Did you know these celebs went to Memphis high schools?
Ah, high school. That time when everyone is struggling with grades and acne all while learning to drive a car with your dad yelling at you from the passenger seat. h For some people, it's hard to imagine someone famous being from the same town as you, let alone going to the same high school. But as this list shows, there are a number of celebrities that come from Memphis. Even more so, there is a great number of them that lived in Memphis long enough to go to high school here. h Below are 37 Memphis celebrities who may very well be among your fellow high school alumni.
Julien Baker − Arlington High School
Julien Baker is an Indie rock singer and guitarist. Her music career kicked off when she released her debut album in 2015 while she was a student at Middle Tennessee State University. Baker is also a member of the Grammy-nominated group Boygenius with Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus. During her career, she has released three solo albums, an EP and an album with Boygenius. Baker made Forbes' 30 under 30 Music list for 2023.
Kathy Bates − White Station High School
Kathy Bates has been in the industry for over 50 years. During her career, Bates has won an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and two Screen Actors Guild Awards. She has also been nominated for a Tony Award and two BAFTA Awards. Bates is known for her extensive film catalog which includes films like "Primary Colors," "About Schmidt," "Titanic," "The Blind Side," and countless others. She is also well known on the small screen for her work over several seasons of "American Horror Story."
Tarik Black − Ridgeway High School
Tarik Black played basketball for the University of Memphis from 2010 to 2013 and then for the University of Kansas from 2013 to 2014. He played in the NBA from 2014 to 2018 for the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers. After his career in the NBA, Black went international
and played in Russia, Israel, Turkey, and most recently Greece. He is a 2022 FIBA Europe Cup champion and a 2023 Greek League champion.
Gangsta Boo − Hillcrest High School
A member of Three 6 Mafia, Lola Mitchell rose to fame after she joined the group in 1994 at the age of 14. After releasing five albums with the group and a solo album, she ended up leaving the group. She went on to release several solo albums and collaborate with artists like Eminem, Lil Jon, Outkast, Glorilla and more. On Jan. 1, 2023, Mitchell was found dead on her mother's front porch at the age of 43 from an accidental overdose.
Latasha Byears − Bolton High School
Latasha Byears is a former WNBA player. She played in the WBNA for the Sacramento Monarchs, Sporting Athens and the Los Angeles Sparks. In 2003, she went on to play internationally in Hungary, Russia, Tukey and Bulgaria. She had a short time in the United States playing for the Houston Comets from 2007 to 2008. Byears then went back to Bulgaria to play until she retired in 2011.
NLE Choppa − Cordova High School
NLA Choppa is a rapper who rose to fame in 2019
with his single "Shotta Flow" which was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. He released his debut solo album, "Top Shotta," in 2020; it peaked in the top ten on the Billboard 200. The album is certified platinum by the RIAA. His highest-charting song "Slut Me Out" peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Ian Clark −
Germantown High School
Ian Clark is a former NBA shooting guard who played from 2013 to 2019. He went undrafted in 2013 but got picked up by the Utah Jazz. He went on to play for the Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors and the New Orleans Pelicans. He was a part of the 12-0 playoffs team with the Golden State Warriors. He has since moved to the Australian League where he still plays today
Eric Jerome Dickey − Carver High School
Eric Jerome Dickey is a New York Times best-selling author. Dickey attended the University of Memphis and then moved to California where he worked as an engineer before pursuing a career in stand-up. He primarily wrote crime novels and released 15 during his career. Two of his novels, "Friends and Lovers" and "Cheaters" were turned into touring plays. He died of cancer at the age of 59. His last novel "The Son of Mr. Suleman" was released posthumously.
Young Dolph − Hamilton High School
Adolph Thornton Jr. was a rapper, songwriter and entrepreneur best known as Young Dolph. His debut album "King of Memphis" debuted at 49 on the Billboard 200 chart. Young Dolph was famous for his feud with Yo Gotti and Blac Youngsta. In 2020, he released his highest-charting album, "Rich Slave," which reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200. Young Dolph made national headlines when he was shot and killed in his hometown on Nov. 21, 2021.
Key Glock − Central High School
Markeyvius Cathey is a rapper and songwriter known by his stage name Key Glock. He is a cousin to Young Dolph. Cathey got his start in 2017 with his debut mixtape "Glock Season." He is best known for his album"yellow Tape 2" which came out in 2021 and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200. He and Young Dolph had a collaborative album "Dum and Dummer" that peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200.
Glorilla − Martin Luther King Jr. College Preparatory High School
A newer rapper on the scene. Gloria Woods, better known as Glorilla,
stormed the music industry with her 2022 song "F.N.F. (Let's Go)" which gained heavy popularity with the #Fnfchallenge on Tiktok. The song was nominated for Best Rap Performance at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards. She also had the song "Tomorrow 2" with Cardi B which charted at No. 9 on the Billboard 200.
Ginnifer Goodwin − Lausanne Collegiate School
Ginnifer Goodwin is an actress who has made a name for herself in both film and television. She is known for her starring roles in "Once Upon A Time" in 2011 and "Why Women Kill" in 2019. Goodwin has also starred as Johnny Cash's first wife Vivian Distin in the Memphis-filmed "Walk the Line." She has also starred in "Something Borrowed," and "Killing Kennedy," and lent her voice to "Tinker Bell and the Legend of the Neverbeast" and "Zootopia."
Yo Gotti − Trezevant High School
Mario Mims is a Memphis-born and raised rapper best known by his stage name Yo Gotti. He started his music career in the early 2000s. The track "5 Star," released in 2009, peaked at 79 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Yo Gotti's first major success. His highest-charting album was released in 2016 as "The Art of Hustle." It peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200.
Penny Hardaway − Treadwell High School
NCAA basketball coach and former professional player, Penny Hardaway is no stranger to the spotlight in Memphis. Hardaway grew up playing basketball in Memphis for his high school and the Memphis State University Tigers Basketball Team from 1990 to 1993. He then went on to his professional career where he played from 1993 to 2007 at the Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks and Miami Heat. Hardaway was hired as the head coach of the Memphis Tigers in 2018. He eventually led the team to the 2023 NCAA Tournament and the American Athletic Conference Championship where they won.
Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. − Manassas High School
Isaac Hayes is a singer, songwriter, actor and composer. He and David Porter wrote the song "Soul Man" performed by Sam & Dave which was recognized as one of the most influential songs of the past 50 years by the Grammy Hall of Fame. Hayes was also known for writing the theme song for the film "Shaft," for which he won an Oscar in 1972. In 2008, Hayes had a stroke and was found unresponsive in his home in
Memphis. In his honor, part of Interstate 40 is named the "Isaac Hayes Memorial Highway."
Benjamin L. Hooks − Booker T. Washington High School
Benjamin L. Hooks was a forerunner in the advancement of African Americans in the Civil Rights Era. He was an attorney, a Baptist minister and a judge in his early career. Hooks was elected
the first African-american member of the Federal Communications Commission. In 1977, Hooks was elected as the executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and served in that position until 1992. In 2005, the Central Library was named the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in his honor.
Quinton Jackson − Raleigh-egypt High School
Quinton Jackson, known to the fighting world as "Rampage," is a mixed martial artist and professional wrestler. He is a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Jackson has fought in Pride FC in Japan and in Bellator MMA in California. He is credited with helping bring MMA to an international audience. In the 52 MMA matches he has competed in, Jackson has won 38.
Juicy J − Northside High School
Jordan Michaell Houston III is a rapper and producer known as Juicy J. He is a founding member of the group Three 6 Mafia. In 2006, the group won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp." He received a Grammy Award nomination for his feature on Katy Perry's "Dark Horse." The song peaked at No. 1 in the United States.
K. Michelle − Overton High School
Kimberly Pate is a singer and television personality. She is most noted for appearing on MTV'S "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta" during the first, second and fifth seasons. After the show, she signed to Atlantic Records and released her debut solo album "Rebellious Soul" which peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Pate has accumulated numerous awards such as a Soul Train Music Award in 2013, an NAACP Image Award in 2013 and 2014, and an ASCAP Women Behind the Music Award in 2015.
Tim Mccarver Christian Brothers High School
James Timothy Mccarver was a baseball catcher and television sports commentator. He played professionally for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox during his career that lasted from 1959 to 1980. Mccarver is a twotime World Series Champion and Allstar. After retiring from the game, he worked in sports broadcasting as a sports analyst and won three Emmy Awards for his work. He passed away in February at 81 years old.
Elise Neal − Overton High School
Elise Neal is an actress who started as a dancer. In the 1990s, she was featured as a dancer in several music videos across a range of genres. Her big break came in 1997 when she starred in "Rosewood," "Money Talks," and "Scream 2." Neal then went on to star in "The Hughleys" from 1998 to 2022. She is still acting and has most recently starred in "Phels High" and "Angel."
Michael Oher −
Briarcrest Christian School
Michael Oher is a former NFL player who played from 2009 to 2016. He was a first-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft for the Baltimore Ravens. He then went on to play for the Tennessee Titans and the Carolina Panthers during his career. In 2012, he won Super Bowl XLVII with the Baltimore Ravens. The movie "The
Blind Side" was based on his life story when he was taken in by the Tuohy family during high school. In 2023, Oher alleged that the Tuohys tricked him into making them conservators.
Cindy Parlow Cone − Germantown High School
Cindy Parlow made a name for herself playing soccer. She played college soccer from 1995 to 1998 for the North Carolina Tar Heels where the team won the NCAA Women's Soccer Championship three times. After college, Parlow went on to play for the Raleigh Wings, Atlanta Beat, and the United States Women's National Team. During her career, Parlow won two Olympic Gold medals and the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup. After her professional career, Parlow managed two teams from 2007 to 2013, the North Carolina Tar Heels and Portland Thorns FC. In March 2020, Parlow was named the president of the United States Soccer Federation where she still works today. In 2018, she was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
Chris Parnell − Germantown High School
Chris Parnell is most recognized for his time on NBC'S "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock." Parnell spent eight years on SNL after joining in 1998. When he finished his work there in 2006, he took on the role of Dr. Leo Spaceman on 30 Rock from 2006 to 2013. Since then, he has taken to voice acting. He has lent his voice to characters on shows such as "Archer," "Rick and Morty," "Family Guy" and "Wordgirl." He continues to do a mix of acting and voice acting today and has even worked on video games.
Missi Pyle −
Germantown High School
Missi Pyle is an actress and singer who has been in the industry since 1995. She works primarily in film but also makes features on television and worked as a singer for a short time. She has appeared in many films, including "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "The Artist," "Gone Girl" and "Ma". Along with her acting, Pyle was in a country girl group with actress Shawnee Smith called Smith & Pyle. The group lasted from 2007 to 2011. Pyle continues to act today and was most recently in the film "A Tourist's Guide to Love."
Pooh Shiesty −
Central High School 25
Lontrell Williams Jr. rose to fame in 2020 under the stage name Pooh Shiesty. He is well known for his 2020 single with Lil Durk "Back in Blood." In 2021, he released his first mixtape titled "Shiesty Season." The mixtape peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. He is signed to Gucci Mane's record label 1017 Records and Atlantic Records.
Dan Schneider −
White Station High School
Dan Schneider is a producer, screenwriter and actor in television. Schneider started off as an actor in the 1980s appearing in "Making the Grade," "Better Off Dead" and "The Big Picture." From 1986 to 1991 he acted in the sitcom "Head of the Class." In 1993, Schneider began his stint with Nickelodeon where he would work for the next 25 years producing and writing shows and movies like "All That," "Kenan & Kel," "Good Burger," "The Amanda Show," "Big Fat Liar," "Drake & Josh," "Zoey 101," "icarly," "Victorious," "Sam & Cat," "Henry Danger," "Game Shakers," and "The Adventures of Kid Danger." In 2018, Nickelodeon ended the contract between the company and Schneider.
Cybill Sheperd − East High School
Cybill Sheperd started her career as a model. In 1966, she competed in the Miss Teenage America pageant representing "Miss Teenage Memphis" at 16 years old. Two years later in 1968, she competed in the "Model of the Year" contest at 18. She then got into acting in 1971 with her first film, "The Last Picture Show." She also starred in "The Heartbreak Kid," "Taxi Driver," and "Alice." Sheperd went into television where she ultimately won three Golden Globe awards for her work on "Moonlighting" and "Cybill." She also worked on shows like "Psych," "The L Word," and "The Client List."
George Sherill − Evangelical Christian School
George Sherill is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball. He started his professional baseball career in 2003 with the Seattle Mariners. He then went on to play for the Baltimore Orioles, the
Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves before closing out his career where he started in Seattle in 2012. In 2008, he was named to the All-star Game where he played for the winning American League team.
Fred Smith −
Memphis University School
Fred Smith is a businessman and investor most recognized for founding Fedex Corporation. In 1971, at the age of 27, Smith founded what would become Fedex with a $4 million inheritance. Two years later, the company moved from its founding city of Little Rock, Arkansas to Memphis. In 2022, Smith stepped down from CEO to an executive chairman position after 51 years of leading the company. As of October 2023, he is estimated to have a net worth of $5.5 billion.
Jarnell Stokes − Central High School / Southwind High School
Jarnell Stokes is a professional basketball player. He started his career playing at Central High School and Southwind High School before graduating early from Southwind to play college basketball at the University of Tennessee. After playing in college, Stokes was drafted to the Memphis Grizzlies as the 35th draft in 2014. He played in the NBA from 2014 to 2020 for the Grizzlies, the Miami Heat and the Denver Nuggets before he dropped to the minor leagues.
Andrew Vanwyngarden − White Station High School
Andrew Vanwyngarden is a musician in the band MGMT. He sings and plays guitar, keyboard, bass guitar, drums, and percussion. The group formed in 2002 and released its first album in 2007. Their most recognized songs are "Electric Feel," "Kids" and "Time to Pretend." MGMT also collaborated with Kid Cudi on the song "Pursuit
of Happiness" in 2009. The song was certified diamond by the RIAA in 2022.
Anita Ward − Fairley High School
Anita Ward is an R&B, disco and soul singer and musician. She was a schoolteacher before she signed a recording contract. Between 1979 and 1989, Ward released three albums with her debut, "Songs of Love," peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. Her hit single "Ring My Bell" off her debut album reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The track is certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry.
Maurice White − Booker T. Washington High School
Maurice White was a singer, songwriter, musician and record producer best known as the founder and lead singer of Earth, Wind & Fire. During his career, White won seven of the 22 Grammys he was nominated for. In the mid-1970s, White worked as a co-producer for The Emotions. During this time, he helped write the chart-topping song "Best of My Love" by the girl group. He produced 60 albums for a variety of artists, several of which reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. White passed away in his sleep in 2016 from Parkinson's disease. That same year, White was posthumously honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Moneybagg Yo − Mitchell High School
Demario White Jr. is a rapper known for his blend of trap and Southern hip hop music. Professionally, he is known as Moneybagg Yo. The rapper began his career in 2011 with his first single "F U Pay Me." His most recent album "A Gangsta's Pain" topped the Billboard 200 and is certified platinum. Three out of his four albums have reached the top five on the chart.
Thaddeus Young − Mitchell High School
Thaddeus Young is an American basketball power forward. He played one year of college ball for Georgia Tech before getting drafted in the 2007 draft. He was the 12th overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers. He went on to play for the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Brooklyn Nets, the Indiana Pacers, the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs. In June, he signed a two-year contract with the Toronto Raptors who he currently plays for.
Blac Youngsta − Whitehaven High School
Sammie Benson, known professionally as Blac Youngsta, is a rapper signed to Yo Gotti's label. He is best known for his track "Hip Hopper" in 2017. Benson began his music career in 2012 when he released a series of three mixtapes. His highest-charting mixtape "Code Red" came in at No. 6 on the Billboard 200. In 2020, he featured on the Moneybagg Yo song "1 2 3" which topped the Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart by Billboard.
Jordan Green covers trending news for The USA Today Network. She can be reached via email at Jordan.green@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @_green_jordan_