Maryland is a small state nestled between Pennsylvania and Virginia, where tourists arrive to enjoy crab cakes and Berger cookies. The biggest city in “The Old Line State” is Baltimore, where many of its most famous musicians were born. Some of the artists fell in love with the sound of jazz while others turned to more of a metal sound. Other musicians, like Joel and Benji Madden, turned to pop-punk to express themselves and gain fame and success. While some of the biggest musicians from Maryland peaked in the 1950s and the 1960s, others didn’t gain traction until the 2010s.
Diverse talent has emerged from Maryland, taking audiences on a ride with their original musical sounds. Many have influenced entire genres and collaborated with big names from other parts of the country to create a one-of-a-kind sound. While some people are born for the spotlight, others find that they aren’t willing to compromise as much as they thought to keep up with what fame requires. However, they still managed to share their talents enough to bless the ears of those who love their music. To put this list of the best musicians from Maryland together, 247 Tempo reviewed a range of sources, including IMDb, Biography.com, The New York Times, and the respective professional websites of the musicians. (Read about the 10 biggest musicians in Indiana.)
Logic
Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, professionally known as Logic, was born in Rockville, MD in 1990. He is a songwriter, singer, and rapper who has overcome his difficult childhood through his love for music. His life today is much different than it was during his childhood when his parents struggled with paying bills and fell into the throes of substance abuse.
In these environments, young people either follow in their parents’ footsteps or turn it all around and Logic is the type of person to decide against the lifestyle he knew. He pursued rapping, released several mixtapes, and lived in another music artist’s basement, continuing to refine his craft.
It took him a while but he was steadfast and eventually, when he released his debut album, “Under Pressure” (2014), he began to see success.
Joel and Benji Madden
They’re identical twins who were born in Waldorf, MD in 1979. They grew up in a broken home and experienced a sense of alienation in school. However, their mutual love for music propelled them forward and they formed the band, Good Charlotte, when they were still teenagers.
Music provided an escape for them, and they longed for fame. Their music reflects their experiences, which include watching their father walk out and feeling downtrodden. Although they faced ridicule for dreaming big, they quickly became self-made millionaires.
JC Chasez
Born in 1976 in Bowie, MD, JC Chasez would soon become a heartthrob as part of the boy band, *NSYNC. A $20 bet helped him realize that despite his reserved nature, he was quite the performer.
With a gentle nudge from his mother, he made it on to “The All New Mickey Mouse Club” (1989). When that show was cancelled, he moved on to start his songwriting career alongside a fellow Mouseketeer, Justin Timberlake. Together, they put together the boy band that would cause a craze from the 1990s through the early 2000s.
Toni Braxton
Known for hits like “Un-Break My Heart” and “Breathe Again,” Toni Braxton started her singing career with her sisters but went solo in 1992. She was born in Severn, MD in 1967 and made history when she played Belle in Beauty and the Beast — the Broadway production. Braxton was the first black actress to take the stage for this role.
Music was a passion for her and her early life consisted of nearby talent shows. She didn’t dream big at first, thinking she’d become a music teacher. But with the help of another songwriter, she forged forward, signing a record contract with Arista Records.
Frank Zappa
Born in 1940 in Baltimore, MD, Frank Zappa was a prolific and scandalous artist with a strong message. He blended different musical genres as a self-taught musician, including jazz and rock. His interest in making music started early and by the time he was a teenager, he had picked up the guitar and the drums.
It didn’t take him long to excel and soon he was heavily involved in the school orchestra. His music delivered political messages, but he also spoke out about social issues whenever he could. His unconventionality sometimes drew more attention than the cleverness of his sound, but he earned respect for his art.
Scott Weinrich
Scott Weinrich, known as Wino, was born in Rockville, MD in 1961. He started off with his first band in 1976, moved on to The Obsessed two years later, and eventually established Saint Vitus, a doom metal band, in 1986.
Weinrich is responsible for influencing multiple sounds, including doom metal and punk rock. He worked with several other bands and embarked on a solo career in 2008 with his album, “Punctuated Equilibrium,” and most recently in 2020, he released “Forever Gone.”
Mario
He was born in Baltimore, MD in 1986 and became widely known for his smooth R&B sound. Mario’s singing career began early, during his teenage years.
He first contributed to the “Dr. Dolittle 2” (2001) soundtrack before releasing his debut album, which contained the hit song “Just A Friend” (2002). A couple of years later, his song “Let Me Love You” (2004) won two Billboard awards.
Considering Mario started early, he was already well-known and successful by the time he became an adult at age 18. He has gone on to sell over two million albums and nearly five million downloads. He has had 21 music videos, five studio albums, and 17 singles to date.
Ethel Ennis
Ethel Ennis was born in Baltimore, MD in 1932. She became unofficially known as “The First Lady of Jazz” in Baltimore. When she was in her mid-twenties, she received a surprising phone call from Billie Holiday, who encouraged her to continue her music career, assuring her she’d meet success.
Ennis followed through with her jazz music career and throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she recorded with major labels and performed with big names. But the lifestyle wasn’t for her, so she gave up the life of celebrity to enjoy her hometown away from the limelight.
After a long break, she released a few more albums, the most recent called Ennis Anyone? (2005). She passed away in 2019 when she was 86.
Sisqo
Born in Baltimore, MD in 1978, Sisqo was first one of the founding members of Dru Hill, a popular R&B quartet. Together, they released several hit songs, including “How Deep is Your Love” (1998). When Sisqo pursued a solo career, it was his single, “Thong Song” (1999) that garnered attention for its suggestive lyrics (along with his frosted hair in the music video).
He played with his sound, sometimes sticking with mid-tempo R&B and other times with dance tracks. He has sold thirty million records throughout the globe during his music career and has gone on to act in both television and film.
Gina Schock
She was born in 1957 in Baltimore, MD. Gina Schock learned how to play the drums by following along with the likes of Led Zeppelin. This was after she tried playing the guitar and piano and realized neither was for her.
She played with several bands in her hometown but branched out and moved to Los Angeles, CA, where she started playing with the Go-Gos. She is a songwriter and singer who has worked with several big names in the modern industry, including Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez.