List of musicians from Chicago
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The following list includes notable musicians who were born or have lived in Chicago, Illinois.
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Abbott |  |
Dec 9, 1850 | Jan 5, 1891 | Operatic soprano and impresario | Born in Chicago | [1] |
| Lil Hardin Armstrong |  |
Feb 3, 1898 | Aug 27, 1971 | Pianist and bandleader | Lived and performed in Bronzeville, Chicago neighborhood | |
| Emilie Autumn |  |
Sep 22, 1979 | Violindustrial singer, violinist, poet, and author | |||
B
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patricia Barber | .jpg) |
Nov 8, 1955 | Jazz singer, songwriter, and pianist | Born in Chicago | |||
| William Beckett |  |
Feb 11, 1985 | Musician, associated with The Academy Is... | Lived in Chicago | |||
| Joe Becker (musician) | Jun 23, 1976 | Guitarist, composer, and multi-instrumentalist | Born in Chicago | ||||
| Taylor Bennett | Jan 19, 1996 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||||
| Franz Benteler | Jun 1, 1925 | March 12, 2010 | Violinist, "Ambassador of Music for Chicago" | Lived in Chicago | |||
| Andrew Bird |  |
Jul 11, 1973 | Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist | Born in Chicago | |||
| Zach Blair | .JPG) |
Dec 26, 1974 | Guitarist for Rise Against | ||||
| Danny Boy | Oct 31, 1977 | Singer | Born in Chicago | ||||
| Harold Bradley Jr. | .jpg) |
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. | Oct 10, 1926 | May 29, 2005 | Musician, poet | Born in Chicago | |||
| Bob Bryar |  |
December 31, 1979 | November 24, 2024 | Drummer of My Chemical Romance | Born in Chicago | ||
| Johnny Burke | Oct 3, 1908 | Feb 25, 1964 | Lyricist | Raised in Chicago | [2] | ||
| Paul Butterfield |  |
Dec 17, 1942 | May 4, 1987 | Blues musician | Born in Chicago | ||
C
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Cain | Feb 26, 1950 | Singer and keyboardist of the rock band Journey | Born in Chicago | |||
| Marty Casey |  |
Sep 26, 1973 | Frontman of the rock band Lovehammers | Born in Chicago | ||
| Peter Cetera |  |
Sep 13, 1944 | Former singer and bassist of Chicago | Born in Chicago | ||
| Jimmy Chamberlin |  |
Jun 10, 1964 | Drummer for The Smashing Pumpkins | |||
| Chance the Rapper
(born Chancelor Bennett) |
 |
Apr 16, 1993 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||
| Gene Chandler |  |
Jul 6, 1937 | Singer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Chief Keef
(born Keith Cozart) |
 |
Aug 15, 1995 | Rapper | Born and lived in the Washington Park and Englewood neighborhoods on the South Side of Chicago | ||
| Charles W. Clark |  |
Oct 15, 1865 | Aug 4, 1925 | Operatic baritone and vocalist teacher | Lived in Chicago | [3] |
| Nat King Cole | .jpg) |
Mar 17, 1919 | Feb 15, 1965 | Singer | Lived in the Bronzeville neighborhood of Chicago | [4] |
| Steve Cole | Aug 17, 1971 | Jazz saxophonist | Born in Chicago | |||
| Steve Coleman |  |
Sep 20, 1956 | Saxophonist | Born in Chicago | ||
| Sam Cooke |  |
Jan 22, 1931 | Dec 11, 1964 | Singer | [5] | |
| Billy Corgan |  |
Mar 17, 1967 | Singer and guitarist for The Smashing Pumpkins | Lived in Chicago | [6] | |
| James Cotton |  |
Jul 1, 1935 | Mar 16, 2017 | Blues musician | ||
| Lil JoJo (Born Joseph J. Coleman) |  |
Apr 6, 1994 | Sep 4, 2012 | Drill rapper | Born in Chicago | [7] |
| Cupcakke
(born Elizabeth Harris) |
 |
May 31, 1997 | Rapper | Born and lived in Chicago | [8] | |
D
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack DeJohnette |  |
Aug 9, 1942 | Oct 26, 2025 | Drummer and pianist | Born in Chicago | |
| Famous Dex |  |
Sep 6, 1993 | Rapper | Lived in Chicago | [9] | |
| Dennis DeYoung |  |
Feb 18, 1947 | Singer and keyboardist of Styx | |||
| Bo Diddley
(born Ellas Otha Bates) |
 |
Dec 30, 1928 | Jun 2, 2008 | Rock and roll guitarist, singer, and songwriter | Lived in Chicago | [10] |
| Willie Dixon |  |
Jul 1, 1915 | Jan 29, 1992 | Blues songwriter and record producer | ||
| Bill Doerrfeld |  |
April 3, 1964 | Classical and jazz pianist | Born in Chicago | ||
| Young Dolph | Jul 27, 1985 | Nov 17, 2021 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||
| Florence Kirsch Du Brul | 1915 | Jul 2, 2005 | Classical pianist | |||
| Lil Durk |  |
Oct 19, 1992 | Rapper | Born in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago | ||
- David Draiman (born 1973), lead singer for the band Disturbed
E
| Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kurt Elling | .jpg) |
Nov 2, 1967 | Singer | Born and began his career in Chicago | ||
| Phil Everly |  |
Jan 19, 1939 | Jan 3, 2014 | Singer | Born in Chicago | |
F
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethan Farmer | May 31, 1975 | bassist | Born in Chicago | |||
| Jeremih Felton
(a.k.a. Jeremih) |
 |
Jul 17, 1987 | Singer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Paul Filipowicz | Mar 24, 1950 | Chicago blues musician | Born in Chicago | [11] | ||
| Drew Fortier |  |
Jul 14, 1987 | Guitarist for Bang Tango, Chuck Mosley, Stephen Shareaux, and Zen From Mars | Born and raised in Chicago | [12][13] | |
| Bud Freeman | .jpg) |
Apr 13, 1906 | Mar 15, 1991 | Jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer | Born, worked and died in Chicago | |
| George Freeman (guitarist) | Apr 10, 1927 | Apr 1, 2025 | Jazz guitarist | Born in Chicago | ||
| Von Freeman |  |
Oct 3, 1923 | Aug 11, 2012 | Jazz saxophonist | Born, worked and died in Chicago | |
| Alexander Frey |  |
Oct 5, 1972 | Conductor, pianist, organist, harpsichordist and composer | Born and grew up in Chicago | ||
| Kinky Friedman
(born Richard S. Friedman) |
 |
Nov 1, 1944 | Jun 27, 2024 | Singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist | Born in Chicago | |
G
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polo G |  |
Jan 6, 1999 | Rapper | Born in the Old Town district of Chicago | ||
| Marla Glen |  |
Jan 3, 1960 | Singer | Born and grown up in Chicago | ||
| Benny Goodman |  |
May 30, 1909 | Jun 13, 1986 | Bandleader | Born in Chicago | |
| Steve Goodman |  |
Jul 25, 1948 | Sep 20, 1984 | Singer | Born in Chicago | |
| Gene Greene |  |
Jun 9, 1857 | Apr 5, 1930 | Singer | ||
| Buddy Guy |  |
Jul 30, 1936 | Blues guitarist | |||
| Rashawnna Guy
(a.k.a. Shawnna) |
Jan 3, 1978 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | |||
H
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Hager | Aug 30, 1941 | May 1, 2008 | Singer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Jon Hager | Aug 30, 1941 | Jan 9, 2009 | Singer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Terry Hanck | Dec 29, 1944 | Blues saxophonist and singer | Born in Chicago | [14] | ||
| Herbie Hancock |  |
Apr 12, 1940 | Jazz pianist, bandleader and composer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Eddie Harris |  |
Oct 20, 1934 | Nov 5, 1996 | Jazz saxophonist | Born in Chicago | |
| Elizabeth Eden Harris (a.k.a. CupcakKe) | |
May 31, 1997 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||
| Shawntae Harris
(a.k.a. Da Brat) |
 |
Apr 14, 1974 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||
| Jarad Anthony Higgins
(a.k.a. Juice Wrld) |
 |
Dec 2, 1998 | Dec 8, 2019 | Rapper, Singer | Born in Chicago | |
| Art Hodes | _(LOC)_(4843132387).jpg) |
Nov 14, 1904 | Mar 4, 1993 | Jazz pianist | Raised in Chicago, worked there for many years | |
| Loleatta Holloway | Nov 5, 1946 | Mar 21, 2011 | Singer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Miki Howard | .png) |
Sep 30, 1960 | Singer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Howlin' Wolf
(born Chester Arthur Burnett) |
Jun 10, 1910 | Jan 10, 1976 | Musician | [15] | ||
| Jennifer Hudson | .jpg) |
Sep 12, 1981 | Singer, actress, spokesperson, American Idol finalist | Born in Chicago | ||
| Andy Hurley |  |
May 31, 1980 | Drummer for Fall Out Boy | |||
I
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| James Iha |  |
Mar 26, 1968 | Guitarist for The Smashing Pumpkins | Born in Chicago | ||
| Daniel Ivankovich | ![](#/media/File:Daniel_"D-Rock"_Ivankovich.jpg) |
Nov 23, 1963 | Blues guitarist and vocalist | Raised and lives in Chicago | ||
J
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wasalu Muhammad Jaco
(a.k.a. Lupe Fiasco) |
 |
Feb 17, 1982 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||
| Ramone Johnson
(a.k.a. Cashis) |
Oct 10, 1982 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | |||
| Syleena Johnson |  |
Sep 2, 1976 | Singer | |||
| Donell Jones |  |
May 22, 1973 | Singer and composer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Quincy Jones |  |
Mar 14, 1933 | Nov 3, 2024 | Record producer | Born in Chicago | |
| Benn Jordan |  |
Oct 28, 1978 | Electronic musician | |||
K
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucy Kaplansky |  |
Feb 16, 1960 | Folk singer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Terry Kath | Jan 31, 1946 | Jan 23, 1978 | Singer and guitarist of Chicago | Born in Chicago | ||
| Brendan Kelly |  |
Sep 8, 1976 | Bassist and vocalist of punk band The Lawrence Arms | |||
| R. Kelly | Jan 8, 1967 | R&B singer-songwriter, record producer and convicted sex offender | Born in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, lived in Douglas' Bronzeville area | [16] | ||
| Chaka Khan |  |
Mar 23, 1953 | 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 | ||
| William Wallace Kimball | .png) |
1828 | 1904 | Founder of Kimball Piano Company | ||
| Irwin Kostal | Oct 1, 1911 | Nov 23, 1994 | Arranger, composer, conductor | Born in Chicago | ||
| Gene Krupa |  |
Jan 15, 1909 | Oct 16, 1973 | Drummer and bandleader | Born in Chicago | |
L
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Lamm |  |
Oct 13, 1944 | Singer and keyboardist of Chicago | Grew up in Chicago | ||
| Ramsey Lewis |  |
May 27, 1935 | Sep 12, 2022 | Jazz pianist and composer | Born in Chicago | |
| Timothy Michael Linton
(a.k.a. Zim Zum) |
 |
Jun 25, 1969 | Guitarist and songwriter for Marilyn Manson, The Pop Culture Suicides | Born in Chicago | ||
| Nils Lofgren |  |
Jun 21, 1951 | Member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, former backing musician for Neil Young | Born in Chicago | ||
| Radoslav Lorković |  |
Sep 3, 1958 | Croatian American Musician | Lives in Chicago | ||
| Lucki | May 30, 1996 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | |||
| Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr.
(a.k.a. Common) |
 |
Mar 13, 1972 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||
| Lil Durk | Oct 19, 1992 | Rapper
Singer |
Born In Chicago |
M
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Manzarek |  |
Feb 12, 1939 | May 20, 2013 | Keyboardist of The Doors | Born in Chicago | [17] | |
| Richard Marx |  |
Sep 16, 1963 | Singer and songwriter | Born in Chicago | |||
| Curtis Mayfield |  |
Jun 3, 1942 | Dec 26, 1999 | Songwriter and guitarist | Born in Chicago | ||
| Vic Mensa |  |
June 6, 1993 | Rapper and activist | Born in Chicago | |||
| Tim McIlrath |  |
Nov 3, 1978 | Lead singer and guitarist for Rise Against | ||||
| Carl Terrell Mitchell
(a.k.a. Twista) |
 |
Nov 27, 1973 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | |||
| Tom Morello |  |
May 30, 1964 | Guitarist | ||||
| McKinley Morganfield
(a.k.a. Muddy Waters) |
 |
Apr 4, 1913 | Apr 30, 1983 | Blues musician | Lived in Chicago | [15] | |
N
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Nelson | Jun 1, 1950 | Lead singer of Little River Band | ||||
| Anastacia Lyn Newkirk
(a.k.a. Anastacia) |
 |
Sep 17, 1968 | Singer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Francis Warren Nicholls, Jr.
(a.k.a. Frankie Knuckles) |
 |
Jan 18, 1955 | Mar 31, 2014 | House music pioneer, called the "Godfather of House" | Lived in Chicago, developed Chicago house genre | |
O
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim O'Rourke |  |
Jan 18, 1969 | Experimental musician | Born in Chicago | ||
P
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keke Palmer |  |
Aug 26, 1993 | Singer actress | |||
| Chuck Panozzo |  |
Sep 20, 1948 | Bass guitarist for Styx | Born in Chicago | ||
| John Panozzo | Sep 20, 1948 | Jul 16, 1996 | Drummer for Styx | Grew up in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago | ||
| Walter Parazaider |  |
Mar 14, 1945 | Woodwind player for Chicago | Born in Chicago | ||
| Sol Patches | Rapper and poet | Born and resides in Chicago | [18] | |||
| Tom Paxton |  |
Oct 31, 1937 | Folk singer, songwriter | Born in Chicago | ||
| Jim Peterik |  |
Nov 11, 1950 | Founding member of Survivor and member of The Ides of March | Born and raised in the Chicago suburb of Berwyn | ||
| Liz Phair |  |
Apr 17, 1967 | Singer | |||
| Rachel Barton Pine |  |
Oct 11, 1974 | Violinist | Born in Chicago | ||
| Omar Jeffery Pineiro |  |
May 15, 1997 | Rapper, known professionally as Smokepurpp | Born in Chicago | ||
| Joe Principe |  |
Nov 14, 1974 | Bassist for Rise Against | Born in Chicago | ||
| John Prine | .jpg) |
Oct 10, 1946 | Apr 7, 2020 | Folk singer, songwriter | Born in Chicago | |
| Vicky Psarakis |  |
Jun 22, 1988 | Vocalist for The Agonist | Born in Chicago |
R
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Kal" David Raskin | _IMGP1216_smial_wp.jpg) |
Jun 15, 1943 | Aug 16, 2022 | Guitarist, singer, songwriter, Illinois Speed Press | Born in Chicago | |
| Elizabeth Reiter | Operatic soprano | Born in Chicago | ||||
| Ryan Raddon
(a.k.a. Kaskade) |
 |
Feb 25, 1971 | Electronic musician | Born in Chicago | ||
| Mishon Ratliff | Feb 3, 1993 | Singer and actor | ||||
| Lou Rawls |  |
Dec 1, 1933 | Jan 6, 2006 | Singer | Born in Chicago | [10] |
| Lil Reese | Jan 6, 1993 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | |||
| Minnie Riperton |  |
Nov 8, 1947 | Jul 12, 1979 | Singer | Born in Chicago | |
S
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fredo Santana | .jpg) |
Jul 4, 1990 | Jan 19, 2018 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | |
| Danny Seraphine | .jpg) |
Aug 28, 1948 | Drummer of the band Chicago | Born in Chicago | ||
| Peniel D. Shin | Mar 10, 1993 | Rapper and vocalist for BtoB | ||||
| Silver Sphere | Aug 26, 1999 | Singer-songwriter | Born and raised in Chicago | [19] | ||
| Matt Skiba |  |
Feb 24, 1976 | Lead singer and guitarist of Alkaline Trio and blink-182 | Born in Chicago | ||
| Che Smith
(a.k.a. Rhymefest) |
 |
Jul 6, 1977 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||
| Patti Smith |  |
Dec 30, 1946 | Singer, songwriter and poet | Born in Chicago | ||
| Horatio Spafford |  |
Oct 20, 1828 | Oct 16, 1888 | Composer | ||
| Donita Sparks | .JPG) |
Apr 8, 1962 | 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 | [20] | |
| Mavis Staples |  |
Jul 10, 1939 | Singer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Larry Steele | 1913 | June 19, 1980 | Songwriter, composer, and impresario | Raised in Chicago | ||
| Patrick Stump | _(cropped).jpg) |
Apr 27, 1984 | Lead singer and guitarist for Fall Out Boy | Born in the Chicago suburb of Evanston | ||
| Todd Sucherman |  |
May 2, 1969 | 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 | |||
| William Susman |  |
Aug 29, 1960 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Taylor Jr. | Mar 27, 1972 | Mar 8, 2019 | Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter | Born in Chicago | [21] | |
| Koko Taylor |  |
Sep 28, 1928 | Jun 3, 2009 | Singer | Lived and died in Chicago | |
| Theodore Roosevelt Taylor
(a.k.a. Hound Dog Taylor) |
Apr 12, 1915 | Dec 17, 1975 | Guitarist | |||
| Kim Thayil | .jpg) |
Sep 4, 1960 | Guitarist of Soundgarden | |||
| Doug Timm |  |
Jun 14, 1960 | Jul 21, 1989 | Composer and songwriter | Born in Chicago | |
| Giorgio Tozzi | Jan 8, 1923 | May 30, 2011 | Basso | Born in Chicago | ||
| Lennie Tristano | .jpg) |
Mar 19, 1919 | Nov 18, 1978 | Pianist | Born in Chicago | |
| Joe Trohman |  |
Sep 1, 1984 | Guitarist for Fall Out Boy | |||
| Jeff Tweedy |  |
Aug 25, 1967 | Singer and songwriter, member of Wilco and Uncle Tupelo | |||
| Twista |  |
Nov 27, 1973 | Rapper | Born In Chicago |
V
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddie Vedder |  |
Dec 23, 1964 | Lead singer for the band Pearl Jam | |||
| King Von | Aug 9, 1994 | Nov 6, 2020 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||
W
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Jacob Walker |  |
Sep 17, 1985 | Bassist for Panic at the Disco | |||
| Christian Ward
(a.k.a. Yung Berg) |
 |
Sep 9, 1986 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||
| Dinah Washington |  |
Aug 29, 1924 | Dec 14, 1963 | Singer | [5] | |
| Jody Watley |  |
Jan 30, 1959 | Singer | Born in Chicago | ||
| DeAndre Cortez Way
(a.k.a. Soulja Boy) |
 |
Jul 28, 1990 | Rapper | Born in Chicago | ||
| Pete Wentz |  |
Jun 5, 1979 | Bassist and lyricist for Fall Out Boy | |||
| Paul Wertico |  |
Jan 5, 1953 | Jazz drummer | Born in Chicago | ||
| Kanye West | .jpg) |
Jun 8, 1977 | Rapper and producer | Grew up in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago | ||
| Verdine White | Jul 25, 1951 | Bassist and Founding member for Earth Wind & Fire | Born in Chicago | |||
| Pharez Whitted |  |
Aug 26, 1960 | Jazz trumpeter, composer, educator | |||
| Wesley Willis |  |
May 31, 1963 | Aug 21, 2003 | Singer | born in Chicago | |
| Dion Wilson
(a.k.a. No ID) |
 |
Jun 23, 1971 | Hip hop and R&B record producer | Born in Chicago | ||
| D'arcy Wretzky |  |
May 1, 1968 | Bassist for Smashing Pumpkins | |||
| Herbert Wright
(a.k.a. G Herbo) |
Oct 8, 1995 | Rapper | Born in Chicago |
Y
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Camille Yarbrough | Jan 8, 1938 | Singer, author, actress | Born in Chicago | |||
| James Young |  |
Nov 14, 1949 | Guitarist for Styx | Born in Chicago | ||
| Yomo | Jun 17, 1980 | Regueton Singer | Born in Chicago |
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