Architecture
*Art
* Murphy Anderson, (1926–2015), comics artist * James Barnhill, (born 1955), artist and sculptor * Andrea Clark, photographer *Business
* Katie Button,Education
* Elizabeth Barnes, professor of philosophy at the Corcoran Department of Philosophy, University of Virginia * Rebel A. Cole, professor of finance in the College of Business at Florida Atlantic University * Jane Sherron De Hart (born 1936), Feminist history, feminist historian and women's studies academic * Sarah Ann Douglas, professor of computer and information science and a member of the Computational Science Institute at the University of Oregon. * Edythe J. Gaines (1922–2006), educator and school superintendent * Matthew Hughey, professor of sociology at the University of Connecticut * R. P. Hunnicutt, one of the founders of the U.S. Army Ordnance Museum at Aberdeen Proving Ground and historian * Kenneth Lieberthal, professor and political scientist known as an expert on China's elite politics * Edward Hart Lipscombe, professor at Shaw University * Robert Allen Phillips, professor in Business Ethics and Professor of Strategic Management and Public Policy at the Schulich School of Business; York University * Emily Wheelock Reed, director of the Alabama Public Library Service Division during the civil rights movement * John Andrew Rice, founder and first rector of Black Mountain College * Richard M. Weaver, scholar who taught English studies, English at the University of Chicago * Luigi Zande,stonemason, educator, and builder who contributed to the settlement school movement of the early 20th century.Entertainment
* Harry Anderson (1952–2018), actor, starred in nine seasons of NBC's ''Night Court'' * Clint Basinger (born 1986), YouTuber * Ira Bernstein, dancer and teacher i * Mark Boswell (film director), Mark Boswell (born 1960), film director * Joe Bowman (marksman), Joe Bowman (1925–2009), Shoemaking, bootmaker and marksman of American West entertainment; grew up in Asheville but left for Houston, Texas, in 1937 * Chris Chalk, television, film, and theater actor, born in Asheville and graduated from Asheville High School * Jim David, stand-up comedian and playwright, both in Asheville * Jim Eason (born 1935), radio talk show host * Jennifer Ehle, actress *Miss America, Maria Fletcher (born 1942), Miss America 1962. * Eileen Fulton (born 1933), actress, starred on the CBS soap ''As the World Turns'', 1960–2010; born in Asheville * Joel Goffin (born 1981), film composer, music producer * Perla Haney-Jardine (born 1997), actress * Dorothy Hart (1922–2004), screen actress, known mostly for supporting roles * William S. Hart (1864–1946), cowboy actor in early Hollywood; resided in Asheville around 1900 and coached shows at the Asheville Opera House * Shirley Hemphill (1947–1999), stand-up comedian and actress, best known for ''What's Happening!!'', 1976–79 * Alina María Hernández, better known in the entertainment world as Cachita, was a Cuban transgender television actress * Charlton Heston (1923–2008), Oscar-winning actor, managed the Asheville Community Theatre with his wife Lydia in 1947 * Sam Irvin, Film director, film and television director, producer, and screenwriter * Taras Kulakov (born 1987), YouTuber * Daliah Lavi, (1942-2017), German singer who lived the last 27 years of her life in Asheville. * Barbara Loden, actress and director of film and theater * Stephen Andrew Lynch, early motion picture industry pioneer. * Andie MacDowell (born 1958), actress, lived for several years in Biltmore Forest, a suburb of Asheville * Sierra McCormick (born 1997), actress * Caelynn Miller-Keyes, television personality, model, and beauty pageant titleholder * Caleb Pressley (born 1992), blogger, podcaster, and interviewer for the sports and Popular culture, pop culture blog Barstool Sports * Margaret Qualley, actress * Marjorie Rambeau (1889–1970), Hollywood actress; was married to Francis A. Gudger, a resident of Asheville; resided in Asheville in the winter from 1932 to the mid-1940s * Adam Reed (born 1970), voice actor, animator, screenwriter, television producer and television director * Chase Rice, country music singer, songwriter, and contestant on ''Survivor: Nicaragua'' * Eric Rosen (playwright), Eric Rosen, theater director and playwright * Paul Schneider (actor), Paul Schneider (born 1976), actor * Angela Shelton (born 1972), actress and producer * Threadbanger YouTube DIY duo consisting of Corinne Leigh and Rob Czar, who reside and own an art gallery in Asheville * Duncan Trussell (born 1974), actor and comedian * Bellamy Young (born 1970), actress, co-star of television series ''Scandal (TV series), Scandal''; born and raised in Asheville * Collier Young, film and television writer and producerGovernment
* Lewis M. Branscomb, head of the National Bureau of Standards * Moe Davis, White House Chief of Staff and director of the Air Force Judiciary * Julius Patton, superintendent of the Dahlonega Mint * Reuben B. Robertson Jr., United States Deputy Secretary of Defense * William J. Trent, part of U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Black Cabinet, serving as Adviser on Negro AffairsLaw
* Fred H. Caplan, justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia * Judy Clarke, Criminal defense lawyer, criminal defense attorney * Moe Davis, White House Chief of Staff and director of the Air Force Judiciary * Harry Martin (judge), Harry Martin, associate justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court * James A. Washington Jr., Judge of the Superior Court of the District of ColumbiaLiterature and journalism
* Edward Johnston Alexander, author known by the pen name Katie Gallagher * Sarah Addison Allen, New York Times Bestselling, ''New York Times'' bestselling author * Alfred Horatio Belo, founder of ''The Dallas Morning News'' * Ruth and Latrobe Carroll (1899–1999; 1894–1996), children's authors and illustrators * Nancy Sales Cash, novelist * Andrea Long Chu, writer and critic * C. A. Conrad (born 1966), poet and author * Olive Tilford Dargan (1869–1968), proletarian novelist of the 1930s under the pen name "Fielding Burke" * Gavin Geoffrey Dillard, poet, author, and songwriter * Pamela Duncan (novelist), Pamela Duncan, novelist * Wilma Dykeman (1920–2006), author * John Ehle (1925–2018), author * Zelda Fitzgerald (1900–1948), writer and wife of F. Scott Fitzgerald; died in a fire with eight other women at Highland Hospital, an Asheville mental institution in the Montford district * Charles Frazier (born 1950), author * Gail Godwin (born 1938), novelist, spent her early years in Asheville * Ward Greene, writer, editor, journalist, playwright, and comic strip writer * Denise Kiernan, journalist, producer and author * Horatio Sheafe Krans, writer and editor * Michael McFee, poet * Berniece Baker Miracle (1919–2014), writer and half-sister of Marilyn Monroe * O. Henry (1862–1910), pen name of author William Sydney Porter; lived for a while in Asheville and is buried in Riverside Cemetery * William Dudley Pelley, Fascism, fascist activist, journalist, writer and Occult, occultist * Stephanie Perkins, novelist * Marisha Pessl, novelist * Terry Roberts (novelist and educator), Terry Roberts, novelist and writer * Jonathan Williams (poet), Jonathan Williams (1908–1929), poet and publisher * Michael G. Williams, novelist * Allan Wolf, poet and young adult author. * Thomas Wolfe (1900–1938), author, born and raised in Asheville, buried in Riverside CemeteryMedicine and science
*Dorothy Hansine Andersen, physician; first person to identify cystic fibrosis; inducted into National Women's Hall of Fame in 2002 for scientific work * Elizabeth Blackwell (1821–1910), the first recognized woman doctor in the United States * Lena Northern Buckner, pioneer in social work at the Oteen Veterans Administration Hospital Historic District, Oteen Veterans Administration Hospital * Betty Collette, veterinary pathologist * John E. Exner, psychologist * William Glenn, cardiac surgeon who co-created an early version of an artificial heart * Madelon Battle Hancock, nurse during World War I and the "Most Decorated Woman of World War One". * Howard W. Mattson,Military
* Donald V. Bennett (1915–2005), former commanding general of the US Army Pacific Command * Kathleen M. Gainey (born 1956), retired US Army Lieutenant General * Hugh B. Hester (1895–1983), retired Army general who opposed the Vietnam War and the Cold War * Dorothy Swain Lewis, aviator who trained Navy pilots and flew with the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) program during World War II * Homer I. Lewis, Major general (United States), major general in the United States Air Force who served as Commander of the United States Air Force Reserve Command * Robert K. Morgan, Robert Morgan (1918–2004), pilot of the Memphis Belle (B-17), ''Memphis Belle'', the famed World War II B-17 Flying Fortress, B-17 bomber * Kiffin Rockwell (1892–1916), aviator; pilot in the Lafayette Escadrille; first American to shoot down an enemy aircraft * Francis Bowditch Wilby, major general in the United States Army who served as the 39th Superintendent of the United States Military Academy * Zachary Taylor Wood (1860–1915), Assistant Commissioner of North-West Mounted Police and Commissioner of Yukon Territory * Robert Nicholas Young, Lieutenant general (United States), lieutenant general in the United States Army.Musicians
* Eric Bachmann, musician and producer * Lisa Bevill, contemporary Christian musician * Greg Cartwright (born 1970), rock musician; relocated to Asheville * Luke Combs, country music singer-songwriter, graduated from A.C. Reynolds High School * Jermaine Dupri (born 1972), rapper * Backwards Sam Firk (1943–2007), country blues singer, fingerstyle guitarist, songwriter, and record collector * Roberta Flack (born 1937), Grammy Award-winning singer, born in Asheville * Sallie Ford, of Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside, singer * Rayna Gellert, fiddler, acoustic guitarist, singer, and songwriter specializing in old-time music * River Guerguerian, multi-Percussion instrument, percussionist and composer * Talib Rasul Hakim, composer * Warren Haynes (born 1960), guitarist, member of The Allman Brothers Band, spent formative years in Asheville * Steven Heller (composer-producer), Steven Heller, composer and producer * Malcolm Holcombe, singer-songwriter * David Holt (musician), David Holt (born 1946), folk musician, lives near Asheville * Don Howland, underground musician * Caleb Johnson (singer), Caleb Johnson (born 1991), ''American Idol'' Season 13 winner * Billy Jonas, singer-songwriter, percussionist, and multi-instrumentalist. * Gary Jules (born 1969), singer-songwriter, known for their rendition of "Mad World" for the film ''Donnie Darko'' * Christine Kane, Folk music, folk singer-songwriter and Steel-string guitar, acoustic guitarist * Bascom Lamar Lunsford (1882–1973), folklorist, musician, folk festival founder * Mary Lattimore, harpist * MJ Lenderman (born 1999), singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist * Valorie Miller, singer-songwriter * Bill Monroe (1911–1996), musician, known as "the father of bluegrass"; lived in Asheville; had a show on a local radio station in 1939 * Robert Moog (1934–2005), pioneer of electronic music, inventor of the Moog synthesizer * Cameron Moore (musician), Cameron Moore, singer-songwriter * Rex Nelon, gospel singer * Frances Nero, Soul music, soul and jazz singer. * Angel Olsen (born 1987), musician * Squire Parsons, singer and songwriter * Rainey Qualley, singer under the name Rainsford * Tyler Ramsey, singer-songwriter * Chase Rice (born 1985) country music singer, songwriter, and contestant on ''Survivor: Nicaragua'', * Jimmie Rodgers (country singer), Jimmie Rodgers, singer, known as "the father of country music"; lived in Asheville; had a show on a local radio station in 1927 * Chris Rodrigues, contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist * Jonathan Scales, steel pannist and composer * Chris Sharp, singer-songwriter * Nina Simone (1933–2003), jazz singer, attended Allen Home School for Girls in Asheville * Arthur Lee "Red" Smiley, Bluegrass music, bluegrass and Country music, country musician, * Root Boy Slim, aka Foster Mackenzie III (1945–1993), blues musician * Moses Sumney (born 1992), singer-songwriter * Bryan Sutton, flatpicking Steel-string guitar, acoustic guitar player * John Widman, luthier who makes high-end, hand-built guitars * David Wilcox (American musician), David Wilcox (born 1958), folk musician and singer-songwriter * Kat Williams, blues singer * Caleb Young, conductorPolitics
* Terry Bellamy, mayor of Asheville * Cecil Bothwell, Asheville City Council * Charles Robin Britt, United States House of Representatives * William Jennings Bryan (1860–1925), United States Secretary of State and United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives * Alice A. W. Cadwallader (1832-1910), philanthropist and temperance activist * Madison Cawthorn (born 1995), United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives * Mark B. Childress (born 1959), former United States Ambassador to Tanzania and former White House Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning in the administration of Barack Obama, President Obama * R. L. Clark, North Carolina Senate * James M. Clarke, United States House of Representatives. * Lillian Exum Clement, first woman elected to the North Carolina General Assembly * Marie Colton (1922-2018), first female Speaker Pro Tempore of the North Carolina House of Representatives. * H. K. Edgerton (born 1948), Neo-Confederates, neoconfederate activist and President (corporate title), President of the Asheville, North Carolina, Asheville, North Carolina chapter of the NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People * Joe Felmet, civil rights activist * Susan C. Fisher, North Carolina House of Representatives * D. Bruce Goforth, North Carolina House of Representatives * V. Lamar Gudger, United States House of Representatives * Bill Hendon (1944–2018), author, Vietnam War POW/MIA issue, POW/MIA activist, and two-term Member of Congress, U.S. Congressman from North Carolina * Herbert Hyde, North Carolina Senate and North Carolina House of Representatives * Bill Jackson (politician), Bill Jackson, Georgia State Senate and Georgia House of Representatives * Horace R. Kornegay, United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives * Helen Morris Lewis, suffragist who was the first woman in North Carolina to seek elected office, * Esther Manheimer, mayor of Asheville * Julie Mayfield, North Carolina Senate * Floyd McKissick, lawyer and civil rights activist who led the Congress of Racial Equality for a time and founded Soul City, North Carolina * Dan K. Moore (1906–1986), List of Governors of North Carolina, 66th Governor of North Carolina, Governor of North Carolina from 1965 to 1969 * Martin Nesbitt (politician), Martin Nesbitt, North Carolina Senate * Mary Cordell Nesbitt (1911–1979), served in the North Carolina House of Representatives * Leonard Outerbridge, Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland * Richmond Pearson, U.S. House of Representatives * William Dudley Pelley (1890–1965), leader of the "Silver Shirt" fascist movement in the 1930s and 1940s * Lindsey Prather, North Carolina House of Representatives * J. E. Rankin (1845–1928), mayor of Asheville and chair of the Buncombe County Commissioners for 26 years * James W. Reid (mayor), James W. Reid (1917–1972), served as the Mayor of Raleigh, North Carolina * Robert R. Reynolds (1884–1963), U.S. Senator of isolationist sympathies in World War II * Michael Robinson (rabbi), Michael Robinson (1924–2006), American Reform Judaism, Reform rabbi and Civil rights movement, civil rights activist * Jim Roddey, County executive, chief executive of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania * Caleb Rudow, North Carolina House of Representatives * Thomas A. Rymer, Maryland House of Delegates and judge of the Calvert County Circuit Court * Wilma M. Sherrill, North Carolina General Assembly * George A. Shuford, United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives and North Carolina House of Representatives * Charles Manly Stedman, United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives and Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina * John Shorter Stevens, North Carolina House of Representatives * Brian Turner (politician), Brian Turner, North Carolina House of Representatives. *Joseph Tydings (1928–2018), lawyer and politician *Terry Van Duyn, North Carolina Senate *Robert Brank Vance, United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives *Zebulon Vance, Zebulan Vance, Governor of North Carolina and United States Senate, United States Senator *Lewis B. Whitworth, Florida House of Representatives and Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County circuit court judge * William Winkenwerder Jr. (born 1954), Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs (2001–2007)Religion
* Franklin Graham, Christian evangelist and missionary * Kevin S. Brown, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware * George Way Harley, Methodism, Methodist medical missionary * Lewis Pease, Methodist clergyman * Michael Robinson (rabbi), Michael Robinson, Reform Judaism, reform rabbi, Civil rights movement, civil rights activist, and human rights activist known for his association with Martin Luther King Jr. * G. Porter Taylor, Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina, Bishop of Western North CarolinaSports
Baseball
*Jack Alexander (American football), Jack Alexander, minor league baseball player and college football coach *Tom Bradley (baseball), Tom Bradley,professional baseball player and Coach (baseball), coach *Bob Chakales, professional baseball player * Dave Cheadle, professional baseball player * Harry Courtney, professional baseball and football player * Braxton Davidson, professional baseball players * Darren Holmes (baseball), Darren Holmes (born 1966), Major League Baseball, MLB player for eight teams * Mel Ingram, professional baseball player * Hughie Jennings (1869–1928), Major League Baseball player and manager, 1891–1925 * Johnny Lanning, professional baseball players * Cameron Maybin (born 1987), Major League Baseball player with Los Angeles Angels; born and raised in Asheville * Larry McCall, professional baseball player * Joel McKeithan, professional baseball Coach (baseball), coach * Dorothy Montgomery (1924–2009), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player * Chris Narveson (born 1981), MLB pitcher * Buck Redfern, professional baseball player * Mike Roberts (baseball), Mike Roberts, professional baseball player and college baseball Coach (baseball), coach * Sammy Stewart, professional baseball player * Don Thompson (baseball), Don Thompson (1923–2009), Major League Baseball player for the Brooklyn Dodgers * Joe West (umpire), Joe West (born 1952), Major League Baseball, MLB umpire for record-breaking 40 seasons * Pete Whisenant, professional baseball playerBasketball
* Brad Daugherty (basketball), Brad Daugherty (born 1965), retired National Basketball Association, NBA basketball player, 5-time All-Star, ESPN NASCAR analyst * Harry Hartsell, head football and basketball coach at North Carolina State University * Loyd King (born 1949), professional basketball player * Henry Logan (basketball), Henry Logan, college basketball player who won the gold medal in the 1967 Pan American Games * Rhonda Mapp (born 1969), Women's National Basketball Association, WNBA player * Rashad McCants (born 1984), National Basketball Association, NBA basketball player for Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings; former Erwin High School basketball player * Rashanda McCants (born 1986), WNBA player * Christian Moody, college and professional basketball player * Buzz Peterson (born 1963), former director of player personnel for NBA's Charlotte Bobcats; former men's head basketball coach at UNC Wilmington, University of Tennessee, Appalachian State University, University of Tulsa, and Coastal Carolina University; born and raised in Asheville * Roy Williams (coach), Roy Williams (born 1950), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill basketball coach, raised in AshevilleFootball
* LeRoy Abernethy, college football player * Jack Alexander (American football), Jack Alexander, college football coach and minor league baseball player * John Avery (gridiron football), John Avery (born 1976), football player in NFL, XFL (2001), XFL, and Canadian Football League, CFL; attended Asheville High School * Kent Briggs, college football coach * Crezdon Butler (born 1987), NFL cornerback for Pittsburgh Steelers; born and raised in Asheville; led Asheville High School to 2006 state championship * Joey Clinkscales, professional football player and executive * Harry Courtney, professional football and baseball player * Jonathan Crompton, professional football player * Rico Dowdle (born 1998), NFL running back * Claude "Hoot" Gibson, professional football player * Harry Hartsell, head football and basketball coach at North Carolina State University * Dan Hill (American football), Dan Hill, college football player and All-American * Martese Jackson, professional gridiron football player * Ralph James (coach), Ralph James, college football coach * Ben Johnson (American football coach), Ben Johnson, professional football coach * Charlie Justice (halfback), Charlie "Choo Choo" Justice (1924–2003), professional football player * Eku Leota, professional football player * Leonard Little (born 1974), National Football League, NFL football player with St. Louis Rams; born and raised in Asheville * Eddie McGill, professional football player * Harold Olson, professional football player * Jeoffrey Pagan, professional football player * Ray Roberts (American football), Ray Roberts (born 1969), retired NFL player * James Rosecrans, professional football player * Jonathan Rush (born 1989), college football player * Bill Russo (American football), Bill Russo, college football coach * Red Sanders, college football coach * George Stephens (American football), George Stephens, college football player * Brett Swain (American football), Brett Swain (born 1986), National Football League, NFL player for Green Bay Packers * Aydan White, college football player * Johnny White (American football), Johnny White, professional football playerRacing
* Jack Ingram (racing driver), Jack Ingram, retired NASCAR driver * Stephen Leicht (born 1987), NASCAR driver * Robert Pressley (born 1959), retired NASCAR driver, born in Asheville * Ronnie Silver (born 1951), NASCAR driver * Roy Trantham, stock car racing driver.Soccer
* Hunter Gilstrap. professional soccer player * Nate Torbett (born 1994), professional soccer player for Coomera Colts SC and coachSwimming
* Mary Montgomery, swimmer * Stephen Rerych (born 1946), Olympic gold medalist in swimmingProfessional wrestling
*Karl Anderson, professional wrestler; signed to WWE * Edge (wrestler), Adam "Edge" Copeland (born 1973), professional wrestler, author, relocated to Asheville * Eddie Golden (born 1973), professional wrestler, resides in Asheville * Evan Golden (wrestler), Evan Golden (born 2000), professional wrestler, born and raised in Asheville * Beth Phoenix (born 1980), real name Elizabeth Copeland; retired professional wrestler, four-time women's champion, and commentator; relocated to Asheville * K. C. Thunder, Professional wrestling, professional wrestler, Promoter (entertainment), promoter and Personal trainer, trainer * Cash Wheeler (born 1987), real name Daniel Wheeler; professional wrestler for All Elite Wrestling. Born and raised in Asheville, where he currently residesOther
* Stacey Bentley, competitive bodybuilder * Joe Bowman (marksman), Joe Bowman, marksman * Matt Carpenter (runner), Matt Carpenter, Ultramarathon, ultramarathoner as a Trail running, trail runner and in Altitude training, high altitude Marathon, marathons * Cameron Cogburn, cyclist * Jennifer Pharr Davis (born 1982), long-distance hiker; unofficial record holder of fastest through-hike of Appalachian Trail * Lawson Duncan (born 1964), former Grand Prix tennis tour player * Kelly Grieve, member of the United States women's national softball team she won 2011 World Cup of Softball * Willow Koerber, mountain biker * Rachel Kuehn, amateur golfer * Frank Messer, sportscaster that was best known for his eighteen seasons announcing New York Yankees baseball gamesOther
* Terry Hyatt, serial killer * Cornelia Stuyvesant Vanderbilt, heiress who inherited theSee also
* List of people from North CarolinaReferences
{{Reflist, 30em Lists of American people by city, Asheville, North Carolina Lists of people from North Carolina, Asheville People from Asheville, North Carolina, *