List of people from Grand Rapids, Michigan explained

The following is a list of notable people associated with Grand Rapids, Michigan. These people were born or lived in Grand Rapids.

Artists and artisans

• Mathias Alten — impressionist painter
• Jeffrey Brown — comic book creator
• Frederick Stuart Church — illustrator^[1]
• Kreigh Collins — painter; cartoonist^[2]
• Paul Collins — painter^[3]
• Dirk Gringhuis — illustrator
• Daniel Vosovic — clothing designer^[4]

Criminals

• Gwendolyn Graham and Cathy Wood

Entertainment figures

• Gillian Anderson — television and film actress^[5]
• Ford Beebe — film director
• Otto Brower — film director
• James T. Callahan — film and television actor
• Horace B. Carpenter — film actor and director
• Jim Cash — screenwriter
• Riley Chamberlin — silent film actor
• Rex Cherryman — stage and film actor
• Shawn Christian — television and film actor
• Wanda Cochran — soprano
• Steven Ford — television and film actor
• Stephen Goosson — film set designer
• Lorna Gray — film actress
• Stacey Haiduk — television actress
• Thom Hartmann — radio personality
• Paul Walter Hauser — television and film actor and comedian
• Adam Herz — screenwriter and producer
• Phillips Holmes — early film actor
• Jimmy Jacobs — professional wrestler
• Matt Keeslar — television and film actor
• Lisa Kelly — ice road trucker
• James Kirkwood Sr. — film actor and director
• Eric Allan Kramer — television, film and stage actor
• Taylor Lautner — television and film actor^[6]
• Victor Lundberg — radio personality
• C. Cameron Macauley — filmmaker
• Violet MacMillan — vaudeville, stage and silent film actress
• Kevin Matthews — radio personality
• Ryan O'Reilly — professional wrestler
• Wally Phillips — radio personality
• Don Quinn — comedy writer and cartoonist
• Andy Richter — television and film actor^[7]
• Leonard Schrader — screenwriter and director
• Paul Schrader — screenwriter and director
• Richard Shoberg — television actor
• Noah Sife — television actor
• Jackie Swanson — television and film actress
• Ray Teal — television and film actor
• Reed Timmer — storm chaser and meteorologist^[8]
• Jess Walton — television actress
• Elizabeth Wilson — stage, television and film actress
• Dick York — television, stage, radio and film actor
• Ginger Zee — ABC News meteorologist
• Kim Zimmer — television and stage actress

Government officials, politicians and activists

• Gretchen Whitmer — Governor of Michigan ^[9]
• Roger Wilkins — U.S. Assistant Attorney General. Attended Creston High School

Musicians and bands

• Pennjamin Bannekar — independent music artist and songwriter
• Ralston Bowles — folk musician
• Mary Canberg — violinist
• The Cardboard Swords — pop-rock band
• Jeffrey Daniel — member of R&B group Shalamar
• Xavier Davis — jazz pianist
• DeBarge — R&B/soul group
• Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen — vocalist (formerly of Toto)
• Al Green — R&B/soul singer^[10]
• Bob Hay — member of the Squalls
• Adina Howard — R&B singer
• Charlie Huhn — frontman for Foghat
• Maynard James Keenan — lead singer of Tool
• Anthony Kiedis — lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
• La the Darkman — hip hop artist affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan
• La Dispute — post-hardcore group^[11]
• Robert Longfield — composer
• Kevin Max — member of dc Talk
• Ken Medema — Christian musician
• Kellin Quinn — member of post-hardcore/alternative rock band Sleeping With Sirens
• John W. Peterson — Christian songwriter
• Mustard Plug — ska punk group
• Pop Evil — hard rock band
• Marvin Sapp — gospel singer, and member of the group Commissioned
• Del Shannon — rock & roll musician
• Sleeping with Sirens — alternative rock/post-hardcore band
• SoFaygo — rapper
• Leo Sowerby — composer and musician
• Still Remains — metalcore group
• Casey Stratton — pop/rock musician
• Sam Stryke — composer and pianist
• Helena Stone Torgerson — harpist and composer
• Whirlwind Heat — alternative rock group^[12]
• Willie the Kid — rapper
• Jason Wood — lead singer of It Dies Today

Science

• Roger Chaffee — NASA astronaut, U.S. Navy lieutenant commander^[13]
• Jewell James Ebers — transistor-theory electrical engineer
• Christina Koch — NASA astronaut, engineer
• Jack R. Lousma — NASA astronaut, U.S. Marine Corps colonel
• Lynn Rogers — biologist

Notes and References

1. Web site: Frederick Stuart Church: Holiday Illustrations from the Horst Collection. Traditional Fine Arts Organization. April 3, 2010.
2. Web site: Collection: Illustrations and papers of Kreigh T. Collins Grand Rapids History Center . 2024-05-07 . Grand Rapids Public Library Archives.
3. Web site: Grand Rapids History & Special Collections. https://web.archive.org/web/20100613101858/http://grpl.org/wiki/images/6/6f/269.pdf. dead. June 13, 2010. Grand Rapids Public Library. April 3, 2010.
4. News: Fashion whiz Daniel Vosovic returns home to promote new book. November 28, 2008. The Grand Rapids Press. April 3, 2010.
5. Web site: Biography. The Official Gillian Anderson Website . April 4, 2010.
6. Web site: Taylor Lautner Biography. TV Guide. April 4, 2010.
7. Web site: Andy Richter Biography. TV Guide. April 4, 2010.
8. News: Rachael . Recker. Grand Rapids native Reed Timmer leads viewers into the eye of a tornado on 'Storm Chasers'. October 18, 2009. The Grand Rapids Press. December 31, 2009.
9. https://thecentraltrend.com/13375/showcase/senator-gretchen-whitmer-fhc-alumna-running-for-governor/
10. Web site: Al Green: Biography . February 27, 2008 .
11. Web site: La Dispute: Profile . https://archive.today/20130221144603/http://www.absolutepunk.net/artists/showlink.php?l=5157 . dead . February 21, 2013 . . April 5, 2010.
12. Web site: Whirlwind Heat Profile Apple iTunes. iTunes.
13. Web site: Roger B. Chaffee. 1997. Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. April 5, 2010.