People with ties close to Birmingham
Deceased Birminghamians
Eddie Kendricks
Eddie Kendricks, original lead singer of The Temptations, known for the hit song, “The Way You Do the Things You Do."
Charles O. Finley
Charles O. Finley, the colorful, innovative owner of the Oakland A’s who introduced multi-colored uniforms, the designated hitter and night games to the World Series.
Paul "Bear" Bryant
Paul "Bear" Bryant, the University of Alabama’s legendary football coach, is buried in Birmingham’s Elmwood Cemetery.
Nell Carter
Nell Carter, gospel singer and television star of Gimme a Break.
Dorothy Love Coates
Dorothy Love Coates, renowned local singer who made the city a highly acclaimed pipeline for exporting gospel music to the world.
Dr. John W. Kirklin
Dr. John W. Kirklin, cardiac surgery pioneer who revolutionized cardiovascular surgery and performed the world’s first series of open-heart operations using a heart.
Entertainers
Ruben Studdard
Winning singer of Fox Network’s American Idol competition, captured the hearts of the nation in the spring of 2003.
Bo Bice
Runner-up winner of Fox Network’s American Idol competition in 2005.
Taylor Hicks
Winner of Fox Network’s American Idol competition in 2006, was born and lives in Birmingham.
Courtney Cox Arquette
Star of Friends.
Kate Jackson
Original Charlie’s Angel, Scarecrow and Mrs. King.
Wayne Rogers
Trapper John from M*A*S*H
Louise Fletcher
Academy Award winning actress from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
John Badham
Hollywood director of Saturday Night Fever, War Games, Blue Thunder and Short Circuit, Stakeout and Bird on a Wire.
Fannie Flagg
Comedienne, author and screenplay writer (Fried Green Tomatoes, etc.)
Hugh Martin
Broadway composer who penned the classics “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Skip to My Lou” is from Birmingham.
Diana Ross
The singer was born in Bessemer.
Eddie Levert
The singer was born in Bessemer and sang lead on classic, million-selling hits by Philly soul group the O'Jays.
Chuck Leavell
Former keyboardist for the Rolling Stones is a native son and records under the name Sea Level.
Emmylou Harris
Grammy Award-winning Nashville recording star, grew up in East Lake and saluted her hometown in her classic Boulder to Birmingham.
Loulie Jean Norman
The soprano signing voice heard on the Star Trek theme song.
Erskine Hawkins
Known nationally as the “20th Century Gabriel” and the author and performer of the #1 national hit, “Tuxedo Junction.”
Alan Hunter
Original MTV VJ and 1980’s cultural icon
Mary Badham
Oscar nominee for her role as Scout in "To Kill A Mockingbird."
Heather Whitestone
Former Miss America
Deidre Downs
Miss America, September 18, 2004 Samford University graduate and Pelham native.
Authors
Richard North Patterson
Best selling author of "Degree of Guilt," "Silent Witness," "The Safe Place," "Protect & Defend" "Balance of Power."
Robert R. McCammon
International best selling horror novelist, author of "Boy’s Life," "Swan Song," "Speaks the Nightbird." His novels have won more awards from the Horror Writers of America than any other writer.
Daniel Wallace
Author of "Big Fish: A Novel of Mythic Proportions" and a hit movie nationwide in 2004.
James Redfield
Author of the best selling "The Celestine Prophecy."
Sena Jeter Naslund
Author of the best selling "Ahab’s Wife" and "Four Spirits."
Charles Ghigna
According to the Guinness Book of World Records the "shortest poem in the world" was written by Birmingham poet Charles Ghigna, "The World's Shortest Poem." According to Tribune Media Services, Inc. and the Herman Literary Agency, Inc., "America's most popular children's poet" is Charles Ghigna (Father Goose) with more than 30 books of poetry and more than 5,000 poems, Ghigna's poems appear regularly in children's magazines and in national testing materials for the SAT and ACT and in newspapers throughout the United States in syndication by the Tribune Media Services, Inc.
Politicians/Activists
Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State, "America’s face to the world" President George W. Bush.
Alma (Mrs. Colin) Powell
Wife of Colin Powell, the secretary of state serving under President George W. Bush.
Margaret Tutwiler
Highest ranking female member of the George H. W. Bush administration (assistant secretary of state for public affairs), former United States Ambassador to Morocco and immediate past (4/04) Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy - chiefly, the one person in America responsible for promoting a positive image of our nation overseas. Ms. Tutwiler has joined the New York Stock Exchange as of May, 2004.
Angela Davis
1960’s radical black activist and philosopher, forever connected with the Black Panthers and SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee), onetime U. S. vice presidential candidate for Communist Party.
Athletes
Bart Starr
NFL Hall of Fame quarterback
Vonetta Flowers
2002 Olympic Gold Medalist and first black to earn a gold medal in the Winter Olympics.
Charles Barkley
NBA Hall of Fame
Mel Allen
Former voice of the Yankees
Bo Jackson
Auburn football player and Heisman Trophy Winner and two sport all-star
Carl Lewis
Track and field Olympic medalist and world record holder
Bobby Bowden
Florida State football coach, closing in on becoming the winningest coach in college football history
John Zimmerman
First place in pairs skating (with partner Kyoko Ina) in the 2002 U. S. Championships, fifth place in the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics and Bronze Medalist in the 2002 World Figure Skating Championships in Nagano, Japan and a finalist on 2006’s hit TV show “Skating with Celebrities.”
Pat Sullivan
Winner of the Heisman Trophy