List of people from the Phoenix metropolitan area

This is a list of notable individuals who were either born, raised, or otherwise rose to prominence in the Phoenix, Arizona metropolitan area.

Business and politics

* Dennis DeConcini – former 3 term United States Senator
* Joe Arpaio – Sheriff of Maricopa County; known as, "America's Toughest Sheriff," and for his Tent City.
* Bruce Babbitt – former Governor of Arizona and United States Secretary of the Interior for President Bill Clinton.
* Milton Erickson – Psychiatrist.
* Barry Goldwater – former United States Senator and Presidential candidate in 1964.
* Carl T. Hayden – former United States Senator.
* Charles H. Keating Jr. – businessman.
* John McCain – United States Senator and Presidential candidate in 2000 and 2008.
* Janet Napolitano – Governor of Arizona since 2003.
* Sandra Day O'Connor – former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.
* Dan Quayle – former Vice President of the United States under President George H. W. Bush (1989–1993).
* William H. Rehnquist – former Chief Justice of the United States (1986–2005).
* Edward A. Tovrea – Entrepreneur; prominent Arizona cattle baron; owner of the Tovrea Castle in Phoenix.
* John J. Rhodes, Jr. – Member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Entertainment

* Don Ameche – Academy Award-winning actor and film director.
* Atllas – Rap artist.

* Chester Bennington – singer, member of rock band "Linkin Park".
* Don Bluth – animator, best known for "An American Tail", "The Land Before Time", and "Anastasia".
* Michelle Branch – Musician
* Lynda Carter – actress
* Matt Dallas – actor; star of the hit TV series Kyle XY.
* Hugh Downs – Emmy Award-winning News presenter; famous for the "Today Show"; namesake of the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University.
* Duane Eddy – singer; inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
* Sarah Elizabeth – model and "Playboy" playmate.
* Esteban – musician.
* Adelina Garcia – Bolero singer.
* Rob Halford, lead singer of heavy metal band Judas Priest, is a long time resident of Phoenix suburb Paradise Valley.
* J. Michael Harter — singer
* Alexa Havins – soap opera actress on "All My Children".
* David Hernandez – contestant on American Idol (season 7); Born in Glendale
* David Hilker – singer and songwriter.
* Jenna Jameson – Porn star.
* Waylon Jennings – singer; inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
* Ben Johnson – Rodeo cowboy, stunt performer, rancher, and Academy Award-winning actor.
* Troy Luccketta, drummer for the band Tesla, lives in Phoenix suburb Scottsdale.
* George Lynch, guitarist for Dokken, is a former resident of Paradise Valley.
* Karen McDougal, model, "Playboy" Playmate of the Year 1998
* Bret Michaels, vocalist for Poison and star of Rock Of Love, has residence in Scottsdale.
* Stevie Nicks – singer and songwriter.
* Buck Owens – singer and guitarist.
* CeCe Peniston – singer
* Naibe Reynoso – Emmy Award-winning television reporter and actor starring in "The Practice".
* Raven Riley – Pornstar
* Marty Robbins – singer; inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
* Michael Schenker, former guitarist for Scorpions and UFO, has a residence in Paradise Valley.
* Richard Sherman (Mr. Modem) – author, syndicated columnist, and talk show host.
* Danny Slavin – actor; known for his role in the "".
* David Spade – actor; host of "The Showbiz Show with David Spade".
* Jordin Sparks – singer; winner of the Sixth season of "American Idol".
* Melody Thornton – singer and songwriter. Lead vocalist of the "Pussycat Dolls".
* Dick Van Dyke – actor.
* Roger Miret – musician of Agnostic Front and – Roger Miret and the Disasters
* Steven Spielberg – film director and producer of countless Academy Award winning films.

Literature

* Linda Cobb – author, cleanness counselor; best known as the, "Queen of Clean."
* Bil Keane – Cartoonist; author of the "Family Circus".
* Elizabeth Kübler-Ross – Psychiatrist; retired in Scottsdale.
* Erma Bombeck – newspaper columnist and humorist.
* Stephenie Meyer – teen literature novelist.
* Terri Fields – author and teacher; developed the, "Reading is Sweet," reading program.

Military

*Silvestre Herrera– World War II Medal of Honor recipient.
*Ira Hayes – World War II Iwo Jima flag raiser.
*Frank Luke Jr. – World War I fighter pilot.

ports

* Charles Barkley – former professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns.
* Brian Bannister – starting pitcher for the Kansas City Royals
* Eric Bischoff – former Executive Producer of World Championship Wrestling.
* Barry Bonds – professional baseball player for the San Francisco Giants.
* Yori Boy Campas – world-champion boxer.
* Michael Carbajal – four-time world boxing champion.
* Eddie Cheever – former Formula One race car driver.
* Tony Clark – professional baseball player for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
* Jerry Colangelo – founder of the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks.
* Joe Diaz – professional boxing trainer.
* Shane Doan – professional hockey player for the Phoenix Coyotes.
* Andre Ethier – professional baseball player for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
* Heather Farr – Professional golfer.
* Cotton Fitzsimmons – former professional basketball coach of the Phoenix Suns.
* Gary Gentry – former professional baseball player for the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves.cite book |editor=Reichler, Joseph L.| title=The Baseball Encyclopedia |origyear=1969 |edition= 4th edition |year= 1979|publisher= Macmillan Publishing |location= New York|language= |id= ISBN 0-02-578970-8.]
* Luis Gonzalez – professional baseball player, most notably for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
* Jesus Gonzalez – world-champion and Olympic boxer.
* Billy Graham "Superstar" – Professional wrestler.
* Wayne Gretzky – former professional ice hockey player for the Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, and coach of the Phoenix Coyotes.
* Gary Hall, Jr. – Olympic gold medalist and swimmer.
* Solly Hemus – former professional baseball player for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies.
* Reggie Jackson – former professional baseball player; inductee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
* Kevin Johnson – former professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Phoenix Suns.
* Randy Johnson – professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
* Paul Konerko – professional baseball player for the Chicago White Sox.
* Dan Majerle – former professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns and Miami Heat.
* Billy Mayfair – Professional golfer.
* Phil Mickelson – Professional golfer.
* Arturo Moreno – advertising executive and owner of the Anaheim Angels.
* Danica Patrick – professional auto racing driver competing in the Indy Racing League.
* Richey Reneberg – professional tennis player.
* Buddy Rice – professional auto racing driver competing in the Indy Racing League.
* Ahmed Santos – former professional boxer and newspaper columnist.
* Annika Sörenstam – Professional golfer.
* Mark Calcavecchia – Professional golfer.
* Aaron Baddeley – Professional golfer.
* Geoff Ogilvy – Professional golfer.
* Tom Lehman – Professional golfer.
* Phillippi Sparks – former professional football player for the New York Giants and the Dallas Cowboys; father of 2007 "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks.
* Mike Tyson – former professional boxer and World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.
* Danny White – former professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys.
* Dot Wilkinson – Hall of Fame inductee for bowling and softball.
* J.J. Yeley – A NASCAR Nextel Cup driver.

References