Famous Musicians a to z

Jackie McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist and also an educator. His personal style included short phrases or irregular length.

Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter Sugar Minott was best known for his hit, "Good Thing Going," a cover of Michael Jackson's "We've Got a Good Thing Going." Minott's version reached No. 4 on the British singles chart in 1981.

A legendary tough guy on and off-screen, Robert Mitchum was one of the most memorable leading men of the twentieth century.

Contrasting her edgy, tomboyish style with that of her female popstar peers, Pink has had huge success with hits like "You Make Me Sick" and "There You Go".

Thomas Moore was an Irish poet, satirist, composer, singer and close friend of Lord Byron.

Vince Neil is the lead singer of Mötley Crüe and a reality TV show veteran.

As Roman emperor, Nero’s reign was lavish and tyrannical. He killed his mother, persecuted Christians and is said to have "fiddled while Rome burned."

Jennifer Nettles is an American country music vocalist, best known as the lead singer of the popular group Sugarland.

Selected by NASA in 1990, Ellen Ochoa became the world's first Hispanic female astronaut in 1991.

Beth Orton is an award-winning singer-songwriter and guitarist who plays folk and acoustic pop on albums like Comfort of Strangers and Sugaring Season.

Johnny Otis was a bandleader, drummer, vibraphonist, singer, producer and promoter who discovered artists like Etta James, Jackie Wilson and Big Mama Thornton.

Pearl Bailey was a Tony Award-winning singer and actress known for her roles in works like Carmen Jones, House of Flowers, Hello, Dolly! and Porgy and Bess.

Israeli classical violinist Itzhak Perlman is one of the 20th century's premier musicians, despite having lost the use of his legs at age 4 due to polio.

Reggae artist and music producer Lee Perry was an early pioneer of reggae music and its offshoot, dub music, and recorded a young Bob Marley and the Wailers.

Nick Rhodes is the keyboardist for Duran Duran, one of the biggest bands of the 1980s.

Cathy Rigby is best known as a medal-winning American gymnast and Tony nominated actress for her theatrical production in Peter Pan.

Jimmie Rodgers was a country singer who became famous for his style of yodeling. He was one of the first country superstars, and is remembered as the father of country music.

Sonny Rollins is a jazz saxophonist and composer associated with the "hard bop" movement.

Sherwood Schwartz created two of television's most enduring comedies: Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch.

Earl Scruggs is a bluegrass musician who pioneered the Scruggs Style, a method of banjo playing.

Actor Steven Seagal makes popular action movies such as the 1998 hit Under Siege. He studied martial arts in Asia and opened an academy in the U.S.

Ravi Shankar was an Indian musician and composer best known for popularizing the sitar and Indian classical music in Western culture.

Gene Simmons is best known as the frontman for KISS, the rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s, as well as for his TV show Gene Simmons Family Jewels.

Patti Smith is a highly influential figure in the New York City punk rock scene, starting with her 1975 album Horses. Her biggest hit is the single "Because the Night."

Phil Spector is best known for writing several No. 1 hit songs, and for being convicted of the murder of Lana Clarkson.

Musician, Isaac Stern was a famous violinist and was responsible for discovering Yo-Yo Ma.

Ian Stewart was one of the founding members of the Rolling Stones, later serving as their road manager and pianist.

Actor and writer Matt Stone is the co-creator of the adult cartoon South Park. In 2011, his Broadway musical, The Book of Mormon, won nine Tony Awards.

Paul Stookey was the comedic member of the award-winning folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, and wrote the hit "The Wedding Song (There is Love)."

Ruben Studdard is a R&B, pop, and gospel singer. He rose to fame as winner of the second season of American Idol.

Andy Summers achieved international fame as the Grammy Award-winning guitarist of The Police, known for hits songs like "Message in a Bottle," "Every Breath You Take" and "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic."

Jimmy Swaggart is a Pentecostal radio and television evangelist. He also recorded best-selling gospel albums before his career unraveled due to a scandal.

Pytor Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer best known for his popular ballets Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker.

Italian operatic soprano Renata Tebaldi was best known for her exquisite and emotional quality of her singing.

Henry Thomas played Elliott in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982, followed by roles in such widely acclaimed films as Legends of the Fall (1994), All the Pretty Horses (2000) and Gangs of New York (2002).

Tiffany was a 1980s teen-pop sensation best known for her hit "I Think We're Alone Now."

Peter Tosh was a renowned reggae artist and founding member of the band the Wailers, which gave reggae artist Bob Marley his start.

Travis Tritt is a country music performer known for his bluesy, rock-and-roll-inspired songs.

Sophie Tucker, also known as "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas," was a Russian-American singer, comedian, actress and Vaudeville performer.

Tanya Tucker is an American singer best known for her country hits in the 1970s through 2000s. Tucker is one of the best-selling female vocalists of all time.

Ike Turner made a string of R&B hits with singer and wife Tina Turner. He struggled with drug addiction and died of an accidental cocaine overdose.

Shania Twain is a Canadian country and pop singer and songwriter, best known for the albums The Woman in Me and Come on Over.

Ronan Tynan is Irish classical singer, most famous for his renditions of "God Bless America" at the Yankee Stadium during important games.

Björn Ulvaeusis best known as one of four members of 1970s Swedish pop sensation ABBA.

Mexican-American musician Ritchie Valens is best known for his hit "La Bamba." His successful career was cut short when he died in a plane crash at age 17.

Rudy Vallée was an American singer and entertainer best known as the host of the variety hour The Rudy Vallee Show (1929-43).

James Van Der Zee was a renowned, Harlem-based photographer known for his posed, storied pictures capturing African-American citizenry and celebrity.

Guitarist Eddie Van Halen gave his name and amazing talent to a band that dominated the heavy metal scene (and the top 40 charts) in the 1970s and 80s.

Steven Van Zandt is best known as a founding member, guitarist and backup vocalist for Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and an actor on the HBO TV series The Sopranos.

Sarah Vaughan was an American jazz vocalist known for her impressive three octave range. She was inducted into the Jazz Hall of Fame in 1990.

20th century Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos’s work, including Bachianas brasileiras, brought Brazilian folk motifs to American classical music.

Blues guitarist and singer-songwriter T-Bone Walker is best known for his hit song "Stormy Monday"  and has been called the Charlie Parker of Blues guitar.

Hank Williams became one of America's first country music superstars, with hits like "Your Cheatin' Heart," before his early death at 29.

Cindy Wilson is best known as a vocalist for new wave rock band the B-52s. Her brother was fellow founding member Ricky Wilson.

Teddy Wilson was an influential pianist of jazz and swing. He played and recorded with jazz greats such as Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald.

Iannis Xenakis was a Greek avant-garde composer of electronic music and musique concrete.

One-third of the folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary, Peter Yarrow co-wrote and sang hits like "Puff the Magic Dragon." He is now a social and political activist.