Carolina
Legends

Carolina Music History

Artists, sounds and recordings that shaped North Carolina — from the pioneers who made history to the artists moving the culture forward today.

Legend • Hip-Hop

Petey Pablo

Greenville, North Carolina

Current artist • Hip-Hop

J. Cole

Raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina

Current artist • Hip-Hop

Rapsody

Snow Hill, North Carolina

Current artist • Hip-Hop

9th Wonder

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

LegendLittle BrotherPhotograph pending approval

Legend • Hip-Hop

Little Brother

Formed in Durham, North Carolina

Current artist • Hip-Hop

DaBaby

Raised in Charlotte, North Carolina

Next generation$hyfromdatrePhotograph pending approval

Next generation • Hip-Hop

$hyfromdatre

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

LegendMC Sha-RockPhotograph pending approval

Legend • Hip-Hop

MC Sha-Rock

Born in Wilmington, North Carolina

Current artistFantasiaPhotograph pending approval

Current artist • R&B / Soul / Gospel

Fantasia

High Point, North Carolina

Current artistAnthony HamiltonPhotograph pending approval

Current artist • R&B / Soul

Anthony Hamilton

Charlotte, North Carolina

LegendJodeciPhotograph pending approval

Legend • R&B / Soul

Jodeci

Formed in Charlotte, North Carolina

Legend • Soul / R&B / Jazz

Roberta Flack

Born in Black Mountain, North Carolina

Legend • Soul / R&B

Ben E. King

Born in Henderson, North Carolina

Legend • R&B / Soul

Clyde McPhatter

Born in Durham, North Carolina

Legend • R&B / Soul

Gerald Alston

Henderson, North Carolina

Legend • Soul / R&B

Chairmen of the Board

Long associated with the Carolinas beach music scene

LegendThe "5" RoyalesPhotograph pending approval

Legend • R&B / Soul / Blues

The "5" Royales

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Legend • Gospel

Shirley Caesar

Durham, North Carolina

Current artistJohn P. KeePhotograph pending approval

Current artist • Gospel

John P. Kee

Durham-born, Charlotte-based

Current artist • Gospel

Donald Lawrence

Gastonia, North Carolina

Current artistLuther BarnesPhotograph pending approval

Current artist • Gospel

Luther Barnes

Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Legend • Jazz

John Coltrane

Born in Hamlet, raised in High Point, North Carolina

Legend • Jazz

Thelonious Monk

Born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina

Legend • Jazz / Soul / Folk

Nina Simone

Tryon, North Carolina

Legend • Jazz

Max Roach

Born in Newland, North Carolina

Current artist • Funk / Jazz / Soul

Maceo Parker

Kinston, North Carolina

Current artist • Jazz

Nnenna Freelon

Based in Durham, North Carolina

Legend • Jazz

Billy Taylor

Born in Greenville, North Carolina

LegendGeorge ClintonPhotograph pending approval

Legend • Funk / Soul

George Clinton

Born in Kannapolis, North Carolina

Current artist • Rock / Pop

Ben Folds

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Current artist • Folk / Rock / Bluegrass

The Avett Brothers

Concord, North Carolina

Legend • Jazz / Rock

Squirrel Nut Zippers

Formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Current artist • Rock / Pop

Chris Daughtry

McLeansville, North Carolina

Legend • Rock / Blues

Link Wray

Born in Dunn, North Carolina

Current artist • Country

Luke Combs

Asheville, North Carolina

Current artist • Country / Rock

Eric Church

Granite Falls, North Carolina

Current artist • Country

Scotty McCreery

Garner, North Carolina

Legend • Country

Randy Travis

Marshville, North Carolina

Legend • Folk / Rock / Pop

James Taylor

Raised in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Legend • Folk / Bluegrass / Blues

Doc Watson

Deep Gap, North Carolina

Legend • Bluegrass / Folk / Country

Earl Scruggs

Flint Hill, North Carolina

LegendElizabeth CottenPhotograph pending approval

Legend • Folk / Blues

Elizabeth Cotten

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

LegendBlind Boy FullerPhotograph pending approval

Legend • Blues / Folk

Blind Boy Fuller

Based in Durham, North Carolina

Legend • Blues / Folk

Etta Baker

Caldwell County, North Carolina

Legend • Country / Rock

Charlie Daniels

Wilmington, North Carolina

Current artist • Pop

Clay Aiken

Raleigh, North Carolina

Current artist • Rock / Pop

Tori Amos

Born in Newton, North Carolina

Current artist • Hip-Hop / R&B

Jermaine Dupri

Born in Asheville, North Carolina

Current artist • Country

Kellie Pickler

Albemarle, North Carolina

Every artist in this archive has a documented North Carolina connection — born, raised, formed here, or a career substantially built in the state. Drake Magazine does not publish AI-generated artist photography; artists without an approved, legally usable photograph appear with a typographic card until one is supplied.

The Impact

North Carolina shaped American music across every genre — the jazz language of John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk and Nina Simone; the gospel tradition of Shirley Caesar; the banjo of Earl Scruggs and the Piedmont blues guitar of Elizabeth Cotten and Etta Baker; the soul of Roberta Flack and Ben E. King; the songwriting of James Taylor; and the hip-hop of 9th Wonder, Rapsody and J. Cole. Each figure counted here has a documented connection to the state.

Galleries

Licensed portraits from the Carolina Legends archive. Every credit is published with the image.

Interviews

Published interviews are added to this section as they are recorded or cleared with the artist or their estate. Drake Magazine does not publish interviews it has not conducted or been authorized to reprint.