List of musicians from Chicago

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

Contents

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

Municipal Flag of the City of Chicago

A

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
Myron Avant (a.k.a. Avant)		Apr 26, 1978		Singer

B

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
Patricia Barber		Nov 8, 1955		Jazz singer, songwriter, and pianist	Born in Chicago
William Beckett		Feb 11, 1985		Lead singer of The Academy Is...
Taylor Bennett		Jan 19, 1996		Rapper	Born in Chicago
Franz Benteler		1925	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				Guitarist for Rise Against
Harold Bradley Jr.		Oct 13, 1929		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		Drummer of My Chemical Romance	Born in Chicago
Johnny Burke		Oct 3, 1908		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
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 in Chicago
Charles W. Clark		Oct 15, 1865	Aug 4, 1925	Operatic baritone and vocalist teacher	Lived in Chicago	[3]
Nat King Cole		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

D

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
Jack DeJohnette		Aug 9, 1942		Drummer and pianist	Born in Chicago
Famous Dex		September 6, 1993		Rapper
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	[7]
Willie Dixon		Jul 1, 1915	Jan 29, 1992	Blues songwriter and record producer
Florence Kirsch Du Brul		1915	Jul 2, 2005	Classical pianist
Lil Durk		Oct 19, 1992		Rapper

E

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
Kurt Elling		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
Jeremih Felton (a.k.a. Jeremih)		Jul 17, 1987		Singer	Born in Chicago
Paul Filipowicz		March 24, 1950		Chicago blues musician	Born in Chicago	[8]
Drew Fortier		July 14, 1987		Guitarist for Bang Tango, Chuck Mosley, Stephen Shareaux, and Zen From Mars	Born and raised in Chicago	[9][10]
Bud Freeman		Apr 13, 1906	Mar 15, 1991	Jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer	Born, worked and died 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		Singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist, politician and former columnist	Born in Chicago
Harvey Fuqua		Jul 27, 1929	Jul 6, 2010	Singer, songwriter, and music producer

G

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
Polo G		Jan 6, 1999		Rapper
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		Singer	Born in Chicago
Jon Hager		Aug 30, 1941		Singer	Born in Chicago
Terry Hanck		1944		Blues saxophonist and singer	Born in Chicago	[11]
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
Shawntae Harris (a.k.a. Da Brat)		Apr 14, 1974		Rapper
Jarad Anthony Higgins (a.k.a. Juice Wrld)		Dec 2, 1998	Dec 8, 2019	Rapper	Born in Chicago
Art Hodes		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
Howlin' Wolf (born Chester Arthur Burnett)		Jun 10, 1910	Jan 10, 1976	Musician		[12]
Jennifer Hudson		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		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		March 14, 1933		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	Born in the Roseland neighborhood of Chicago
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 Chicago
William Wallace Kimball		1828	1904	Founder of Kimball Piano Company
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		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
Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr. (a.k.a. Common)		Mar 13, 1972		Rapper	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	[13]
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
Tim McIlrath		Nov 3, 1978		Lead singer and guitarist for Rise Against
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (a.k.a. Kid Cudi)		Jan 30, 1984		Rapper
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	[12]

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

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	[14]
Tom Paxton		Oct 31, 1937		Folk singer, songwriter	Born in Chicago
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		Oct 10, 1946		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
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	[7]
Minnie Riperton		Nov 8, 1947	Jul 12, 1979	Singer	Born in Chicago

S

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
Danny Seraphine		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	[15]
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		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	[16]
Mavis Staples		Jul 10, 1939		Singer	Born in Chicago
Patrick Stump		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 9, 1995		Rapper, vocalist and dancer for NCT 127, a sub-unit of the k-pop boygroup NCT	Born and raised in Chicago	[17]
William Susman		Aug 29, 1960		Composer
Earl Sweatshirt		Feb 24, 1994		Rapper, producer, and songwriter	Born and raised in Chicago

T

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
Eddie Taylor Jr.		March 27, 1972	March 8, 2019	Chicago blues and electric blues guitarist, singer and songwriter	Born in Chicago	[18]
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		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		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
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

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]
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		Jun 8, 1977		Rapper and producer	Grew up in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago
Pharez Whitted		1960		Jazz trumpeter, composer, educator	Chicago, 2001-present
Wesley Willis		May 31, 1963	Aug 21, 2003	Singer	born in Chicago
Dion Wilson (a.k.a. No ID)				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
Juice Wrld		Dec 2, 1998	Dec 8, 2019	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

Z

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
Warren Zevon		Jan 24, 1947	Sep 7, 2003	Singer	Born in Chicago

Bands

Name	Image	Founded	Disbanded	Music	Association	Reference
88 Fingers Louie		1993	2011	Punk band	Founded in Chicago
Big Black		1981	1987	Punk/noise rock band	Founded in Chicago suburb of Evanston
The Buckinghams		1966	present	Sunshine pop band	Founded in Chicago
Cheap Trick		1973	present	Rock group	Founded in Chicago, Cheap Trick plans to open a music complex on Motor Row in Chicago's South Loop	[19]
The Chi-Lites		1959	present	R&B soul vocal quartet	Founded in Chicago
Chicago		1967	present	Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Cobalt & the Hired Guns		2003		Punk rock band	Based in Chicago	[20]
Disturbed		1994	present	Heavy metal band	Founded in Chicago
Do or Die (a.k.a. D.O.D.)		1995	present	Rap trio	Originally from the west side of Chicago
Earth, Wind & Fire		1971	present	Band spanning various genres such as soul, R&B, pop, jazz, funk, disco, rock, Latin and African	Founded in Chicago	[21]
The Emotions		1962	present	Soul/R&B vocal group	Founded in Chicago
Enuff Z'Nuff		1984		Rock band	Founded in Chicago	[22]
Fall Out Boy		2001	present	Rock band	Consider Chicago their hometown	[23]
Hope in Ghosts		2001		Rock band	From Chicago
The Jesus Lizard		1987	present	Alternative/noise rock band	Moved to Chicago in 1989, originally from Austin, Texas
Kids These Days		2009	2013	Hip hop band	Founded in Chicago
Kill Hannah		1993	2015	Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Krewella		2007	present	Electronic trio	Founded in Chicago
Lakeside Singers				Ensemblé	From Chicago area
Louis the Child		2013	present	Electronic duo	Founded in Chicago	[24]
Ministry		1981	present	Pioneering industrial metal band	Founded in Chicago
Naked Raygun		1980	present	Punk rock band	Founded in Chicago
OK Go		1998	present	Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Paul Butterfield Blues Band		1963	1971	Blues rock band, performed at Woodstock	Founded in Chicago by Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield
Plain White T's		1997	present	Pop punk band	Founded in Chicago
Rise Against		1999	present	Punk-rock group	Founded in Chicago
Rufus		1970	1983	Funk and R&B band	Founded in Chicago
Screeching Weasel		1986	present	pioneering pop punk band	Founded in the Chicago suburbs
Slow Motion Crash		2006		Rock band	From Chicago	[25]
The Smashing Pumpkins		1988	present	Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Smith Westerns		2007	present	Garage/indie rock band	Founded in Chicago
TRS-80		1997	present	Electronic	Founded in Chicago
Twin Peaks		2012	present	Rock band	Founded in Chicago
Urge Overkill		1986	present	Rock band	Founded in Chicago
The White Tie Affair		2006	2012	Pop-rock band	Founded in Chicago
Whitney		2015	present	Indie folk/indie rock/soul band	Founded in Chicago
Wilco		1994	present	Alternative rock band	Founded in Chicago

References

1. Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607–1896. Marquis Who's Who. 1967.
2. "Johnny Burke". AllMusic. Retrieved November 18, 2013.
3. 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. Gilliland 1969, show 22.
5. Gilliland 1969, show 17.
6. "Billy Corgan's Chicago Condo Under Contract". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
7. Gilliland, John (1969). "The Tribal Drum: The rise of rhythm and blues" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) Show 3, track 5.
8. "Bluesletter : Washington Blues Society" (PDF). Wablues.org. October 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2019.
9. "Drew Fortier of Bang Tango Interview – Sleaze Roxx". sleazeroxx.com. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
10. "ZEN FROM MARS: Drew Fortier Offers A Glimpse Inside The New All-Star Band". Icon vs. Icon. August 10, 2016. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
11. "Terry Hanck - About the band". Terryhanck.net. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
12. Gilliland 1969, show 4.
13. Gilliland 1969, show 43.
14. "Artists". Actweb.org. Archived from the original on December 21, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
15. "EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Silver's "Drinking Games" is for Anyone Who Has Ever Thought They Were in Love". Ones to Watch. May 4, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
16. "Donita Sparks and the Stellar Moments". Npr.org. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
17. https://kprofiles.com/johnny-nct-profile-facts/
18. "Eddie Taylor Jr. - Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
19. "Cheap Trick Planning Music Complex in South Loop".
20. "The Deli's Interview with Colbalt and The Hired Guns". July 18, 2011. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011.
21. "Earth, Wind & Fire | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
22. "The High-Powered Pop Flashback of Enuff Z'Nuff". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
23. "Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up)" & Show in Chicago Tonight". B96 Chicago. Archived from the original on April 6, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
24. Elder, Jimmy (February 18, 2016). "Q&A with USC freshman, half of Louis the Child". Daily Trojan. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
25. "Sound menu - Sound Menu - Creative Loafing Atlanta". clatl.com. April 8, 2013. Archived from the original on April 8, 2013. Retrieved June 19, 2018.