List of musicians from Chicago explained

The following list includes notable musicians who were born or have lived in Chicago, Illinois.

A

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Operatic soprano and impresario	Born in Chicago	^[1]
				Pianist and bandleader	Lived and performed in Bronzeville, Chicago neighborhood
				Violindustrial singer, violinist, poet, and author

B

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Jazz singer, songwriter, and pianist	Born in Chicago
				Musician, associated with The Academy Is...	Lived in Chicago
				Guitarist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist	Born in Chicago
				Rapper	Born in Chicago
				Violinist, "Ambassador of Music for Chicago"	Lived in Chicago
				Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist	Born in Chicago
				Guitarist for Rise Against
Harold Bradley Jr.		Oct 13, 1929	Apr 13, 2021	Singer of spirituals and blues, painter, actor, TV host, former football player, founder of Italy's iconic Folkstudio music club	Born in Chicago
Oscar Brown Jr.				Musician, poet	Born in Chicago
				Drummer of My Chemical Romance	Born in Chicago
				Lyricist	Raised in Chicago	^[2]
				Blues musician	Born in Chicago

C

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Frontman of the rock band Lovehammers	Born in Chicago
				Former singer and bassist of Chicago	Born in Chicago
				Drummer for The Smashing Pumpkins
(born Chancelor Bennett)				Rapper	Born in Chicago
				Singer	Born in Chicago
(born Keith Cozart)				Rapper	Born and lived in the Washington Park and Englewood neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago
				Operatic baritone and vocalist teacher	Lived in Chicago	^[3]
				Singer	Lived in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago
				Jazz saxophonist	Born in Chicago
				Saxophonist	Born in Chicago
				Singer
				Singer and guitarist for The Smashing Pumpkins	Lived in Chicago	^[4]
				Blues musician

D

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Drummer and pianist	Born in Chicago
Famous Dex				Rapper	Lived in Chicago	^[5]
				Singer and keyboardist of Styx
(born Ellas Otha Bates)				Rock and roll guitarist, singer, and songwriter	Lived in Chicago	^[6]
				Blues songwriter and record producer
Bill Doerrfeld				Classical and jazz pianist	Born in Chicago
				Rapper	Born in Chicago
				Classical pianist
Lil Durk				Rapper	Born in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago

E

	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Singer	Born and began his career in Chicago
				Singer	Born in Chicago

F

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				bassist	Born in Chicago
(a.k.a. Jeremih)				Singer	Born in Chicago
				Chicago blues musician	Born in Chicago	^[7]
				Guitarist for Bang Tango, Chuck Mosley, Stephen Shareaux, and Zen From Mars	Born and raised in Chicago	^[8] ^[9]
				Jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer	Born, worked and died in Chicago
				Jazz saxophonist	Born, worked and died in Chicago
				Conductor, pianist, organist, harpsichordist and composer	Born and grew up in Chicago
(born Richard S. Friedman)				Singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist	Born in Chicago

G

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
Polo G				Rapper	Born in the Old Town district of Chicago
				Singer	Born and grown up in Chicago
				Bandleader	Born in Chicago
				Singer	Born in Chicago
				Singer
				Blues guitarist
(a.k.a. Shawnna)				Rapper	Born in Chicago

H

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
			May 1, 2008	Singer	Born in Chicago
			Jan 9, 2009	Singer	Born in Chicago
				Blues saxophonist and singer	Born in Chicago	^[10]
				Jazz pianist, bandleader and composer	Born in Chicago
				Jazz saxophonist	Born in Chicago
Elizabeth Eden Harris (a.k.a. CupcakKe)				Rapper	Born in Chicago
(a.k.a. Da Brat)				Rapper	Born in Chicago
(a.k.a. Juice Wrld)				Rapper, Singer	Born in Chicago
				Jazz pianist	Raised in Chicago, worked there for many years
				Singer	Born in Chicago
				Singer	Born in Chicago
(born Chester Arthur Burnett)				Musician
				Singer, actress, spokesperson, American Idol finalist	Born in Chicago
				Drummer for Fall Out Boy

I

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Guitarist for The Smashing Pumpkins	Born in Chicago
				Blues guitarist and vocalist	Raised and lives in Chicago

J

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
(a.k.a. Lupe Fiasco)				Rapper	Born in Chicago
(a.k.a. Cashis)				Rapper	Born in Chicago
				Singer
				Singer and composer	Born in Chicago
				Record producer	Born in Chicago	align= center
				Electronic musician

K

Name King von	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Folk singer	Born in Chicago
				Singer and guitarist of Chicago	Born in Chicago
				Bassist and vocalist of punk band The Lawrence Arms
				R&B singer-songwriter, record producer and convicted sex offender	Born in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, lived in Douglas' Bronzeville area	^[11]
				Singer ("Tell Me Something Good", "Sweet Thing" which she wrote for her then husband Richard Holland, "Ain't Nobody", "I'm Every Woman", "I Feel for You" and "Through the Fire")	Born in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago
				Founder of Kimball Piano Company
				Arranger, composer, conductor	Born in Chicago
				Drummer and bandleader	Born in Chicago

L

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Singer and keyboardist of Chicago	Grew up in Chicago
				Jazz pianist and composer	Born in Chicago
(a.k.a. Zim Zum)				Guitarist and songwriter for Marilyn Manson, The Pop Culture Suicides	Born in Chicago
				Member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, former backing musician for Neil Young	Born in Chicago
				Croatian American Musician	Lives in Chicago
Lucki				Rapper	Born in Chicago
(a.k.a. Common)				Rapper	Born in Chicago
Lil Durk		Oct 19, 1992		RapperSinger	Born In Chicago

M

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Keyboardist of The Doors	Born in Chicago
				Singer and songwriter	Born in Chicago
				Songwriter and guitarist	Born in Chicago
	80px			Rapper and activist	Born in Chicago
				Lead singer and guitarist for Rise Against
(a.k.a. Twista)				Rapper	Born in Chicago
				Guitarist
(a.k.a. Muddy Waters)				Blues musician	Lived in Chicago

N

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Lead singer of Little River Band
(a.k.a. Anastacia)				Singer	Born in Chicago
Francis Warren Nicholls, Jr.(a.k.a. Frankie Knuckles)				House music pioneer, called the "Godfather of House"	Lived in Chicago, developed Chicago house genre

P

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Singer actress
				Bass guitarist for Styx	Born in Chicago
				Drummer for Styx	Grew up in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago
				Woodwind player for Chicago	Born in Chicago
				Rapper and poet	Born and resides in Chicago	^[12]
				Folk singer, songwriter	Born in Chicago
Jim Peterik				Founding member of Survivor and member of The Ides of March	Born and raised in the Chicago suburb of Berwyn
				Singer
				Violinist	Born in Chicago
				Rapper, known professionally as Smokepurpp	Born in Chicago
				Bassist for Rise Against	Born in Chicago
			Apr 7, 2020	Folk singer, songwriter	Born in Chicago
Vicky Psarakis				Vocalist for The Agonist	Born in Chicago

R

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
"Kal" David Raskin				Guitarist, singer, songwriter, Illinois Speed Press	Born in Chicago
			we don't know-->		Operatic soprano	Born in Chicago
(a.k.a. Kaskade)				Electronic musician	Born in Chicago
				Singer and actor
				Singer	Born in Chicago
				Rapper	Born in Chicago
				Singer	Born in Chicago

S

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Rapper	Born in Chicago
				Drummer of the band Chicago	Born in Chicago
				Rapper and vocalist for BtoB
Silver Sphere				Singer-songwriter	Born and raised in Chicago	^[13]
				Lead singer and guitarist of Alkaline Trio and blink-182	Born in Chicago
(a.k.a. Rhymefest)				Rapper	Born in Chicago
				Singer, songwriter and poet	Born in Chicago
				Composer
				Lead singer, rhythm guitarist and founder of bands L7 and Donita Sparks and the Stellar Moments; one of the founders of the pro-choice organisation Rock for Choice and of CASH Music	Born in Chicago	^[14]
				Singer	Born in Chicago
				Lead singer and guitarist for Fall Out Boy	Born in the Chicago suburb of Evanston
				Drummer for the band Styx	Born in Chicago
Johnny Suh		Feb 2, 1995		Lead dancer, sub vocalist and sub rapper for NCT 127.	Born in Chicago	https://web.archive.org/web/20221020013245/https://www.mtv.com/news/fosc2g/nct-127-guide
				Composer
Earl Sweatshirt		Feb 24, 1994		Rapper, producer, and songwriter	Born and raised in Chicago
Smokepurpp.		May 15, 1997		Rapper,Singer,Songwriter	Born In Chicago and raised Miami

T

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter	Born in Chicago	^[15]
				Singer	Lived and died in Chicago
(a.k.a. Hound Dog Taylor)				Guitarist
				Guitarist of Soundgarden
				Composer and songwriter	Born in Chicago
				Basso	Born in Chicago
				Pianist	Born in Chicago
				Guitarist for Fall Out Boy
				Singer and songwriter, member of Wilco and Uncle Tupelo
Twista				Rapper	Born In Chicago

V

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Lead singer for the band Pearl Jam
				Rapper	Born in Chicago

W

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Bassist for Panic at the Disco
(a.k.a. Yung Berg)				Rapper	Born in Chicago
				Singer
				Singer	Born in Chicago	align= center
(a.k.a. Soulja Boy)				Rapper	Born in Chicago
				Bassist and lyricist for Fall Out Boy
				Jazz drummer	Born in Chicago
				Rapper and producer	Grew up in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago
				Bassist and Founding member for Earth Wind & Fire	Born in Chicago
				Jazz trumpeter, composer, educator
				Singer	born in Chicago
(a.k.a. No ID)				Hip hop and R&B record producer	Born in Chicago
				Bassist for Smashing Pumpkins
(a.k.a. G Herbo)				Rapper	Born in Chicago

Y

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
				Singer, author, actress	Born in Chicago
				Guitarist for Styx	Born in Chicago
Yomo				Regueton Singer	Born in Chicago

Bands

Name	Image	Founded	Disbanded	Music	Association	Reference
88 Fingers Louie				Punk band	Founded in Chicago
Alacranes Musical				Duranguense	Founded in the Chicago suburb of Aurora	^[16]
Beach Bunny				Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Big Black				Punk/noise rock band	Founded in Chicago suburb of Evanston
The Buckinghams				Sunshine pop band	Founded in Chicago
Cheap Trick				Rock group	Founded in Chicago, Cheap Trick plans to open a music complex on Motor Row in Chicago's South Loop	^[17]
The Chi-Lites				R&B soul vocal quartet	Founded in Chicago
Chicago				Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Cobalt & the Hired Guns				Punk rock band	Based in Chicago	^[18]
Disturbed				Heavy metal band	Founded in Chicago
Do or Die (a.k.a. D.O.D.)				Rap trio	Originally from the west side of Chicago
Earth, Wind & Fire				Band spanning various genres such as soul, R&B, pop, jazz, funk, disco, rock, Latin and African	Founded in Chicago	^[19]
				Soul/R&B vocal group	Founded in Chicago	align= center
Enuff Z'Nuff				Rock band	Founded in Chicago	^[20]
Fall Out Boy				Rock band	Founded in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette	^[21]
Hope in Ghosts				Rock band	From Chicago
The Jesus Lizard				Alternative/noise rock band	Moved to Chicago in 1989, originally from Austin, Texas
Kids These Days				Hip hop band	Founded in Chicago
Kill Hannah				Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Krewella				Electronic trio	Founded in Chicago
Lakeside Singers				Ensemblé	From Chicago area
Louis the Child				Electronic duo	Founded in Chicago	^[22]
Ministry				Pioneering industrial metal band	Founded in Chicago
Naked Raygun				Punk rock band	Founded in Chicago
OK Go				Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Paul Butterfield Blues Band				Blues rock band, performed at Woodstock	Founded in Chicago by Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield
Plain White T's				Pop punk band	Founded in the Chicago suburb of Lombard
Rise Against				Punk-rock group	Founded in Chicago
				Funk and R&B band	Founded in Chicago	align= center
Screeching Weasel				pioneering pop punk band	Founded in the Chicago suburb of Prospect Heights
Slow Motion Crash				Rock band	From Chicago	^[23]
The Smashing Pumpkins				Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Smith Westerns				Garage/indie rock band	Founded in Chicago
The Staple Singers				R&B singing group	Founded in Chicago
TRS-80				Electronic	Founded in Chicago
Twin Peaks				Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Urge Overkill				Rock band	Founded in Chicago
The White Tie Affair				Pop-rock band	Founded in Chicago
Whitney				Indie folk/indie rock/soul band	Founded in Chicago
Wilco				Alternative rock band	Founded in Chicago

Notes and References

1. Book: Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896 . Marquis Who's Who . 1967.
2. Web site: Johnny Burke. AllMusic. November 18, 2013.
3. Book: John William Leonard, The Book of Chicagoans: A Biographical Dictionary of Leading Living Men and Women of the City of Chicago. A.N. Marquis. 1917.
4. News: Billy Corgan's Chicago Condo Under Contract. August 17, 2013. NBC Bay Area.
5. Web site: Famous Dex . 2022-07-12 . IMDb.
6. Show 3, track 5.
7. Web site: Bluesletter : Washington Blues Society. October 2018. Wablues.org. April 30, 2019.
8. Web site: Drew Fortier of Bang Tango Interview – Sleaze Roxx. sleazeroxx.com. September 18, 2015 . en-CA. 2018-05-30.
9. News: ZEN FROM MARS: Drew Fortier Offers A Glimpse Inside The New All-Star Band. 2016-08-10. Icon vs. Icon. 2018-05-30. en-US.
10. Web site: Terry Hanck - About the band. Terryhanck.net. 6 June 2016.
11. News: Pirani . Fiza . 7 things to know about R. Kelly . English . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . 2022-07-12 . 1539-7459.
12. Web site: Artists. Actweb.org. 11 December 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161221042559/http://www.atcweb.org/artists---kill-floor. December 21, 2016. dead.
13. News: EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Silver's "Drinking Games" is for Anyone Who Has Ever Thought They Were in Love. Ones to Watch. May 4, 2018. October 17, 2020.
14. Web site: Donita Sparks and the Stellar Moments. Npr.org. May 25, 2018.
15. Web site: Eddie Taylor Jr. - Biography & History. AllMusic. March 8, 2019.
16. Web site: Long. Kyle. A Cultural Manifesto: Alacranes Musical. 2021-12-18. NUVO. May 23, 2012 . en.
17. Web site: Cheap Trick Planning Music Complex in South Loop. November 10, 2011 .
18. Web site: The Deli's Interview with Colbalt and The Hired Guns. https://web.archive.org/web/20110718162548/http://www.thedelimagazine.com/chicago/artists/colbalt/. dead. July 18, 2011. July 18, 2011.
19. Web site: Earth, Wind & Fire Biography & History AllMusic. AllMusic. 1 August 2016.
20. The High-Powered Pop Flashback of Enuff Z'Nuff. Rolling Stone. 2018-05-30.
21. Web site: Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)" & Show in Chicago Tonight. February 4, 2013. B96 Chicago. https://web.archive.org/web/20130406043635/http://b96.cbslocal.com/2013/02/04/fall-out-boy-reunites-with-new-single-my-songs-know-what-you-did-in-the-dark-light-em-up-show-in-chicago-tonight/. April 6, 2013. dead.
22. Web site: Elder. Jimmy. Q&A with USC freshman, half of Louis the Child. Daily Trojan. 1 August 2016. 18 February 2016.
23. Web site: Sound menu - Sound Menu - Creative Loafing Atlanta. https://archive.today/20130408000556/http://clatl.com/atlanta/sound-menu/Content?oid=1265422. live. April 8, 2013. April 8, 2013. Creative Loafing. June 19, 2018.