The Best Musical Artists From Tennessee
Here are the best artists and bands from Tennessee. For years now, Nashville has been the unofficial capital of country music. Meanwhile, numerous country musicians recognize Bristol, Tennessee as the birthplace of country. There have also been numerous musicians who have come out of Memphis. Whether your favorite bands and singers are in rock, soul, or blues, there is a very good they were influenced by the best musical artists from Tennessee.
Artists from all over the world have flocked to Tennessee to record albums at one of the many recording studios in the state. Additionally, it is considered a rite of passage for country artists to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. While outsiders are welcome, Tennessee has still produced its own musical acts, including Billy Ray Cyrus, Big & Rich, Kesha, and Lady Antebellum. People come to Tennessee to rock, and the state certainly delivers. Other popular Tennessee artists include Justin Timberlake, Miley Cyrus, Kings of Leon, and Juicy J.
From Kenny Chesney to Paramore, these are not just the most famous Tennessee musical artists. These are some of the most popular artists in the country. You can finally learn where your favorite bands and singers come from. As you go through this list, vote for the artists you like most to see who can officially be declared Nashville royalty.
- Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, actress, author, businesswoman, and humanitarian, known primarily for her work ...more
- Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock, November 26, 1939) is an internationally recognized singer, songwriter, and actress. She is originally from the United States, and has been a Swiss citizen since ...more
- Kings of Leon are an American rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill with their cousin Matthew Followill. The ...more
- Gregory LeNoir Allman (December 8, 1947 – May 27, 2017) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He was known for performing in the Allman Brothers Band. Allman grew up with an interest in ...more
- Paramore are an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band currently consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro. Williams and ...more
- Bessie Smith (April 15, 1894 – September 26, 1937) was an American blues singer. Nicknamed the Empress of the Blues, she was the most popular female blues singer of the 1920s and 1930s. She is often ...more
- James Blanton (October 5, 1918 – July 30, 1942) was an American jazz double bassist. Blanton is credited with being the originator of more complex pizzicato and arco bass solos in a jazz context than ...more
- Howard Duane Allman (November 20, 1946 – October 29, 1971) was an American guitarist, session musician, and founder and leader of the Allman Brothers Band. The Allman Brothers Band was formed in ...more
- Tracy Darrell Adkins (born January 13, 1962) is an American country singer and actor. In 1998, Adkins appeared on the PBS music program Austin City Limits (season 23). Adkins made his debut in 1996 ...more
- Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981), often known by his initials, JT, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, dancer and record producer. Born and raised in Tennessee, he appeared on ...more
- Kenneth Arnold Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has recorded 20 albums, 20 of which have been certified Gold or higher by the ...more
- Chester Burton Atkins (June 20, 1924 – June 30, 2001), known as "Mr. Guitar" and "The Country Gentleman", was an American musician, occasional vocalist, songwriter, and record producer, who along ...more
- Look What I Did is an American post-hardcore band, formed in 2001 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The music combines elements of jazz/fusion, hardcore, metal, and progressive pop punk. The band is ...more
- Jonathan Thomas "Jon" Langston (born April 8, 1991) is an American country musician from Loganville, Georgia. He released an extended play, Showtime, with Treehouse Records, in 2015. This was his ...more
- William C. "Buster" Bailey (July 19, 1902 – April 12, 1967) was a jazz clarinetist.
- Rosanne Cash (born May 24, 1955) is an American singer-songwriter and author. She is the eldest daughter of country musician Johnny Cash and Vivian Liberto Cash Distin, Johnny Cash's first ...more
- Isaiah Rashad McClain, better known as Isaiah Rashad, is an American hip hop recording artist from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Rashad began taking rapping seriously in tenth grade, where he and his ...more
- Kesha Rose Sebert (; born March 1, 1987), known mononymously as Kesha (formerly stylized Ke$ha), is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and actress. In 2005, at age 18, Kesha was signed to ...more
- Sonicflood (sometimes stylized as SONICFLOOd) is an American contemporary worship music band from Nashville, Tennessee, that has been touted as "The Fathers of the Modern Worship Movement." The group ...more
- Diamond Rio is an American Country music/Christian music band formed in 1984 in Nashville, Tennessee. The band consists of Gene Johnson, Jimmy Olander, Brian Prout, Marty Roe, Dan Truman, and Dana ...more
- Dustin Charles Lynch (born May 14, 1985) is an American country music singer and songwriter, signed to Broken Bow Records. Lynch has released three albums for the label: a self-titled album in 2012, ...more
- Skillet is a Christian rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1996 and based in the United States. The band currently consists of husband and wife John and Korey Cooper, along with Jen Ledger and ...more
- Ellen Muriel Deason (August 30, 1919 – July 16, 2012), known professionally as Kitty Wells, was an American pioneering female country music singer. She broke down a female barrier in country music ...more
- Three 6 Mafia is an American hip hop group from Memphis, Tennessee formed in 1991. Emerging as a horror-themed underground rap group, they would eventually go on to enjoy mainstream success. The ...more
- Dobie Gray (born Lawrence Darrow Brown; July 26, 1940 – December 6, 2011) was an American singer and songwriter, whose musical career spanned soul, country, pop, and musical theater. His hit songs ...more