9 country stars born and bred in Tennessee, from Nashville to Chattanooga and beyond
Many a star has gotten their start in Tennessee, migrating to Nashville, aka Music City, to make a name for themselves. But only a handful of country artists can call themselves Tennessee natives, like the nine stars below.
Kelsea Ballerini – Mascot
“The Voice” judge and country star Kelsea Ballerini was born in Mascot, Tennessee and grew up in Knoxville.
In 2023 when she played the Thompson-Boling Arena at The University of Tennessee, she wrote on Instagram, "Whether it be lyrically like in ‘Half of My Hometown’ or celebrating milestone moments in venues like my high school, the Tennessee theater, or the civic center, it’s always been incredibly important to me to go back to the place that let me go to chase my dream."
Jelly Roll – Nashville
Jelly Roll, real name Jason DeFord, was born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, starting out in hip hop before transitioning fully to country.
He’s regularly sold out shows in his hometown, and recently purchased a 500-acre farm in the countryside.
Kenny Chesney – Knoxville
Knoxville born and raised Kenny Chesney has been a country icon for decades, recently earning an induction into The Country Music Hall of Fame.
Dolly Parton – Locust Ridge
Dolly Parton was born in a one-room cabin in Locust Ridge, Tennessee before becoming the icon we know today.
She has given back to her hometown and state in many ways, including the creation of Dollywood, her theme park in nearby Pigeon Forge.
Kane Brown – Chattanooga
Kane Brown is a proud Chattanooga native and was recently given the key to the city by mayor Tim Kelly, who promised to name a street after the country star.
“I had my hardest times here in Chattanooga, I had my best times here in Chattanooga. It just made me the man I am today,” Brown told local news.
Morgan Wallen – Sneedville
Morgan Wallen was born in the small town of Sneedville, in Eastern Tennessee, a place he holds close to his heart. His songs “More Than My Hometown” and “Tennessee Fan” were both inspired by Sneedville.
Wallen’s recently given back to his high school, donating $35,000 through The Morgan Wallen Foundation after dropping in for a free surprise concert.
Dustin Lynch – Tullahoma
Dustin Lynch was born and raised in Tullahoma, Tennessee and is so proud of his hometown he named one of his albums after it, “Tullahoma,” released in 2020.
"A lot of my songwriting comes from 17-, 18-year-old me, and where I was and what I was doing at that time. I still pull from those places, those objects and those emotions," he told The Boot. "We didn't set out to write an album about my hometown, but it ended up landing in Tullahoma because of that filter."
Hillary Scott – Nashville
Hillary Scott of Lady A was born and raised in Nashville, where she met bandmates Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood.
Scott comes from a musical family, thanks to mom Linda Davis and dad Lang Scott, and decided to pursue music after performing with her mom during a Christmas show.
A true Southern girl, Scott told Billboard in 2023 that some of her favorite Nashville sayings include “bless your heart” and “ya’ll come back now, ya hear?”
Chris Young – Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, Tennessee is just outside of Nashville and home to Chris Young, country star behind hits like “You” and “The Man I want To Be.”
In 2018, he headlined the Bridgestone Arena, telling the crowd it was a dream come true, saying he would “"wonder what it's like to stand on that stage and have that many people watch you do what you do," per Taste of Country.
