List of musicians from Mississippi explained

This is a list of musical groups or organizations as well as musicians from the American state of Mississippi.

Musical groups or organizations

• 3 Doors Down – rock band (Escatawpa)
• Bass Drum of Death – garage / punk rock band (Oxford)
• Beanland – jam band (Oxford)
• The Blackwood Brothers – gospel singers (Choctaw County)
• Blind Melon – alternative rock and jam band (Starkville)
• Blue Mountain – alternative country band (Oxford)
• Cadillac Don & J-Money – rap duo (Crawford)
• The Chambers Brothers – soul music group (Leake County)
• Colour Revolt – indie rock band (Oxford)
• David and the Giants – Christian rock band (Laurel)^[1]
• Rae Sremmurd – hip hop group (Tupelo)
• Five Blind Boys of Mississippi – gospel singers (Piney Woods)
• Joe Frank and the Knights – garage rock band (Leland)
• Jonezetta - rock band (Clinton)
• Kudzu Kings – alternative country music band^[2] (Oxford)
• Mississippi Mass Choir – gospel choir (Jackson)
• North Mississippi Allstars – blues-rock, jam band (Hernando)
• Saving Abel – rock band (Corinth)
• Wavorly – Christian rock band (Tupelo)^[3]
• The Weeks – indie rock band (Florence)
• Watership Down – alternative metal band (Ocean Springs)
• Young Buffalo – indie rock band (Oxford)

Musicians

A - C

• John Luther Adams (born 1953) – composer of music inspired by nature (Meridian)
• Afroman (born 1974) – comedy rapper (Hattiesburg)
• Tommy Aldridge (born 1950) – drummer for Ozzy Osbourne and Whitesnake (Jackson)
• Mose Allison (1927–2016) – jazz musician (Tallahatchie County)
• Charlie Allen (1908–1972) – (Jackson)
• Robert Anderson (1919–1995) – gospel singer-composer and pianist (Anguilla)
• Steve Azar (born 1964) – country singer (Greenville)
• Milton Babbitt (1916–2011) – composer, electronic music pioneer (Jackson)
• Glen Ballard (born 1953) – songwriter and record producer (Natchez)
• David Banner (born 1973) – rapper and producer (Brookhaven)
• Matt Barlow (born 1970) – lead singer of the metal band Iced Earth (Biloxi)
• Prentiss Barnes (1925–2006) – rhythm and blues singer (Magnolia)
• Lance Bass (born 1979) – member of pop group 'N Sync (Laurel)
• Jeff Bates (born 1963) – country music singer-songwriter (Bunker Hill)
• Robert Belfour (1940–2015) – blues musician (Holly Springs)
• Carey Bell (1936–2007) – Chicago blues harmonica player (Macon)
• Big Time Sarah (1953–2015) – blues singer (Coldwater)
• James Blackwood (1919–2002) – one of The Blackwood Brothers (Choctaw County)
• Blind Mississippi Morris (born 1955) – blues artist (Clarksdale)
• Lucille Bogan (1897–1948) – blues singer (Amory)
• Charley Booker (1925–1989) – blues singer and guitarist (Moorhead)
• Eddie Boyd (1914–1994) – blues musician (Clarksdale)
• Bobby Bradford (born 1934) – jazz musician and composer (Cleveland)
• Jan Bradley (born 1943) – soul singer (Byhalia)
• Delaney Bramlett (1939–2008) – singer-songwriter (Pontotoc)
• Cory Branan (born 1975) – singer-songwriter (Southaven)
• Jackie Brenston (1930–1979) – American R&B singer and saxophonist (Clarksdale)
• Big Bill Broonzy (1898–1958) – blues singer-songwriter and guitarist (Scott)
• Eddie "Bongo" Brown (1932–1984) – percussionist (Clarksdale)
• Willie Brown (1900–1952) – delta blues guitarist and singer (Clarksdale)
• Jimmy Buffett (1946–2023) – multi-genre singer-songwriter (Pascagoula)
• R. L. Burnside (1926–2005) – blues singer-songwriter (Harmontown)
• Jerry Butler (born 1939) – soul singer-songwriter (Sunflower)
• G. C. Cameron (born 1945) – soul and R&B singer (Jackson)
• Ace Cannon (1934–2018) – tenor and alto saxophonist (Grenada)
• Gus Cannon (1883–1979) – jug band musician (Red Banks)
• James Carr (1942–2001) - soul singer (Coahoma)
• Bo Carter (1893–1964) – blues singer (Bolton)
• Johnny Carver (born 1940) – country singer (Jackson)
• Sam Chatmon (1897–1983) – blues singer; brother of Bo Carter (Bolton)
• Otis Clay (1942–2016) – R&B and soul musician (Waxhaw)
• Chalmers Clifton (1889–1966) – conductor and composer (Jackson)
• Odia Coates (1942–1991) – singer (Vicksburg)
• Hank Cochran (1935–2010) – country music singer-songwriter (Isola)
• Bill Coday (1942–2008) – singer (Coldwater)
• Phil Cohran (1927–2017) – jazz musician (Oxford)
• Mike Compton (born 1956) – bluegrass mandolin player (Meridian)
• Sam Cooke (1931–1964) – gospel, R&B, soul, and pop singer (Clarksdale)
• James Cotton (1935–2017) – blues harmonica player and singer-songwriter (Tunica)
• Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup (1905–1974) – Delta blues singer and guitarist (Forest)
• George Cummings (born 1938) – guitarist and songwriter (Meridian)

• Rona Barrett (born 1981) Country Singer Violinist Fiddle Player Songwriter (Pearl River County, Mississippi)

D - G

• Olu Dara (born 1941) – jazz musician (Natchez)
• Lester Davenport (1932–2009) – American blues harmonica player and singer (Tchula)
• Paul Davis (1948–2008) – singer-songwriter (Meridian)
• Little Sammy Davis (1928–2018) – harmonica, guitar, singer (Winona, Mississippi)
• Jimmy Dawkins (1936–2013) – blues guitarist and singer (Tchula)
• Al Denson (born 1960) – contemporary Christian artist (Starkville)
• Bo Diddley (1928–2008) – rock & roll/R&B singer-songwriter (McComb)
• Diplo (born 1978) – electronic dance music DJ and producer (Tupelo)
• Willie Dixon (1915–1992) – blues bassist, singer-songwriter record producer (Vicksburg)
• Nate Dogg (1969–2011) – West Coast hip hop and R&B artist (Clarksdale)
• Marshall Drew (born 1984) – folk rock singer-songwriter (Clarksdale)
• Kevin Dukes (born 1956) – guitarist (Brookhaven)
• Judy Dunaway (born 1964) – avant-garde composer, free improvisor, conceptual sound artist
• Omar Kent Dykes (born 1950) – blues guitarist and singer (McComb)
• Meredith Edwards (born 1984) – country singer (Clinton)
• Ruby Elzy (1908–1943) – opera singer (Pontotoc)
• Lehman Engel (1910–1982) – composer and conductor (Jackson)
• Chris Ethridge (1947–2012) – country rock musician, songwriter (Meridian)
• Shelly Fairchild (born 1977) – country music artist (Clinton)
• Nancy Plummer Faxon (1914–2005) – organist and composer (Jackson)
• Charlie Feathers (1932–1998) – (Holly Springs)
• Steve Forbert (born 1954) – pop music singer-songwriter (Meridian)
• Barbara Siggers Franklin (1917–1952) – gospel singer; mother of Aretha Franklin (Shelby)
• Lee Garrett (born 1943) – R&B singer-songwriter
• Eric "Red Mouth" Gebhardt – multi-genre singer-songwriter (Biloxi)
• Bobbie Gentry (born 1944) – singer-songwriter (Greenwood)
• Mickey Gilley (1936–2022) – country singer and musician (Natchez)
• Mark Gray (1952–2016) – country music singer and keyboardist (Vicksburg)
• Garland Green (born 1942) – soul singer and pianist (Dunleith)
• Lloyd Green (born 1937) – country music steel guitarist (Leaf)
• Elizabeth Greenfield (c. 1820–1876) – concert singer; known as "The Black Swan"; born in slavery in Natchez
• Al Goodman (1943–2010) – R&B/soul singer (Jackson)

H - K

• Owen Hale (born 1948) - drummer (Hattiesburg)
• Bill Harvey (1918–1964) – Bandleader (Winona, Mississippi)
• Ted Hawkins (1936–1995) – singer-songwriter (Biloxi)
• Jessie Mae Hemphill (1923–2006) – blues musician (Como)
• Michael Henderson (1951–2022) – bass guitarist, R&B singer (Yazoo City)
• Caroline Herring (born 1969) – bluegrass musician (Canton)
• Faith Hill (born 1967) – country/pop singer (Star)
• Kim Hill (born 1963) – Christian singer-songwriter (Starkville)
• King Solomon Hill (1897–1949) – blues musician (McComb)
• Ernie Hines (born 1938) – soul musician
• Milt Hinton (1910–2000) – jazz double bassist (Vicksburg)
• Eddie Hodges (born 1947) – actor, singer, producer (Hattiesburg)
• John Lee Hooker (1917–2001) – singer-songwriter and blues guitarist (Clarksdale)
• Big Walter Horton (1917–1981) – blues harmonica player (Horn Lake)
• Son House (1902–1988) – blues singer and guitarist (Riverton)
• Randy Houser (born 1975) – country music artist (Lake)
• Thelma Houston (born 1943) – R&B singer-songwriter (Leland)
• Guy Hovis (born 1941) – big band singer (Tupelo)
• Howlin' Wolf (1910–1976) – blues singer, guitarist, harmonica player (West Point)
• Cary Hudson – lead singer and guitarist for alternative country band Blue Mountain (Sumrall)
• Mississippi John Hurt (c. 1893–1966) – country blues singer and guitarist (Teoc)
• Clifton Hyde (born 1976) – multi-instrumentalist and producer (Hattiesburg)
• Carl Jackson (born 1953) – country and bluegrass musician (Louisville)
• Cordell Jackson (1923–2004) – rockabilly guitarist, producer (Pontotoc)
• George Jackson (1945–2013) – blues and soul singer (Indianola)
• Elmore James (1918–1963) – blues guitarist and singer-songwriter (Richland)
• Skip James (1902–1969) – Delta blues guitarist, pianist, singer-songwriter (Bentonia)
• Jimi Jamison (1951–2014) – singer-songwriter (Durant, Mississippi)
• Roosevelt Jamison (1936–2013) – songwriter, publicist (Olive Branch)
• Jai Johanny "Jaimoe" Johanson (born 1944) – drummer in The Allman Brothers Band (Ocean Springs)
• Big Jack Johnson (1940–2011) – blues musician (Clarksdale)
• Jimmy Johnson (1928–2022) – blues guitarist and singer (Holly Springs)
• Robert Johnson (1911–1938) – blues and Delta blues musician (Hazlehurst)
• Syl Johnson (1936–2022) – blues and soul singer (Holly Springs)
• Margie Joseph (born 1950) – R&B and soul singer (Pascagoula)
• Junior Kimbrough (1930–1998) – blues artist (Hudsonville)
• Albert King (1923–1992) – blues guitarist and singer (Indianola)
• B. B. King (1925–2015) – blues guitarist and singer-songwriter (Indianola)
• Little Freddie King (born 1940, aka Fread Eugene Martin) – Delta blues guitarist (McComb)
• Fern Kinney (born 1949) – rhythm & blues and disco music entertainer (Jackson)
• J. Fred Knobloch (born 1953, aka Fred Knoblock) – country singer-songwriter (Jackson)
• Big K.R.I.T. (born 1986) – hip-hop artist (Meridian)

L - M

• Skylar Laine (born 1994) – country music singer; American Idol finalist (Brandon)
• Sonny Landreth (born 1951) – blues musician and slide guitar player (Canton)
• Denise LaSalle (1934–2018) – blues and contemporary R&B singer-songwriter, record producer (Belzoni)
• Rick Lawson (born 1973) – soul and R&B singer (Raymond)
• Lafayette Leake (1919–1990) – blues and jazz pianist, organist, vocalist and composer (Winona, Mississippi)
• Chris LeDoux (1948–2005) – country music singer-songwriter (Biloxi)
• Floyd Lee (1933–2020) – blues musician and founding member of Music Under New York (Lamar)^[4]
• Swae Lee (born 1993) – hip hop singer
• Mylon LeFevre (1944–2023) – gospel and Christian rock singer (Gulfport)
• J. B. Lenoir (1929–1967) – guitarist and singer-songwriter (Monticello)
• Robert "Squirrel" Lester (1942–2010) – second tenor of The Chi-Lites (McComb)
• Bobby Lounge (born 1950) – singer-songwriter (McComb)
• Dent May (born 1985) – musician (Jackson)
• La'Porsha Renae Mays (born 1993) – musician (McComb)
• Tommy McClennan (1908–c. 1962) – Delta blues singer and guitarist (Yazoo City)
• George McConnell – guitarist (Vicksburg)
• Kansas Joe McCoy (1905–1950) – blues musician and songwriter (Raymond)
• Papa Charlie McCoy (1909–1950) – Delta blues musician and songwriter (Jackson)
• Mississippi Fred McDowell (1904–1972) – Delta blues musician and songwriter (Born in Rossville, Tennessee, resided in Como)
• L. C. McKinley (1918–1970) – guitarist, singer (Winona)
• Scott McQuaig (1959) – country music singer and songwriter (Meridian)
• Mulgrew Miller (1955–2013) – jazz pianist (Greenwood)
• Little Milton (1934–2005) – blues and soul vocalist and guitarist (Inverness)
• Mississippi Slim (1923–1973) – country singer and guitarist (Smithville)
• Monkey Joe (1906–1967) – blues musician (Jackson)
• Dorothy Moore (born 1946) – pop, R&B, gospel singer (Jackson)
• Johnny B. Moore (born 1950) – blues singer and guitarist (Clarksdale)
• Jasmine Murray (born 1992) – singer and beauty pageant titleholder; finalist, 8th season, American Idol (2009) television singing-competition series (Columbus)
• Charlie Musselwhite (born 1944) – blues-harp player and bandleader (Kosciusko)
• Sam Myers (1936–2006) - blues musician, harmonica player, and songwriter (Laurel)

N - S

• Brandy Norwood (born 1979) – R&B singer-songwriter/record producer (McComb)
• Willie Norwood (born 1955) – gospel singer (McComb)
• Maty Noyes (born 1997) – pop singer (Corinth)
• Alexander O'Neal (born 1953) – soul singer (Natchez)
• Paul Overstreet (born 1955) – country music singer-songwriter (Vancleave)
• Ginny Owens (born 1975) – contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter (Jackson)
• Junior Parker (1932–1971) – Memphis blues singer and musician (Clarksdale)
• Michael Passons (born 1965) – founding member of the Christian band Avalon (Yazoo City)
• Charlie Patton (1891–1934) – Delta-/Country-/Gospel blues musician (Edwards)
• Dion Payton (1950–2021) – blues guitarist and singer (Greenwood)
• Robert Powell (born 1932) – composer, organist, choir director (Benoit)
• Elvis Presley (1935–1977) – multi-genre musician (Tupelo)
• Leontyne Price (born 1927) – opera singer (Laurel)
• Charley Pride (1934–2020) – country music singer (Sledge)
• John Primer (born 1945) – blues singer and guitarist (Camden)
• Ray J (born 1981) – contemporary R&B and hip hop singer/record producer (McComb)
• Jimmy Reed (1925–1976) – blues singer and musician (Dunleith)
• Del Rendon (1965–2005) – singer/songwriter (Starkville)
• Mack Rice (1933–2016) – songwriter (Clarksdale)
• LeAnn Rimes (born 1982) – country and pop singer (Pearl)
• Fenton Robinson (1935–1997) – blues musician (Greenwood)
• Jimmie Rodgers (1897–1933) – country singer (Meridian)
• Jimmy Rogers (1924–1997) – blues singer and guitarist (Ruleville)
• David Ruffin (1941–1991) – former lead singer of The Temptations (Whynot)
• Jimmy Ruffin (1939–2014) – soul and R&B singer (Collinsville)
• Bobby Rush (born 1933) – blues and R&B musician, composer, singer,(Jackson)
• Otis Rush (1935–2018) – blues musician (Philadelphia)
• Oliver Sain (1932–2003) – saxophonist, drummer, songwriter, record producer (Dundee)
• Magic Sam (1937–1969) – Chicago blues and soul blues musician (Grenada)
• Johnny Sea (1940–2016) – country singer (Gulfport)
• Toni Seawright (born 1964) – singer-songwriter (Pascagoula)
• Jumpin' Gene Simmons (1933–2006) – rockabilly singer (Tupelo)
• Byther Smith (1932–2021) – blues musician (Monticello)
• Soulja Boy (born 1990) – rapper, record producer (Batesville)
• Otis Spann (1930–1970) – blues musician (Jackson)
• Britney Spears (born 1981) – pop singer (McComb)
• Judson Spence (born 1965) – songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (Pascagoula)
• Roebuck "Pop" Staples (1914–2000) – founder of The Staple Singers (Winona)
• Rogers Stevens (born 1970) – guitarist for the band Blind Melon (West Point)
• Lisa Stewart (born 1968) – country musician (Louisville)
• William Grant Still (1895–1978) – classical composer (Woodville)
• Barrett Strong (1941–2023) – singer-songwriter (West Point)
• Marty Stuart (born 1958) – country music singer (Philadelphia)
• Hubert Sumlin (1931–2011) – blues musician (Greenwood)
• Deanna Summers (1940–2017) – songwriter

T - Z

• Ty Tabor (born 1961) – guitarist, singer-songwriter for rock band King's X (Pearl)
• Eddie Taylor (1923–1985) – blues guitarist and singer (Benoit)
• Hound Dog Taylor (1915–1975) – blues guitarist and singer (Natchez)
• Melvin Taylor (born 1959) – blues musician (Jackson)
• Ernie Terrell (1939–2014) – singer and record producer (Belzoni)
• Jean Terrell (born 1944) – R&B and jazz singer (Belzoni)
• James "Son" Thomas (1926–1993) – blues musician (Leland)
• Rufus Thomas (1917–2001) – R&B, funk, soul singer (Cayce)
• Lil' Dave Thompson (1969–2010) – blues singer and guitarist (Jackson)
• Paul Thorn (born 1964) – Southern rock, country, Americana, and blues singer-songwriter (Tupelo)
• Todd Tilghman (born 1978) gospel singer (Meridian)
• Ike Turner (1931–2007) – multi-genre musician, record producer (Clarksdale)
• Monteco (born 1978) R&B Singer
• Conway Twitty (1933–1993) – country singer-songwriter (Friars Point)
• L. C. Ulmer (1928–2016) – delta blues (Stringer)
• Bobby V (born 1980) – singer-songwriter
• Freddie Waits (1943–1989) – hard bop and post-bop drummer (Jackson)
• Travis Wammack (born 1946) – rock and roll guitarist (Walnut)
• Walter Ward (1940–2006) – R&B singer; lead vocalist of The Olympics (Jackson)
• Muddy Waters (1913–1983) – electric blues and Chicago blues musician (Rolling Fork)
• Jim Weatherly (1943–2021) – country and pop singer-songwriter (Pontotoc)
• Carl Weathersby (1953–2024) – blues vocalist, guitarist, songwriter (Jackson)
• Boogie Bill Webb (1924–1990) – blues guitarist and singer (Jackson)
• Bukka White (1909–1977) – Delta blues guitarist and singer (Houston)
• Carson Whitsett (1945–2007) – keyboardist, arranger, and songwriter (Jackson)
• Tim Whitsett (1943–2022) – band leader, songwriter, producer, publisher (Jackson)
• Webb Wilder (born 1954) – country/surf music/rock & roll musician (Hattiesburg)
• Big Joe Williams (1903–1982) – Delta blues musician and songwriter (Crawford)
• Hayley Williams (born 1988) – pop punk and alternative rock singer-songwriter (Meridian)
• Sonny Boy Williamson II (1912–1965) – blues harmonica player and singer-songwriter (Glendora)
• Eddie Willis (1936–2018) – electric guitarist (Grenada)
• Robert Wilkins (1896–1987) – blues guitarist and vocalist (Hernando)
• Al Wilson (1939–2008) – singer and drummer (Meridian)
• Cassandra Wilson (born 1955) – jazz singer-songwriter (Jackson)
• Mary Wilson (1944–2021) – singer and founding member of The Supremes (Greenville)
• Elder Roma Wilson (1910–2018) – harmonica player (Blue Springs)^[5]
• Andrew Wood (1966–1990) – singer-songwriter and front man for Seattle-area bands Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone (Columbus)
• Nanette Workman (born 1945) – singer-songwriter, actress and author (Jackson)
• Charlie Worsham (born 1985) – country singer-songwriter (Grenada)^[6]
• Tammy Wynette (1942–1998) – country music singer-songwriter (Tremont)
• Lester Young (1909–1959) – jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist (Woodville)
• Zora Young (born 1948) – blues singer (West Point)

See also

• List of people from Mississippi
• Lists of musicians

Notes and References

1. Web site: David and the Giants . Christian Music Archive . 18 August 2016.
2. Web site: Kudzu Kings Bio. Kudzukings.com. 17 August 2016.
3. Web site: Wavorly's Biography. Last.fm. 18 August 2016.
4. Web site: FLOYD LEE 1933 - 2020 - Obituary. Legacy.com. 2020-06-17.
5. http://www.nea.gov/honors/heritage/fellows/fellow.php?id=1994_11
6. Web site: Charlie Worsham on Mountain Stage . . August 22, 2012 . May 30, 2014.