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Famous people · Kingsport

Musicians stand out among the 35 famous people born in Kingsport

Lisa Alther, the American novelist, is the most widely known, written about in 13 languages. The next two names are Cyrus Thomas and Diana Harshbarger. 25 of them were born between 1920 and 1969, more than in any other period. The list runs from Cyrus Thomas, born in 1825, to Coty Sensabaugh, born in 1988.

#2 best knownCyrus ThomasWriting & Arts · 1825–1910
+31more
Born here
35
notable people
Best known
Lisa Alther
in 13 Wikipedia languages
First
1825
Cyrus Thomas
Youngest
1988
Coty Sensabaugh
Most common field
Sports
9 people

What stands out about Kingsport’s famous people

★ What stands out · Known for

What Kingsport is known for

Kingsport has 2.6× the usual share of musicians.

The usual town: the share across everyone born in the towns gathered so far. Tap a field to see its people.

Through the years

When Kingsport’s famous people were born

Births peak in the 1960s, with 11 people born in that decade.

A new nationMills & railroadsThe American centuryToday1850190019502000Diana HarshbargerCyrus Thomas
SportsPolitics & LawWriting & ArtsMusicScience & MedicineBusinessNotableMilitaryFilm, TV & StageFaith

Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.

The best known

Born in Kingsport

Two of the three are writers and artists.

LA#1
Writing & Arts

Lisa Alther

born 1944

American novelist

13 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Cyrus Thomas#2
Writing & Arts

Cyrus Thomas

1825–1910

American Mesoamericanist and entomologist

12 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Diana Harshbarger#3
Business

Diana Harshbarger

born 1960

American pharmacist, businesswoman and politician

10 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Everyone

Everyone else born in Kingsport

Another 32, the earliest born in 1887.

CL

Cripple Clarence Lofton

1887–1957

American musician

Selwa Roosevelt

Selwa Roosevelt

born 1929

Chief of Protocol of the United States

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Daniel Kilgore

Daniel Kilgore

born 1987

American football player

James Alan Shelton

James Alan Shelton

1960–2014

American bluegrass guitarist

Coty Sensabaugh

Coty Sensabaugh

born 1988

American football player

Gerald Sensabaugh

Gerald Sensabaugh

born 1983

Player of American football

James Frazier Barker

James Frazier Barker

born 1947

President of Clemson University

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Jerry Kilgore

Jerry Kilgore

born 1961

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
JK

Joe L. Kincheloe

1950–2008

American academic

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
John Palmer

John Palmer

1935–2013

American TV journalist, born 1935

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
DC

Denny Crawford

1921–2005

American football player

HM

Hal Miller

1930–2011

American football player

Kenneth Simonds

Kenneth Simonds

1935–2009

American businessman and philanthropist

LS

Lynne P. Sullivan

born 1952

American archaeologist

Ryan Williams

Ryan Williams

born 1973

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
SB

Skip Brown

born 1955

American basketball player

Terry Kilgore

Terry Kilgore

born 1961

American politician in Virginia

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
BK

Bill Ketron

born 1953

American politician

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
BS

Bill Streever

born 1961

American biologist and author

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
JB

Jeffrey S. Bivins

born 1960

Associate Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Jendia Gammon

Jendia Gammon

born 1974

US science fiction author

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
The town’s pick

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From Wikidata and Wikipedia: people whose birthplace is Kingsport and whose English Wikipedia article agrees, ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. People known mainly for crimes, and adult performers, aren’t listed. “The usual town” = everyone born in the towns gathered so far.

Photo credits (19)