Meet the 10 Biggest Musicians From Virginia

It’s got a southern flair, delectable cuisine, mountain escapes, and expansive beaches. The Old Dominion isn’t just the birthplace of a nation, it’s the birthplace of several musicians who have impacted the music industry with their raw talents.

To put this list together, we reviewed the respective websites of each artist, their biographical accounts, and their discography. You may already know and love some of the names in this list, but a few may surprise you. For a state that’s for lovers, it’s no surprise that those on this list have freely shared their passion with the world. Meet the 10 biggest musicians from Virginia (Read about baby boomers still making music).

Here is the list of the 10 biggest musicians from Virginia:

Missy Elliott

She’s a five-time Grammy award-winning artist with several talents. She’s a singer, rapper, producer, and songwriter. She has a few classics under her belt, including “Get Ur Freak On” and “Work It.” Missy Elliot was born in 1971 in Portsmouth, VA. Her early life was tumultuous, and she dealt with poverty and violence in the home. Although she suffered childhood abuse, she never lost her faith.

After a false start with a girl group called Sista, Elliot remained steadfast. She kept writing and producing more songs, collaborating with one of her childhood friends (who is also on this list), Timbaland. Elliot released Supa Dupa Fly, her debut album, in 1997. Later, she released Da Real World in 1999, and two years later, she released So Addictive in 2001. She didn’t just receive multiple Grammys, but she also won multiple BET awards and MTV video awards.

Trey Songz

He’s not just a musical talent. He’s also an actor. Trey Songz was born in Petersburg, VA in 1984 as Tremaine Aldon Neverson. During his teen years, he realized his innate talent as a singer. With encouragement from loved ones, he participated in talent shows, where he drew the attention of a record producer.

Songz released his debut album, “I Gotta Make It” in 2005. A few years later, Songz released “Tre Day” in 2007. Again, the singles from the album made it onto the charts. He has since released several more albums, including “Ready,” “Passion, Pain & Pleasure,” “Chapter V,” Trigga,” “Tremaine the Album,” and “Back Home,” his newest album out now.

Pharrell Williams

He’s prolific and has influenced several music genres, including pop, R&B, and hip-hop. He’s not just a performer, he’s also a songwriter and producer. Pharrell Williams was born in Virginia Beach, VA in 1973. By the time he was a teenager, he was considered a prodigy. In his adulthood, he won 13 Grammy awards and collaborated with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Britney Spears, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Usher, and No Doubt, to name a few.

He released his debut album, “In My Mind,” in 2006. He later released “Girl” in 2014. Aside from his solo studio albums, Williams has a long list of singles released with other artists. In several of those singles, he performs as a lead artist, and in several others, he performs as a featured artist.

Timbaland

His birth name is Timothy Z. Mosley, and he was born in Norfolk, VA in 1971. Known professionally as Timbaland, he serves the music world in several ways, including as a songwriter, musician, record producer, and record executive. He grew up with Missy Elliott in VA and started learning how to use studio equipment in his late teens.

Timbaland created a sound all his own, which is why so many artists flocked to work with him in the late 1990s. Over the years, he produced a wide range of songs, working with music artists from different genres, including Madonna, Justin Timberlake, Ludacris, Jay Z, and Bjork. His three studio albums include “Tim’s Bio: Life From the Basement,” which was released in 1998, “Shock Value,” which was released in 2007, and “Shock Value II,” which was released in 2009.

Ella Fitzgerald

For over 50 years, Ella Fitzgerald took the U.S. by storm. With so much talent spilling out of her, she became a Grammy award winner (a total of 13 times). Fitzgerald was born in 1917 in Newport News, VA. After she lost her mother in 1932, she struggled and got into some trouble with the law. However, two years later, she had a chance to demonstrate her innate talent at an amateur night.

Although she was a shy person, when she was on stage, all fear left her. By 1936, she released her first song, “Love and Kisses.” Although that first recording did garner some success, it wasn’t until 1938 when she released “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” that she rose to fame. Her voice was versatile and timeless, and she had a chance to collaborate with other big names in the industry during her career. She passed away in 1996.

Jason Mraz

Singer-songwriter and guitarist, Jason Mraz, was born in Mechanicsville, VA in 1977. He’s influenced by several genres, including jazz, rock, pop, hip-hop, and reggae.

His debut album, “Waiting for my Rocket to Come,” was released in 2002. However, it wasn’t this album that captured audiences. It was his second album, “Mr. A-to-Z,” that made it all the way to the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 200. His third album was equally successful, and his fourth album sold over 100,000 copies in its first week, only furthering his success.

D’Angelo

Michael Eugene Archer, known professionally as D’Angelo, was born in 1974 in Richmond, VA. He’s a songwriter, soul singer, and producer.

He first caught the ear of record executives in 1991 and shortly after, he started to record his debut album, “Brown Sugar,” released in 1995. Sales were a bit slow in the beginning but eventually, his album made it to the number 10 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. He waited five years before releasing his second album, “Voodoo” (2000). D’Angelo waited even longer to release his third album, “Black Messiah,” which came out in 2014.

Wayne Newton

Still going strong, Wayne Newton continues gracing audiences in Las Vegas after six decades. Newton was born in Norfolk, Virginia in 1942. His passion for singing became evident early on, and he started singing professionally when he was only six years old. He teamed up with his older brother and went on tour.

Newton isn’t just a talented singer, he is also gifted when it comes to playing a range of different instruments, some of which include the banjo and piano. He saw success in 1963 after he launched his solo career and released “Danke Schoen.” Not long after, he also released “Red Roses for a Blue Lady” and “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast.”

Patsy Cline

Her voice was smooth, invoking heartfelt emotions in anyone who would listen. Patsy Cline was a country singer who was born in 1932 in Winchester, VA. When she was only eight years old, she learned how to play the piano on her own. Later, she realized she had an affinity for singing.

She started performing in 1952 but it would take a couple more years before her career started taking off. She made it onto both pop and country charts in the early 1960s and released the music she’s best known for, including “I Fall to Pieces” and “Crazy.” Even after her passing in 1963, her fans received a final gift in the form of the song, “Sweet Dreams,” which became a hit.

Chris Brown

Source: Jason Merritt/TERM / Getty Images Entertainment via Getty Images

He’s a Grammy award winner who was born in 1989 in Tappahannock, VA. He was young when his music career started and he quickly became a teen heartthrob, with the release of popular hits like “Run It!”

Amid his success, he made headlines when he assaulted his girlfriend at the time, music artist Rihanna. For several years, interest in his music declined. However, he came back on the scene and earned a Grammy for his album “F.A.M.E.” His personal life continued to make headlines throughout the years but he continued to make music, most recently releasing his album, “11:11” in 2023 (Check out the biggest one-hit wonders in history).