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Most Famous Musicians From Small Towns

Most Famous Musicians From Small Towns

Published: March 3, 2024 by Josie Green

Every successful person started out small, as a child with dreams and passions. While some people are born into celebrity families or incredible wealth, others come into the world quietly and have relatively normal upbringings. Some of the most famous singers, composers, and musicians have small town roots and have managed to make their dreams come true.

To determine the most famous musicians from small towns, 24/7 Tempo reviewed data on fame from the June 2022 paper “A cross-verified database of notable people, 3500BC-2018AD,” published in the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Data.

Celebrities born in cities, towns, villages, and Census-designated places with fewer than 25,000 residents were ranked based on a visibility index composed of five factors: the number of different editions of an individual’s Wikipedia page; the length in words of an individual’s Wikipedia page; the average number of page views for an individual’s Wikipedia page from 2015 to 2018; the number of standard biographical data points (birth date, gender, and domain of influence) included in an individual’s Wikipedia page; and the number of external links on an individual’s Wikipedia page. Birthplace data was matched to Census place geographies using shapefile boundary definitions for 2022. Data on population is from the Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey and is five-year data.

Some of these musicians, including Faith Hill and Al Green, were raised in religious families and grew up singing gospel music or performing in church choirs. Others, including Rosemary Clooney, Jewel, and Andy Williams performed in musical acts with their siblings or a parent before they broke away to start their own careers.

While some of these musicians were already performing as children, others moved to Nashville or larger cities as soon as they graduated from high school in order to break into the music world. Texas is home to five of the most famous musicians from small towns, while many are also from Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Mississippi. (Meet the 10 biggest musicians from Pennsylvania.)

Here are the 50 most famous musicians from small towns:

50. Luke Bryan

When Luke Bryan was 19, he delayed his Nashville dreams to stay closer to his family after his older brother was killed in a car accident.

Visibility score: 31.9
Birthplace: Leesburg, Georgia
Town population, 2021: 3,407
Birth year: 1976

49. Brad Paisley

Brad Paisley’s grandmother gave him his first guitar when he was 8, and by 12 he was playing in a band.

Visibility score: 31.9
Birthplace: Glen Dale, West Virginia
Town population, 2021: 1,674
Birth year: 1972

48. Bill Haley

1956, New York City, Bill Haley — The pioneering rock and roll band Bill Haley & His Comets is credited with releasing the very first number one hit single in the genre, “Rock Around the Clock.”

Visibility score: 31.9
Birthplace: Highland Park, Michigan
Town population, 2021: 9,304
Birth year: 1925

47. Levon Helm

The son of cotton farmers, Levon Helm gained fame as the drummer and one of the lead vocalists of The Band.

Visibility score: 32.0
Birthplace: Elaine, Arkansas
Town Pppulation, 2021: 613
Birth Year: 1940

46. Perry Como

Born to Italian immigrants, Perry Como began playing the piano at 3 and has three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Visibility score: 32.1
Birthplace: Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
Town population, 2021: 9,643
Birth year: 1912

45. 2 Chainz

Tauheed Epps graduated second in his high school class then went on to gain fame in the Southern rap duo Playaz Circle before going solo.

Visibility score: 32.1
Birthplace: College Park, Georgia
Town population, 2021: 14,032
Birth year: 1977

44. Al Green

Al Green’s father was a sharecropper in Arkansas before he moved Al and his nine siblings to Michigan.

Visibility score: 32.1
Birthplace: Forrest City, Arkansas
Town population, 2021: 13,372
Birth year: 1946

43. Maynard James Keenan

Maynard James Keenan of A Perfect Circle — Maynard James Keenan spent time in the Army with the intention of funding his art school education before starting the band Tool.

Visibility score: 32.1
Birthplace: Ravenna, Ohio
Town population, 2021: 11,369
Birth year: 1964

42. Laura Branigan

Pop singer Laura Branigan attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and toured as a backup singer for Leonard Cohen before her music career took off.

Visibility score: 32.3
Birthplace: Mount Kisco, New York
Town population, 2021: 10,904
Birth year: 1952

41. George Strait

George Strait grew up on a cattle ranch and has an agriculture degree from Southwest Texas State University.

Visibility score: 32.3
Birthplace: Poteet, Texas
Town population, 2021: 2,863
Birth year: 1952

40. Rufus Wainwright

4th Annual Elsie Fest, Broadway's Outdoor Music Festival — Born to two folk singers, Rufus Wainwright moved to Montreal with his mother after his parents divorced.

Visibility score: 32.4
Birthplace: Rhinebeck, New York
Town population, 2021: 2,684
Birth year: 1973

39. Andy Williams

Along with his three brothers, Andy Williams performed in a vocal quartet on Midwestern radio stations as a child.

Visibility score: 32.5
Birthplace: Wall Lake, Iowa
Town population, 2021: 689
Birth year: 1927

38. Don Henley

A co-founder of The Eagles, Don Henley was in a band in high school that was discovered by fellow Texan Kenny Rogers.

Visibility score: 32.6
Birthplace: Gilmer, Texas
Town population, 2021: 4,802
Birth year: 1947

37. John Mellencamp

Heartland rocker John Mellencamp is one of the founders of Farm Aid, a benefit concert for farmers.

Visibility score: 32.6
Birthplace: Seymour, Indiana
Town population, 2021: 21,192
Birth year: 1951

36. Faith Hill

Faith Hill began singing in church at age 3 and performed with a gospel quartet as a teenager.

Visibility score: 32.7
Birthplace: Ridgeland, Mississippi
Town population, 2021: 24,330
Birth year: 1967

35. Flo Rida

As a ninth grader, Flo Rida joined a rap group called the GroundHoggz, who were later featured on a Fresh Kid Ice album.

Visibility score: 32.7
Birthplace: Opa-locka, Florida
Town population, 2021: 16,310
Birth year: 1979

34. Rosemary Clooney

Rosemary Clooney — While still a teenager, Rosemary Clooney sang duets on the radio with her younger sister Betty, and toured with the bandleader Tony Pastor.

Visibility score: 32.7
Birthplace: Maysville, Kentucky
Town population, 2021: 8,851
Birth year: 1928

33. Kid Rock

Source: isafmedia / Flickr

Visibility score: 32.8
Birthplace: Romeo, Michigan
Town population, 2021: 3,729
Birth year: 1971

32. Tim McGraw

In 1989, Tim McGraw dropped out of college and moved to Nashville, performing in small venues until he got a record deal.

Visibility score: 33.0
Birthplace: Delhi, Louisiana
Town population, 2021: 2,648
Birth year: 1967

31. Ne-Yo

Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer Ne-Yo was born to two musicians.

Visibility score: 33.0
Birthplace: Camden, Arkansas
Town population, 2021: 10,644
Birth year: 1979

30. Trent Reznor

Growing up in Mercer, Pensylvania, Trent Reznor played the piano and dreamed of escaping the small town.

Visibility score: 33.1
Birthplace: New Castle, Pennsylvania
Town population, 2021: 21,992
Birth year: 1965

29. Jewel

Although born in Utah, Jewel grew up outside of Homer, Alaska, where she sang in a duo with her father.

Visibility score: 33.1
Birthplace: Payson, Utah
Town population, 2021: 21,093
Birth year: 1974

28. Chet Baker

Chet Baker — Jazz trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker was born into a musical household and began playing the trumpet at 13.

Visibility score: 33.3
Birthplace: Yale, Oklahoma
Town population, 2021: 1,113
Birth year: 1929

27. Tori Amos

Piano prodigy Tori Amos received a Peabody Institute scholarship at age 5 – the youngest student ever admitted.

Visibility score: 33.3
Birthplace: Newton, North Carolina
Town population, 2021: 13,081
Birth year: 1963

26. Sam Cooke

When he was six, Sam Cooke began performing at churches with his siblings in a quintet called the Singing Children.

Visibility score: 33.4
Birthplace: Clarksdale, Mississippi
Town population, 2021: 15,124
Birth year: 1931

25. Blake Shelton

Blake Shelton moved to Nashville, Tennessee at age 17 to pursue a life in music.

Visibility score: 33.5
Birthplace: Ada, Oklahoma
Town population, 2021: 16,804
Birth year: 1976

24. Billy Ray Cyrus

Billy Ray Cyrus grew up in a musical family and was singing by age 4.

Visibility score: 33.5
Birthplace: Flatwoods, Kentucky
Town population, 2021: 7,314
Birth year: 1961

23. Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes grew up working on farms in rural Tennessee, and taught himself to play multiple instruments.

Visibility score: 33.6
Birthplace: Covington, Tennessee
Town population, 2021: 8,666
Birth year: 1942

22. Reba McEntire

As a child, country singer Reba McEntire and her three siblings performed at local events as The Singing McEntires.

Visibility score: 33.6
Birthplace: McAlester, Oklahoma
Town population, 2021: 18,225
Birth year: 1955

21. Glenn Miller

By the time he was 11, Glenn Miller had saved up enough money milking cows to buy a trombone.

Visibility score: 33.6
Birthplace: Clarinda, Iowa
Town population, 2021: 5,498
Birth year: 1904

20. Sheryl Crow

Before getting a record deal, Sheryl Crow taught music at an elementary school, performed commercial jingles, and toured as a backup singer with Michael Jackson.

Visibility score: 33.7
Birthplace: Kennett, Missouri
Town population, 2021: 10,507
Birth year: 1962

19. Otis Redding

At 15, Otis Redding quit school to help support his family by performing in various musical acts.

Visibility score: 33.7
Birthplace: Dawson, Georgia
Town population, 2021: 4,388
Birth year: 1941

18. Ciara

Multi-talented singer/songwriter Ciara got her first publishing contract at age 15.

Visibility score: 33.8
Birthplace: Fort Hood, Texas
Town population, 2021: 24,781
Birth year: 1985

17. Brandy

Brandy released her debut album with Atlantic Records when she was 15.

Visibility score: 33.9
Birthplace: McComb, Mississippi
Town population, 2021: 12,400
Birth year: 1979

16. Jerry Lee Lewis

Rockabilly showman Jerry Lee Lewis was known for his flamboyant piano playing.

Visibility score: 34.0
Birthplace: Ferriday, Louisiana
Town population, 2021: 3,194
Birth year: 1935

15. Meghan Trainor

Realizing she could play songs by ear at a young age, Meghan Trainor’s parents encouraged her to pursue music.

Visibility score: 34.1
Birthplace: Nantucket, Massachusetts
Town population, 2021: 10,699
Birth year: 1993

14. Charlie Puth

With a music teacher for a mother, Charlie Puth began learning piano at 4 and studying jazz at 10.

Visibility score: 34.1
Birthplace: Rumson, New Jersey
Town population, 2021: 7,292
Birth year: 1991

13. Hank Williams

Hank Williams (right) made his radio debut at 13 and started his first band the next year.

Visibility score: 34.2
Birthplace: Mount Olive, Alabama
Town population, 2021: 4,178
Birth year: 1923

12. Lionel Richie

Singer and songwriter Lionel Richie rose to fame in the Commodores before starting a successful solo career.

Visibility score: 34.5
Birthplace: Tuskegee, Alabama
Town population, 2021: 9,125
Birth year: 1949

11. Roy Orbison

Roy Orbison’s father gave him his first guitar when he was 6 years old.

Visibility score: 34.5
Birthplace: Vernon, Texas
Town population, 2021: 10,206
Birth year: 1936

10. Carrie Underwood

Country singer Carrie Underwood’s career began with her triumph during the fourth season of American Idol.

Visibility score: 34.8
Birthplace: Checotah, Oklahoma
Town population, 2021: 3,034
Birth year: 1983

9. Nina Simone

Nina Simone played her first classical piano recital when she was 12.

Visibility score: 34.9
Birthplace: Tryon, North Carolina
Town population, 2021: 1,334
Birth year: 1933

8. Willie Nelson

One of the original rebels of the outlaw country movement, Willie Nelson wrote his first song at age 7.

Visibility score: 35.2
Birthplace: Abbott, Texas
Town population, 2021: 300
Birth year: 1933

7. Pink

Pink was a competitive gymnast as a child and joined her first band while in high school.

Visibility score: 35.7
Birthplace: Doylestown, Pennsylvania
Town population, 2021: 8,275
Birth year: 1979

6. James Brown

The Godfather of Soul began performing in talent shows as a child and got his professional start in an a cappella gospel group.

Visibility score: 35.9
Birthplace: Barnwell, South Carolina
Town population, 2021: 4,526
Birth year: 1933

5. Chris Brown

Virginia native Chris Brown moved to New York City and signed with Jive Records at age 16.

Visibility score: 36.1
Birthplace: Tappahannock, Virginia
Town population, 2021: 1,945
Birth year: 1989

4. Dolly Parton

Country star Dolly Parton is known for her philanthropic efforts around education and poverty relief in her native East Tennessee.

Visibility score: 36.2
Birthplace: Pittman Center, Tennessee
Town population, 2021: 654
Birth year: 1946

3. Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey’s mother was an opera singer and vocal coach.

Visibility score: 37.8
Birthplace: Huntington, New York
Town population, 2021: 19,397
Birth year: 1970

2. Taylor Swift

As a child, Taylor Swift was interested in musical theater and traveled to New York City for vocal and acting lessons.

Visibility score: 38.1
Birthplace: West Reading, Pennsylvania
Town population, 2021: 4,496
Birth year: 1989

1. Britney Spears

Britney Spears first auditioned for the Mickey Mouse Club at age 8, but was rejected for being too young.

Visibility score: 38.2
Birthplace: McComb, Mississippi
Town population, 2021: 12,400
Birth year: 1981