Notable Musicians
- Emma Abbott, noted opera singer
- Muhal Richard Abrams
- Gene Ammons
- Anastacia (grew up in Chicago and New York)
- Fred Anderson
- Emilie Autumn ( moved to Chicago)
- Chuck Berry
- Andrew Bird (Multi-instrumentalist, splits time between Elizabeth and Chicago)
- Michael Bloomfield
- Barry Goldberg
- Bobby Broom
- Ari Brown
- Jerry Butler
- Paul Butterfield
- John Campbell (jazz pianist)
- Neko Case (moved to Chicago from Seattle)
- Josh Caterer
- Gene Chandler
- Jodie Christian
- Freddy Cole
- Nat "King" Cole
- Common, originally Common Sense
- Sam Cooke
- Billy Corgan
- Orbert Davis
- Ron Dewar
- Lee DeWyze (born and raised in Mount Prospect, Illinois-Singer/Songwriter and winner of American Idol, Season 9)
- Bo Diddley
- Willie Dixon
- Kurt Elling
- Lupe Fiasco
- Bud Freeman
- Von Freeman
- Benny Goodman
- Steve Goodman
- Johnny Griffin
- Buddy Guy
- Herbie Hancock
- Donny Hathaway
- Big Walter Horton
- Janet Jackson (born & raised for the first 3 years of her life in Gary, Indiana)
- Michael Jackson (entertainer) (born & raised in Gary, Indiana)
- Little Walter Jacobs
- Ahmad Jamal
- Joseph Jarman
- Henry Johnson
- Adam Jones (grew up in Libertyville, Illinois)
- Clifford Jordan
- Al Jourgensen (moved to Chicago)
- Lucy Kaplansky (grew up in the South Side)
- R. Kelly, (born 1967 in Chicago)
- Chaka Khan
- Gene Krupa
- Major Lance
- Ramsey Lewis
- Ludacris
- Ray Manzarek of The Doors (born and raised on Chicago's southside)
- Steve McCall
- Jimmy McPartland
- Steve Miller
- Nicole Mitchell
- Roscoe Mitchell
- Dawn Xiana Moon (singer-songwriter, born in Singapore, grew up in Michigan, moved to Chicago)
- Tom Morello (grew up in Libertyville, Illinois)
- Ted Nugent (grew up in Arlington Heights, Illinois)
- Liz Phair (grew up in Winnetka, Illinois and lived in Wicker Park)
- Art Porter, Jr.
- Lou Rawls
- Jimmy Reed (Chicago blues musician)
- Minnie Riperton
- Steve Rodby
- William Russo
- Henry Threadgill
- Mel Torme
- Twista
- Eddie Vedder (lived in Evanston, Illinois in his childhood years)
- Jon Walker (born 1985 in Chicago, former bassist of Panic! at the Disco)
- Wilbur Ware
- Muddy Waters (Chicago blues musician)
- Paul Wertico
- Kanye West (grew up in Chicago)
- Maurice White (founder of Earth, Wind & Fire)
- Ed Wilkerson
- Deniece Williams (born & raised in Gary, Indiana)
- John Young (pianist)
- Yung Berg (born 1985 in Chicago, rapper artist)
Read more about this topic: List Of Entertainers Who Have Lived In Or Near Chicago
Famous quotes containing the words notable and/or musicians:
“Every notable advance in technique or organization has to be paid for, and in most cases the debit is more or less equivalent to the credit. Except of course when it’s more than equivalent, as it has been with universal education, for example, or wireless, or these damned aeroplanes. In which case, of course, your progress is a step backwards and downwards.”
—Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)
“How are we to know that a Dracula is a key-pounding pianist who lifts his hands up to his face, or that a bass fiddle is the doghouse, or that shmaltz musicians are four-button suit guys and long underwear boys?”
—In New York City, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)