically.” Some of Ballerini’s most popular songs are “I Quit Drinking,” “Miss Me More,” and “Penthouse.”
She’s taken home a handful of impressive awards including the iHeartRadio Music Award for Best New Country Artist, the Country Music Association Award for Music Video of the Year, and the Radio Disney Music Award for Best New Artist.
Tennessee is the southern state where Ballerini and these other musicians are from, but there are several other southern states that have produced true talent over the years. Meet the 10 biggest musicians to comes from Alabama.