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List of people from North Carolina

The following is a list of notable people who were born, raised, or closely associated with the U.S. state of North Carolina.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Academia

Graham Allison (born 1940), political scientist and professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (Charlotte)
Dorothy Hansine Andersen (1901–1963), pathologist and pediatrician, first physician to identify cystic fibrosis as a disease (Asheville)
Joseph Penn Breedlove (1874-1955), Duke University librarian 1898-1946 (Durham)
Fred Brooks (born 1931), computer architect, software engineer, and computer scientist (Durham)
Carrie Lougee Broughton (1879–1957), librarian and first woman State Librarian (Raleigh)
John Chavis (1763–1838), African American educator and theologian (Oxford)
Anna J. Cooper (1858–1964), prominent African American scholar, author, sociologist, and educator (Raleigh)
Elson Floyd (1956–2015), 10th president of Washington State University, former president of University of Missouri System and of Western Michigan University (Henderson)
Phillip Griffiths (born 1938), mathematician, known for work in the field of geometry (Raleigh)
Jay U. Gunter (1911–1994), pathologist and amateur astronomer (Sanford)
John Kuykendall (born 1938), served as 15th president of Davidson College (Charlotte)
Daniel McFadden (born 1937), economist, winner of 2000 Nobel Prize in economics (Raleigh)
Elizabeth A. McMahan (1924–2009), professor, entomologist, psychologist, cartoonist, writer, traveler (Pino)
Kary Mullis (1944–2019), biochemist, inventor of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique (Lenoir)
James E. Shepard (1875–1947), pharmacist, civil servant and educator, founder of what became North Carolina Central University (Raleigh)
Thomas Sowell (born 1930), economist, social critic, political commentator, and author (Gastonia)
Martin Wohl (1930–2009), transportation economist and professor (Greensboro)
Anne D. Yoder, biologist, researcher, and professor in the Department of Biology at Duke University (Charlotte)

Artists

Charles Alston (1907–1977), painter, illustrator, muralist, and sculptor (Charlotte)
Murphy Anderson (1926–2015), comics artist (Asheville)
Ernie Barnes (1938–2009), Neo-Mannerist artist and former professional football player (Durham)
James Barnhill (born 1955), sculptor (Asheville)
Romare Bearden (1911–1988), artist (Charlotte)
John T. Biggers (1924–2001), painter and muralist (Gastonia)
Elizabeth Bradford (born 1950), painter (Huntersville)
Selma Burke (1900–1995), sculptor and ceramicist (Mooresville)
Amanda Crowe (1928–2004), woodcarver (Cherokee)
Minnie Evans (1892–1987), folk artist (Pender County)
Herb Jackson (born 1945), painter, given North Carolina Award by governor in 1999 (Raleigh)
John Littleton (born 1957), glass artist with collaborative partner Kate Vogel, based in (Bakersville)
Beverly McIver (born 1962), contemporary artist, mostly known for self-portraits (Greensboro)
Kenneth Noland (1924–2010), painter (Asheville)
Mabel Pugh (1891–1986), painter (Morrisville)
Isaiah Rice (1917–1980), photographer (Asheville)
Bob Timberlake (born 1937), realist artist, known for watercolor paintings and home furnishings (Lexington)
Kate Vogel (born 1956), glass artist with collaborative partner John Littleton, based in (Bakersville)

Business

Louis Bacon (born 1956), hedge fund manager, trader and founder of Moore Capital Management (Raleigh)
Maria Beasley (1836–1913), entrepreneur and inventor
Caleb Bradham (1866–1934), inventor of Pepsi-Cola (New Bern)
James Edgar Broyhill (1892–1988), industrialist, founder of Broyhill Furniture Industries, Inc. (Wilkes County)
Charles Albert Cannon (1892–1971), textile executive, president of Cannon Mills (Concord)
Benjamin Newton Duke (1855–1929), tobacco and electric power industrialist, co-founder of Duke Energy (Durham)
James Buchanan Duke (1856–1925), tobacco and electric power industrialist, founder of American Tobacco Company, co-founder of Duke Energy (Durham)
Richard Jordan Gatling (1818–1903), inventor of the Gatling gun (Hertford County)
James Goodnight (born 1943), software developer, CEO of SAS Institute (Wilmington)
William B. Harrison Jr. (born 1943), former CEO of JPMorgan Chase (Rocky Mount)
E. Lee Hennessee (1952–2016), pioneer hedge fund manager (Raleigh)
Chris Hughes (born 1983), co-founder of Facebook (Hickory)
Richard Jenrette (1929–2018), co-founder of investment bank Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (Raleigh)
Ralph Ketner (1920–2016), founder of Food Lion (Salisbury)
Kelly King (born 1948), Chairman and CEO of BB&T (Raleigh)
Herman Lay (1909–1982), businessman, founder of Lay's potato chips (Charlotte)
Debra L. Lee (born 1954), CEO of BET (Greensboro)
Leon Levine (born 1937), businessman and philanthropist, founder of Family Dollar (Wadesboro)
Ann Livermore (born 1958), former Executive Vice President at Hewlett-Packard (Greensboro)
Vince McMahon (born 1945), Chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) (Pinehurst)
Dalton L. McMichael (1914–2001), textile executive (Wentworth)
John Merrick (1859–1919), businessman, founder of North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company (Clinton)
Ricky Moore, chef and restaurant owner
James Owens (born 1946), former Chairman and CEO of Caterpillar Inc. (Elizabeth City)
Ronald Perelman (born 1943), businessman, investor, CEO of MacAndrews & Forbes (Greensboro)
John Henry Phelan (1877–1957), oil producer and philanthropist (Charlotte)
R. J. Reynolds (1850–1918), founder of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company (Winston-Salem)
Julian Robertson (born 1932), hedge fund manager (Salisbury)
Charles Clinton Spaulding (1874–1952), served as president of NC Mutual Life Insurance Company (Columbus County)
Stanley Tanger (1923–2010), founder of Tanger Factory Outlet Centers (Greensboro)
David S. Taylor (born 1958), Chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble (Charlotte)

Entertainers

A–L

Sidney Blackmer (1895–1973), actor (Salisbury)
Randy Boone (born 1942), actor and singer (Fayetteville)
Alicia Bridges (born 1953), singer-songwriter ("I Love the Nightlife") (Charlotte)
Doug Brochu (born 1990), actor (Fayetteville)
Ben Browder (born 1962), actor (Charlotte)
Cliff Cash (born 1981), stand-up comedian (Gastonia)
Jim David, stand-up comedian, actor (Asheville)
Cecil B. DeMille (1881–1959), film director and producer (Washington)
Tom DiCillo (born 1953), film director (Camp Le Jeune)
Jimmy Donaldson (born 1998), better known online as MrBeast; YouTuber, entrepreneur, and philanthropist (Greenville)
Jennifer Ehle (born 1969), actress (Winston-Salem)
Mike Evans (1949–2006), actor (Salisbury)
Fortune Feimster (born 1980), comedian, actor (Charlotte)
Ian Flynn (born 1982), comic book writer (Charlotte)
Penny Fuller (born 1940), actress (Durham)
Mark Freiburger (born 1983), filmmaker (Charlotte)
Zach Galifianakis (born 1969), comedian, actor, writer (Wilkesboro)
Gallagher (1947-2022), comedian (Fort Bragg)
Ava Gardner (1922–1990), actress (Smithfield)
Cindy Garner (1926-2002, Actress and Model (High Point)
Kathryn Grayson (1922–2010), actress and singer (Winston-Salem)
Paul Green (1894–1981), Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, author of The Lost Colony (Lillington)
Hayes Grier (born 2000), internet personality (Davidson)
Nash Grier (born 1997), internet personality (Davidson)
Pam Grier (born 1949), actress (Winston-Salem)
Rhoda Griffis (born 1945), actress (Raleigh)
Andy Griffith (1926–2012), actor, singer, director (Mount Airy)
George Grizzard (1928–2007), Emmy- and Tony-winning actor (Roanoke Rapids)
Julianna Guill (born 1987), actress (Winston-Salem)
Jester Hairston (1901–2000), actor (Belews Creek)
Michael C. Hall (born 1971), actor (Raleigh)
Murray Hamilton (1923–1986), actor (Washington)
Shirley Hemphill (1947–1999), stand-up comedian, actress (Asheville)
Jackee Harry (born 1956), actress (Winston-Salem)
Molly Haskell (born 1939), film critic (Charlotte)
Ed Hinton (1927–1958), actor (Wilmington)
Edwin Hodge (born 1985), actor (Jacksonville)
Gill Holland (born 1964), film producer (Davidson)
Skip Hollandsworth (born 1957), screenwriter (Kannapolis)
Laurel Holloman (born 1971), actress (Chapel Hill)
Brian Huskey (born 1968), actor, comedian (Charlotte)
Earle Hyman (1926–2017), actor (Rocky Mount)
Anne Jeffreys (1923–2017), actress (Goldsboro)
Burgess Jenkins (born 1973), actor (Winston-Salem)
Ken Jeong (born 1969), comedian, actor (Greensboro)
Star Jones (born 1962), television personality (Badin)
Darwin Joston (1937–1998), actor (Winston-Salem)
Allyn King (1899–1930), actress
Tim Kirkman (born 1966), film director (Monroe)
Sharon Lawrence (born 1961), actress (Charlotte / Raleigh)
Beth Leavel (born 1955), actress (Raleigh)
Chyler Leigh (born 1982), actress (Charlotte)
Barbara Loden (1932–1980), actor and film director (Marion)

M–Z

James McEachin (born 1930), actor (Rennert)
Jane McNeill, actress (Whiteville)
Robert Duncan McNeill (born 1964), actor, director (Raleigh)
Eddie Mills (born 1972), actor (Kannapolis)
Rogelio Mills, television personality, author, and recording artist (Charlotte)
Julianne Moore (born 1960), actress (Fort Bragg)
Anita Morris (1943–1994), actress (Durham)
Anna Mercedes Morris (born 1977), stuntwoman (Charlotte)
Laura Moss (born 1973), actress (Kings Mountain)
Frankie Muniz (born 1985), actor, best known as the star of the popular television series Malcolm in the Middle, spent childhood in North Carolina (Knightdale)
Mike Muscat (born 1952), actor (Fort Bragg)
Link Neal (born 1978), internetainer (Buies Creek)
John Haymes Newton (born 1965), actor (Chapel Hill)
Lee Norris (born 1981), actor (Greenville)
J.T. Petty (born 1977), video game maker (Raleigh)
Jaime Pressly (born 1977), actress, model (Kinston)
Emily Proctor (born 1968), actress (Raleigh)
Jim Rash (born 1970), actor, comedian (Charlotte)
Peyton Reed (born 1964), film and television director (Raleigh)
Jon Reep (born 1972), stand-up comedian (Hickory)
Nina Repeta (born 1967), actress (Shelby)
Tequan Richmond (born 1992), actor (Burlington)
Britt Robertson (born 1990), actress (Charlotte)
Marcy Rylan (born 1980), actress (Providence Township)
Soupy Sales (1926–2009), comedian (Franklinton)
Christoph Sanders (born 1988), actor (Arden / Hendersonville)
Hunter Schafer (born 1999), actress (Raleigh)
Paul Schneider (born 1976), actor (Asheville)
Judith Scott, actress (Fort Bragg)
Nick Searcy (born 1959), actor (Cullowhee)
Amy Sedaris (born 1961), actress and comedian, spent childhood in NC, best known as the star of the television series Strangers with Candy (Raleigh)
David Sedaris (born 1956), author and essayist (brother to Amy), spent childhood in NC (Raleigh)
Matthew Settle (born 1969), actor (Hickory)
J. B. Smoove (born 1964), actor (Plymouth)
Arthur Smith (1921–2014), musician, composer, radio and television producer (Charlotte)
Josef Sommer (born 1934), character actor, appeared in movies such as X-Men: The Last Stand, The Sum of All Fears, and Patch Adams (raised in North Carolina)
Margo Stilley (born 1982), actress (Bear Creek)
Jessica Stroup (born 1986), actress (Charlotte)
Berlinda Tolbert, film and television actress (Charlotte)
Skeet Ulrich (born 1970), actor (Concord)
Liz Vassey (born 1972), actress (Raleigh)
Reginald VelJohnson (born 1952), actor (Raleigh)
Briana Venskus (born 1987), actress (Wilmington)
Ben Vereen (born 1946), actor, entertainer (Laurinburg)
Jill Wagner (born 1979), actress, model (Winston-Salem)
Gregory Walcott (1928–2015), actor (Wendell)
James Harvey Ward (born 1978), actor (Greenville)
Lachlan Watson (born 2001), actor (Raleigh)
Kevin Williamson (born 1965), screenwriter (New Bern)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (born 1984), actress (Rocky Mount)
Evan Rachel Wood (born 1987), actress (Raleigh)
Bellamy Young (born 1970), actress (Asheville)

Government, military, and public figures

See also: List of Governors of North Carolina, List of justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court, List of lieutenant governors of North Carolina, List of United States Representatives from North Carolina, and List of United States Senators from North Carolina

A–I

Alma Adams (born 1946), U.S. Congresswoman 2014–present (High Point)
John Ashe (1725–1781), Brigadier General during the American Revolutionary War, in charge of North Carolina militia and state troops from 1776 to 1779 (New Hanover County)
Andrew James Bates (born 1987), former White HouseSenior Deputy Press Secretary under Joe Biden (Winston-Salem)
William Blount (1749–1800), first North Carolina signatory of United States Constitution; played a role in the creation of the State of Tennessee (Windsor)
Erskine Bowles (born 1945), White House Chief of Staff under Bill Clinton, president of University of North Carolina system (Greensboro)
William G. Boykin, Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Intelligence under George W. Bush, retired lieutenant general for U.S. Army (New Bern)
Braxton Bragg (1817–1876), General in Confederate States Army; led Confederate Army of Tennessee in battles of Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, and Third Battle of Chattanooga against Union General Ulysses Grant (Warrenton)
Jim Broyhill (born 1927), former RepublicanU.S. Representative and Senator from North Carolina; son of furniture magnate J. E. Broyhill (Lenoir)
James Burnley (born 1948), U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Ronald Reagan (Greensboro)
Robert Byrd (1917–2010), U.S. Senator from West Virginia; longest-serving Senator in American history (North Wilkesboro)
Lee Carter, elected delegate for 50th House district of Virginia and retired U.S. Marine veteran as IT specialist (Elizabeth City)
Julius L. Chambers (1936–2013), civil rights attorney who successfully argued 1971 Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education school busing case before U.S. Supreme Court (Mount Gilead)
Levi Coffin (1798–1877), abolitionist and educator known as "President" of the Underground Railroad; credited with helping over 2,000 slaves escape to freedom before Civil War (Greensboro)
Roy Cooper (born 1957), 75th governor of North Carolina (Nashville)
Jerry K. Crump (1933–1977), U.S. Army soldier; Medal of Honor recipient (Charlotte)
Josephus Daniels (1862–1948), U.S. Secretary of the Navy 1913–1921 under President Woodrow Wilson; journalist and founder of Raleigh News and Observer newspaper (Washington)
William Dodd (1869–1940), U.S. ambassador to Nazi-Germany 1933–1938 under Franklin Roosevelt (Clayton)
Elizabeth Dole (born 1936), U.S. Senator and Secretary of Transportation under President Ronald Reagan; wife to former Republican Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (Salisbury)
Jimmy Donaldson (1998) Owner of the MrBeast YouTube channel (Greenville)
Sam Ervin (1896–1985), four-term U.S. Senator and Chairman of Senate Watergate Investigation Committee; began legislative process which led to resignation of President Richard Nixon (Morganton)
Virginia Foxx (born 1943), U.S. Congresswoman 2005–present; graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Crossnore)
Charles A. Gabriel (1928–2003), U.S. Air Force General, 11th chief of staff of U.S. Air Force (Lincolnton)
Nick Galifianakis (born 1928), U.S. Congressman from North Carolina 1967–1973 (Durham)
Richard Jordan Gatling (1818–1903), physician and inventor of Gatling gun (Hertford County)
John Gibbon (1827–1896), Union Army general in American Civil War and colonel in the American Indian Wars (Charlotte)
The Greensboro Four, male African-American students at North Carolina A&T State University who in 1960 started first civil rightssit-in; led to restaurants being desegregated throughout Southern U.S.
John H. Hager (1936–2020), Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
William D. Halyburton Jr. (1924–1945), United States Navy hospital corpsman; posthumously awarded Medal of Honor (Wilmington)
Jesse Helms (1921–2008), retired five-term Senator from North Carolina and national spokesman for right-wing causes (Monroe)
James Pinckney Henderson (1808–1858), lawyer, politician, soldier, and first Governor of Texas (Lincolnton)
Robert Hoke (1837–1912), Major General in Confederate States Army, director of North Carolina Railroad (Lincolnton)
William Woods Holden (1818–1892), prominent Southern Unionist, served as 38th and 40th Governor of North Carolina (Hillsborough)
James Holshouser (1934–2013), 68th Governor of North Carolina (Boone)
Jim Hunt (born 1937), Governor of North Carolina for a record four terms; opposed Jesse Helms in 1984 Senate race (Wilson)

J–Z

Andrew Jackson (1767–1845), 7th President of the United States, 1829–1837 (Waxhaw) (His birth records are unclear and he may be from South Carolina side of border.^{[citation needed]})
Lawrence Joel (1928–1984), United States Army soldier; Medal of Honor recipient (Winston-Salem)
Andrew Johnson (1808–1875), 17th President of the United States, 1865–1869 (Raleigh)
Henry Johnson (1892–1929), United States Army soldier in World War I; posthumously awarded Medal of Honor (Winston-Salem)
Joseph Lane (1801–1881), United States Army general and member of U.S. Senate from Oregon (Buncombe County)
William Lenoir (1751–1839), American patriot, served in the Battle of Kings Mountain and several other skirmishes during the American Revolution, also the first President of the board of trustees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Wilkes County)
Dolley Madison (1768–1849), wife of President James Madison (Guilford County)
Linda McMahon (born 1948), Administrator of the Small Business Administration under President Donald Trump (New Bern)
Solomon Meredith (1810–1875), Union Army general, one of the commanders of the Iron Brigade of the Army of the Potomac (Guilford County)
Bartholomew F. Moore (1801–1878), North Carolina Attorney General and legislator
Mick Mulvaney (born 1967), South Carolina Congressman, Director of Office of Management and Budget under President Donald Trump (Charlotte)
Hardy Murfree (1752–1809), Lieutenant Colonel from North Carolina during the American Revolutionary War (Murfreesboro)
Charles P. Murray Jr. (1921–2011), United States Army officer; Medal of Honor recipient during World War II (Wilmington)
Walter Hines Page (1855–1918), U.S. ambassador to Britain during First World War (Cary)
William Dorsey Pender (1834–1863), Major General, one of youngest generals in Confederate States Army, mortally wounded at Battle of Gettysburg (Edgecombe County)
James K. Polk (1797–1849), 11th President of the United States, 1845–1849 (Mecklenburg County)
Eliza Jane Pratt (1902–1981), U.S. Congresswoman 1946–1947 (Anson County)
Stephen Dodson Ramseur (1837–1864), Major General in Confederate States Army; mortally wounded at the Battle of Cedar Creek Virginia (Lincolnton)
William Cary Renfrow (1845–1922), 3rdGovernor of Oklahoma Territory, 1893–1897 (Smithfield)^[1]
Hiram Revels (1822–1901), first African-American member of United States Senate (Fayetteville)
Jennifer Roberts (born 1960), served as the 58th Mayor of Charlotte (Charlotte)
Hugh Shelton (born 1942), retired U.S. Army General, Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff 1997–2001 (Tarboro)
Edward Snowden (born 1983), NSA contractor who leaked top-secret documents regarding worldwide spying program (Elizabeth City)
Richard Dobbs Spaight Sr (1758–1802), second NC signatory of U.S. Constitution and eighth Governor of North Carolina (New Bern)
Edgar V. Starnes (born 1956), served in the North Carolina General Assembly (Granite Falls)
Blake Wayne Van Leer (1926–1997), Commander and Captain in the U.S. Navy, led SeaBee program and lead the nuclear research and power unit at McMurdo Station during Operation Deep Freeze (Raleigh)
Don Vaughan (born 1952), former member of the North Carolina State Senate who pushed for Susie's Law in 2010 (Greensboro)
Robert F. Williams (1925–1996), civil rights activist who advocated using black armed guards to defend African-American neighborhoods from white supremacist groups (Monroe)
John Ancrum Winslow (1811–1873), officer in the United States Navy during the Mexican–American War and American Civil War (Wilmington)

Journalism and media

Mary Ann Akers, political gossip columnist (High Point)
David Brinkley (1920–2003), television newscaster, host of ABC-TV's This Week with David Brinkley 1981–96; co-anchor of the Huntley-Brinkley Report nightly newscast on NBC-TV 1956–70 (Wilmington)
Sharon Dahlonega Raiford Bush, née Sharon Crews (born 1952), American television's first African-American female weather anchor of prime-time news (Greensboro)^[2]
Howard Cosell (1918–1995), television sports journalist, star of ABC's Monday Night Football, commentator for many fights of Muhammad Ali (Winston-Salem)
Josephus Daniels (1862–1948), founder of Raleigh News and Observer newspaper; U.S. Secretary of the Navy 1913–1921 under President Woodrow Wilson (Washington)
David Gergen (born 1942), journalist; editor-at-large for U.S. News & World Report; director of Center for Public Leadership at John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard; senior political analyst at CNN (Durham)
Al Hunt (born 1942), journalist, managing editor for Bloomberg News, panelist on CNN's Capital Gang news program (Winston-Salem)
Carl Kassel (1934–2018), radio personality for NPR and journalist (Goldsboro)
Anna Kooiman (born 1984), anchor and reporter for Fox News; co-host of Fox & Friends (Charlotte)
Charles Kuralt (1934–1997), journalist and CBS television personality (Wilmington)
Jennifer Loven, journalist and White House correspondent for Associated Press (Matthews)
Edward R. Murrow (1908–1965), CBS News journalist and pioneer of television (near Greensboro)
Walter Hines Page (1855–1918), journalist and publisher (Cary)
Charlie Rose (born 1942), interviewer and journalist; host of PBS television talk show and CBS This Morning (Henderson)
Morgan Radford (born 1987), news reporter for NBC News and MSNBC (Greensboro)
Vermont C. Royster (1914–1996), editor-in-chief of The Wall Street Journal 1957–1970; winner of two Pulitzer Prizes (Raleigh)
Stuart Scott (1965–2015), television sportscaster, anchor of ESPN's SportsCenter; graduated from University of North Carolina (Winston-Salem)
André Leon Talley (1949–2022), professional fashion journalist and former editor-at-large of Vogue (Durham)
Wilbert Tatum (1933–2009), editor, publisher, chairman and chief executive officer of New York Amsterdam

Musicians

A–G

Ryan Adams (born 1974), singer-songwriter (Jacksonville and Raleigh)
Clay Aiken (born 1978), pop singer (Raleigh)
Doug Aldrich (born 1964), guitarist (Raleigh)
Tim Alexander (born 1965), drummer for Primus (Cherry Point)
Gerald Alston (born 1951), of R&B group Gerald Alston & The Manhattans (Henderson)
Tori Amos (born 1963), singer (Newton)
Sunshine Anderson (born 1974), R&B and soul singer-songwriter (Winston-Salem and Charlotte)
Seth Avett (born 1980), singer-songwriter, artist (Concord)
Scott Avett (born 1976), singer-songwriter, artist (Concord)
Nicholas William Bailey (born 1980), film and television composer, singer-songwriter (New Bern)
Bessie Banks (born 1938), singer (born Bessie White) (New Bern)
Warren Barfield (born 1979), Christian musician (Goldsboro)
Fantasia Barrino (born 1984), singer, American Idol Season 3 winner (High Point)
Riley Baugus (born 1965), indigenous Appalachian musician (Walkertown)
B.o.B (born 1988), rapper and record producer (Winston-Salem)
Margie Bowes (1941–2020), country music singer (Roxboro)
Alicia Bridges (born 1953), disco singer (Lawndale)
Chuck Brown (1936–2012), known as "The Godfather of Go-go" (Garysburg)
Nappy Brown (1922-2008), R&B singer (Charlotte)
Shirley Caesar (born 1938), singer (Durham)
Jason Michael Carroll (born 1978), singer (Raleigh)
Spencer Chamberlain (born 1983), singer-songwriter (Chapel Hill)
Travis Cherry (born 1975), music producer (Raleigh)
Eric Church (born 1977), country singer-songwriter (Granite Falls)
George Clinton (born 1941), funk musician (Kannapolis)
John Coltrane (1926–1967), jazz musician (Hamlet)
J. Cole (born 1985), rapper (Fayetteville)
Luke Combs (born 1990), country music singer (Asheville)
Elizabeth Cotten (1895–1987), folk and blues singer-songwriter (Carrboro)
Bucky Covington (born 1977), singer (Rockingham)
DaBaby (born 1991), rapper (Charlotte)
Charlie Daniels (1936–2020), singer-songwriter (Wilmington)
Chris Daughtry (born 1979), singer (Roanoke Rapids and Greensboro)
Tommy DeCarlo (born 1965), singer for Boston (Charlotte)
Patrick Douthit (a.k.a. 9th Wonder) (born 1975), hip-hop producer (Winston-Salem)
Jermaine Dupri (born 1972), rap artist and record producer (Asheville)
Fred Durst (born 1970), frontman for the rap rock band Limp Bizkit; grew up and graduated from high school in NC (Gastonia)
Mitch Easter (born 1954), singer-songwriter, producer (R.E.M.), frontman for Let's Active (Winston-Salem)
Fantasia (born 1984), singer
Donna Fargo (born 1945), singer-songwriter (Mount Airy)
Roberta Flack (born 1937), Grammy Award-winning singer (Asheville)
Ben Folds (born 1966), singer-songwriter (Winston-Salem and Chapel Hill)
Audley Freed guitarist, songwriter
Nnenna Freelon (born 1964), six-time Grammy-nominated jazz singer (Durham)
Blind Boy Fuller (1908–1941), blues guitarist and singer (Wadesboro)
Alfreda Gerald, opera singer and classical soloist (Morganton)
Don Gibson (1928–2003), country music singer-songwriter, Country Music Hall of Fame (Shelby)
Rhiannon Giddens (born 1977), singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops (Greensboro)
Cordae (born 1997), rapper (Raleigh)

H–Z

Anthony Hamilton (born 1985), soul artist (Charlotte)
George Hamilton IV (1937–2014), country singer (Winston-Salem)
Wilbert Harrison (1929–1994), singer, pianist (Charlotte)
Warren Haynes (born 1960), Southern rock and blues singer, guitarist for Gov't Mule and The Allman Brothers Band (Asheville)
Jimmy Herring (born 1962), guitarist for Widespread Panic (Fayetteville)
Byron Hill (born 1953), country songwriter (Winston-Salem)
Michael Houser (1962–2002), guitarist, founding member of Widespread Panic (Boone)
Maria Howell (born 1962), singer (Gastonia)
Stonewall Jackson (born 1932), country singer and musician (Tabor City)
Caleb Johnson (born 1991), singer and American Idol Season 13 winner (Asheville)
Randy Jones (born 1953), singer of Village People (Raleigh)
"K-Ci" and "JoJo" Hailey (born 1969 and 1971 respectively), R&Bduo of R&B group Jodeci (Charlotte)
Noa Kalos, electronic musician
Hal Kemp (1904–1940), bandleader, composer, arranger with two number one songs (Chapel Hill)
Cheyenne Kimball (born 1990), singer-songwriter, guitarist, mandolinist (Wilmington)
Ben E. King (1938–2015), singer-songwriter (Henderson)
Jim Lauderdale (born 1957), bluegrass and country singer-songwriter (Troutman)
Dennis Lee (born 1988), singer-songwriter (Winston-Salem and Raleigh)
Del McCoury (born 1939), bluegrass musician (Bakersville)
Scotty McCreery (born 1993), country singer and American Idol Season 10 winner (Garner)
Tift Merritt (born 1975), singer-songwriter, musician (Raleigh)
Ronnie Milsap (born 1946), country singer-songwriter (Robbinsville)
Dave Moody (born 1962), Dove Award-winning producer, songwriter, filmmaker (Fayetteville)
Thelonious Monk (1917–1982), jazz composer, pianist (Rocky Mount)
The-Dream, real name Terius Nash, R&B singer, writer, producer (Rockingham)
Oliver (born William Oliver Swofford) (1945–2000), singer (North Wilkesboro)
Petey Pablo (born 1978), rap artist (Greenville)
Maceo Parker (born 1943), songwriter, musician (Kinston)
Kellie Pickler (born 1986), singer, American Idol contestant (Albemarle)
Joseph Poole (born 1976), rock musician (Charlotte)
Neil Pope (born 1978), gospel singer (Asheboro)
Edward Wiley Ray (born 1926), music executive, songwriter (Franklin)
Del Reeves (1934–2007), country singer-songwriter (Sparta)
Calvin Richardson (born 1976), R&B singer-songwriter (Monroe, Union County)
Max Roach (1924–2007), jazz drummer (Pasquotank County)
Porter Robinson (born 1992), electronic dance musician (Chapel Hill)
Earl Scruggs (1924–2012), bluegrass banjo player (Shelby)
William Self (1906–1998), organist and choirmaster (Lenoir)
Woody Shaw (1944–1989), trumpeter, DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame (Laurinburg)
Nina Simone (1933–2003), singer, Grammy Award Hall of Fame (Tryon)
Arthur Smith (1921–2014), composer, entertainer, producer (Charlotte)
Chloe Smith, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist for Rising Appalachia (Buncombe County)
Leah Song, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, frontwoman for Rising Appalachia (Buncombe County)
Peter Stroud, guitarist, rock musician; co-founder of 65amps (Greensboro)
Supastition (born 1976), hip-hop artist (Greenville)
James Taylor (born 1948), singer-songwriter in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Chapel Hill)
TiaCorine (born 1993), rapper
Randy Travis (born 1959), singer in Country Music Hall of Fame (Marshville)
Loudon Wainwright III (born 1946), songwriter, folk singer, humorist (Chapel Hill)
Doc Watson (1923–2012), folk guitarist (Deep Gap)
Link Wray (1929–2005), guitarist, rock musician, songwriter (Dunn)
George Younce (1930–2005), gospel singer (Caldwell County)

Sportspeople

A–B

Dustin Ackley (born 1988), second baseman and outfielder for New York Yankees (Winston-Salem)
Sam Adams (born 1946), professional golfer who played on PGA Tour (Boone)
Sam Aiken (born 1980), wide receiver; Buffalo Bills (2003–07); New England Patriots (2008–10) (Warsaw)
Walt Aikens (born 1991), cornerback and free safety for Miami Dolphins (Charlotte)
Dwayne Allen (born 1990), tight end for Indianapolis Colts (Fayetteville)
Johnny Allen (1904–1959), MLB pitcher, All-Star and World Series champion with the New York Yankees (Lenoir)
Kadeem Allen (born 1993), basketball player in the NBA and currently for Hapoel Haifa in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Keenan Allen (born 1992), wide receiver for San Diego Chargers (Greensboro)
Jaire Alexander (born 1997), NFL cornerback for the Green Bay Packers (Charlotte)
James Anderson (born 1983), linebacker for Carolina Panthers (Roanoke Rapids)
Stephone Anthony (born 1992), linebacker for New Orleans Saints (Polkton)
Luke Appling (1907–1991), Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop for the Chicago White Sox (High Point)
Chris Archer (born 1988), pitcher for Tampa Bay Rays (Clayton)
Darrell Armstrong (born 1968), NBA point guard, assistant coach for Dallas Mavericks (Gastonia)
Shawn Armstrong (born 1990), relief pitcher for Cleveland Indians (Bridgeton)
J. J. Arrington (born 1983), pro football player (Rocky Mount)
Kathleen Baker (born 1997), Olympic gold and silver medalist swimmer (Winston-Salem)
Scott Bankhead (born 1963), former MLBpitcher (Raleigh)
Billy Ray Barnes (born 1935), NFL player 1957–66 for Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and Minnesota Vikings; 3-time Pro Bowl (Landis)
Brian Barnes (born 1967), MLB pitcher for Montreal Expos, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers (Roanoke Rapids)
Darrius Barnes (born 1986), Major League Soccer player (Raleigh)
Rick Barnes (born 1954), college basketball coach (Hickory)
Jim Beatty (born 1934), track and field athlete, first person to break 4-minute barrier on an indoor track (Charlotte)
Bobby Bell (born 1940), Pro Football Hall of Famelinebacker and defensive end for Kansas City Chiefs (Shelby)
Walt Bellamy (1938–2013), basketball player, NBAHall of Fame (New Bern)
Ricky Berens (born 1988), two-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming (Charlotte)
Heather Bergsma (born 1989), Olympic speed skater, earned a bronze medal (High Point)
Brenton Bersin (born 1990), wide receiver for Carolina Panthers (Charlotte)
Henry Bibby (born 1949), basketball player for 3-time national champion UCLA, NBA player, college and pro coach (Franklinton)
Eddie Biedenbach (born 1945), basketball player for NBA's Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, and for North Carolina State University, NC Sports Hall of Fame (Wrightsville Beach)
Ryan Blaney (born 1993), NASCAR driver (High Point)
Arthur Bluethenthal (1891–1918), college football player and World War I pilot
Stephen Bowen (born 1984), defensive end for New York Jets (Holly Ridge)
Garrett Bradbury (born 1995), center for the Minnesota Vikings (Charlotte)
Hal Bradley (1913–1981), football player for NFL's Washington Redskins and Chicago Cardinals (Winston-Salem)
Louis Breeden, defensive back with Cincinnati Bengals (1978–1987)
Kidd Brewer (1908–1991), college football coach and athletics administrator (Winston-Salem)
Andre Brown (born 1986), fullback for Washington Redskins (Greenville)
Dyami Brown (born 1999), football player^[3]
Jason Brown (born 1983), center for St. Louis Rams (Henderson)
Ted Brown (born 1957), former NFL running back, member of the College Football Hall of Fame (High Point)
Derek Brunson (born 1984), UFC fighter (Wilmington)
Madison Bumgarner (born 1989), MLB pitcher, 3-time World Series champion, 2014 World Series MVP (Hudson)
Smoky Burgess (1927–1991), Major League Baseball player, 9-time All-Star (Caroleen)
Juston Burris (born 1993), NFL safety (Raleigh)
Paul Burris (1923–1999), MLB catcher (Hickory)
Josh Bush (born 1989), free safety for Denver Broncos (Burlington)
Crezdon Butler (born 1987), cornerback for Pittsburgh Steelers (Asheville)
Dremiel Byers (born 1974), Greco-Roman wrestler, World Champion and member of two Olympic teams (Kings Mountain)
William Byron (born 1997), NASCAR driver (Charlotte)

C–G

Brian Canter (born 1987), professional bull rider on Professional Bull RidersBuilt Ford Tough Series tour (Randleman)
Chris Canty (born 1982), defensive lineman for the New York Giants (Charlotte)
Bruce Carter (born 1988), linebacker for Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Havelock)
Carter Capps, relief pitcher for Miami Marlins, born in Kinston
Joey Cheek (born 1979), Olympic gold medalist speed skater (Greensboro)
Lonnie Chisenhall (born 1988), utility player for Cleveland Indians (Newport)
Dwight Clark (1957–2018), two-time All-Pro wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers; led 49ers to first Super Bowl appearance with a last-minute touchdown catch in 1982 NFC Championship Game (Kinston)
Jim Cleamons (born 1949), former NBA guard, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New York Knicks; assistant coach for Lakers (Lincolnton)
Tony Cloninger (1940–2018), MLB pitcher (Cherryville)
Tarik Cohen (born 1995), NFL running back and return specialist (Bunn)
Jonathan Cooper (born 1990), guard for NFL's Arizona Cardinals (Wilmington)
Terrance Copper (born 1982), wide receiver for Kansas City Chiefs (Washington)
Charlie Cozart (1919–2004), MLB pitcher for the Boston Braves (Lenoir)^[4]
Wade Crane (1944–2010), professional pool player (Robbinsville)
Sam Cronin (born 1986), former Major League Soccer player (Winston-Salem)
Alvin Crowder (1899–1972), former MLB pitcher, 2x AL wins leader (Winston-Salem)
Alge Crumpler (born 1977), tight end for New England Patriots, selected four times for Pro Bowl (Greenville)
Chris Culliver (born 1988), cornerback for San Francisco 49ers (Garner)
Kenwin Cummings (born 1986), former NFL linebacker for New York Jets and Dallas Cowboys (Maxton)
Aaron Curry (born 1986), linebacker for Seattle Seahawks (Fayetteville)
Seth Curry (born 1990), player for Dallas Mavericks (Charlotte)
Stephen Curry (born 1988), player for 4-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors, 2-time NBA MVP (Charlotte)
Jack Curtis (born 1937), MLB pitcher (Granite Falls)
Antico Dalton (born 1975), former NFL player (Eden)
Brad Daugherty (born 1965), All-America basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill and NBA player for the Cleveland Cavaliers; television commentator for Raycom Media (Black Mountain)
Russell Davis (born 1975), former NFL defensive tackle (Fayetteville)
Walter Davis (1954–2023), basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill and NBA's Phoenix Suns; 6-time NBA All-Star (Pineville)
Lindsay Deal (1911–1979), MLB outfielder for the Brooklyn Dodgers (Lenoir)^[5]
Landon Dickerson (born 1998), NFL offensive lineman for the Philadelphia Eagles (Hickory)
James L. Dickey III (born 1996), basketball player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Rob Dillingham (born 2005), NBA player (Hickory)
Austin Dillon (born 1990), NASCAR driver (Lewisville)
Mike Dillon (born 1965), former NASCAR driver (Lexington)
Ty Dillon (born 1992), NASCAR driver (Lewisville)
Matt Dodge (born 1987), former punter for New York Giants (Morehead City)
Ryan Dull (born 1989), relief pitcher for Oakland Athletics (Winston-Salem)
Ray Durham (born 1971), MLB second baseman (Charlotte)
Kony Ealy (born 1991), defensive end for Carolina Panthers (Morganton)
Dale Earnhardt Sr. (1951–2001), renowned NASCAR driver nicknamed "The Intimidator" for aggressive driving style; winner of 76 NASCAR races, 7-time Cup Series champion (Kannapolis)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (born 1974), championship-winning NASCAR driver and protégé of his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr. (Kannapolis)
Brad Edwards (born 1966), safety for Washington Redskins, made two interceptions in Super Bowl XXVI (Lumberton)
Carl Eller (born 1942), former NFL defensive end; member of Pro Football Hall of Fame (Winston-Salem)
Dannell Ellerbe (born 1985), linebacker for New Orleans Saints (Hamlet)
Greg Ellis (born 1975), former NFL defensive end, 2007 Pro Bowl selection and NFL Comeback Player of the Year (Wendell)
Vince Evans (born 1955), 1977 Rose Bowl MVP for University of Southern California, quarterback for NFL's Los Angeles Raiders and Chicago Bears (Greensboro)
Rick Ferrell (1905–1995), Baseball Hall of Fame catcher for Boston Red SoxWashington Senators and St Louis Browns (Durham)
Perry Fewell (born 1962), coach for Washington Redskins (Gastonia)
Cortland Finnegan (born 1984), cornerback for Carolina Panthers (Fayetteville)
Spencer Fisher (born 1976), UFC fighter (Cashiers)
Raymond Floyd (born 1942), professional golfer, member of the World Golf Hall of Fame (Fayetteville)
Phil Ford (born 1956), retired point guard for Kansas City Kings, New Jersey Nets, Milwaukee Bucks and Houston Rockets, won '78–'79 NBA Rookie of the Year Award; NBA coach (Rocky Mount)
David Fox (born 1971), Olympic gold medalist swimmer in the men's 4x100 m freestyle at the 1996 Summer Olympics (Raleigh)
Roman Gabriel (born 1940), All-America quarterback for NC State; played for NFL's Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles, named league's MVP in 1969 (Wilmington)
Omar Gaither (born 1984), linebacker for Philadelphia Eagles (Charlotte)
Julian Gamble (born 1989), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Harry Gant (born 1940), former NASCAR driver (Taylorsville)
David Garrard (born 1978), East Carolina University football player, quarterback for Jacksonville Jaguars (Durham)
Kenny Gattison (born 1964), NBA player, coach for Atlanta Hawks (Wilmington)
Alvin Gentry (born 1954), head coach for Phoenix Suns (Shelby)
Joe Gibbs (born 1940), Hall of Fame head coach for NFL's Washington Redskins and owner of Joe Gibbs Racing; won Super Bowl in 1982, 1987, and 1991; won the NASCAR Cup Series Championship in 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2015 (Mocksville)
Marcus Gilchrist (born 1988), cornerback for San Diego Chargers (High Point)
Harry Giles (born 1998), NBA player for the Sacramento Kings (Winston-Salem)
Mark Grace (born 1964), baseball player, Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star and Gold Glove Award-winning first baseman; MLB record for hits (1,754) and doubles (364) in decade of 1990s, broadcaster, coach (Winston-Salem)
Jimmy Graham (born 1986), tight end for New Orleans Saints, Seattle Seahawks, and Green Bay Packers (Goldsboro)
Robert Griswold (born 1996), swimmer
Todd Gurley (born 1994), former NFL running back, 3-time Pro Bowl selection and 2-time First-team All-Pro (Tarboro)

H–K