This is a list of notable people who were born in, or have lived in

El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the county seat, seat of El Paso County, Texas, El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau w ...

Politics, military, and government

Veronica_Escobar_official_portrait,_116th_Congress

* Shirley "S.L." Abbott, Texas legislator and United States Ambassador * Lucy G. Acosta (1926-2008), activist and political appointee. *

Oscar Zeta Acosta Oscar "Zeta" Acosta Fierro (; April 8, 1935 – disappeared 1974) was a Mexican-American attorney, politician, novelist and activist in the Chicano Movement. He was most well known for his novels '' Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo'' (1972) and ...

, attorney, writer *

Suzie Azar Suzanne Azar (''née'' Schmeck, born 1946) is a politician, aviator and former mayor of El Paso, Texas. Azar was the first woman to serve as mayor in El Paso. Azar lives in Central El Paso. She is also a flight instructor and owner of a fixed-base ...

(born 1946), aviator, politician and first woman to serve as mayor of El Paso. *

Jeff Bingaman Jesse Francis "Jeff" Bingaman Jr. (born October 3, 1943) is an American politician who served as a United States Senator from New Mexico from 1983 to 2013, for 5 terms. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as Chairman of Committee Outrea ...

, former United States Senator * Beau Boulter, politician *

Omar Bradley Omar Nelson Bradley (February 12, 1893April 8, 1981) was a senior officer of the United States Army during and after World War II, rising to the rank of General of the Army. Bradley was the first chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and over ...

, Five Star General, first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff *

Wernher von Braun Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr von Braun ( , ; 23 March 191216 June 1977) was a German and American aerospace engineer and space architect. He was a member of the Nazi Party and Allgemeine SS, as well as the leading figure in the develop ...

, German Nazi rocket scientist *

Cornell William Brooks Cornell William Brooks (born 1961) is an American lawyer and activist. He was chosen to be the president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in May 2014. He previously served as president of thNew Jersey Ins ...

(born 1961), president of the NAACP * Kathleen Cardone (born 1953), United States District Judge. * Alicia R. Chacón (born 1938), first woman elected to office in the city of El Paso. *

Ann Day Eleanor Ann Day (August 10, 1938 – May 7, 2016) was an American politician, educator, and psychologist who served as a member of the Arizona Senate from 1990 to 2000. Day was the younger sister of Supreme Court justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Ear ...

, politician *

Veronica Escobar Veronica Escobar (born September 15, 1969) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for , based in El Paso, since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as an El Paso County commissioner from 2007 to 2011 and t ...

, United States Representative. *

Albert Bacon Fall Albert Bacon Fall (November 26, 1861November 30, 1944) was a United States senator from New Mexico and the Secretary of the Interior under President Warren G. Harding, infamous for his involvement in the Teapot Dome scandal; he was the only pers ...

, politician * Patrick G. Forrester, astronaut * Mary González (born 1983), state representative. *

Ambrosio Guillen Staff Sergeant Ambrosio Guillen (December 7, 1929 – July 25, 1953) was a United States Marine who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor—the United States' highest military award for valor—for his heroic actions and sacrific ...

, Medal of Honor recipient Guillen_A

* Polly Harris (1924-1987), politician and theater enthusiast *

Victoriano Huerta José Victoriano Huerta Márquez (; 22 December 1854 – 13 January 1916) was a general in the Mexican Federal Army and 39th President of Mexico, who came to power by coup against the democratically elected government of Francisco I. Madero wit ...

, former President of Mexico * Shoshana Johnson, POW * Wayne Harold Johnson, Republican member of both houses, consecutively, of the

Wyoming State Legislature The Wyoming State Legislature is the legislative branch of the U.S. State of Wyoming. It is a bicameral state legislature, consisting of a 60-member Wyoming House of Representatives, and a 30-member Wyoming Senate. The legislature meets at the ...

from 1993 to 2017; born in El Paso in 1942 * Charles S. Kilburn. U.S. Army brigadier general *

Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo (December 7, 1859April 7, 1930) was a Republican politician who served as the fourth governor of New Mexico and a United States senator. He was the first Mexican-American and first Latino United States senator. Earl ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

* Thomas Calloway Lea Jr., attorney, judge, Mayor of El Paso (1915–1917) *

Barbara Lee Barbara Jean Lee (née Tutt; born July 16, 1946) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for . Now in her 12th term, Lee has served since 1998, and is a member of the Democratic Party. The district, numbered as the 9th ...

, member of the United States House of Representatives *

Oscar Leeser Oscar Leeser (born May 7, 1958) is an American politician who has served as the 52nd mayor of El Paso, Texas El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 202 ...

, Mayor of El Paso * Virginia B. MacDonald, Illinois state legislator * Adair Margo, Chairman, President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities *

Susana Martinez Susana Martinez (born July 14, 1959) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 31st governor of New Mexico from 2011 to 2019. A Republican, she served as chair of the Republican Governors Association (RGA) from 2015 to 2016. She ...

, former Governor of

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

Anson Mills Anson Mills (August 31, 1834 – November 5, 1924) was a United States Army officer, surveyor, inventor, and entrepreneur. Engaged in south Texas as a land surveyor and civil engineer, he both named and laid out the city of El Paso, Texas. Mills a ...

, brigadier general, platted El Paso in 1859. * Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. First woman to serve on the Supreme Court. * John "Danny" Olivas, astronaut *

Beto O'Rourke Robert Francis "Beto" O'Rourke ( , ; ; born September 26, 1972) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2013 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, O'Rourke was the party's nominee for the U.S. Senat ...

, former member of the United States House of Representatives * John "Black Jack" Pershing, General of the Armies * Joseph C. Rodriguez, Medal of Honor recipient *

Paul Ray Smith Paul Ray Smith (September 24, 1969 – April 4, 2003) was a United States Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. While serving with B Company, 11th Engineer Battalion, 3rd I ...

, Medal of Honor recipient * Jack Vowell, Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1981 to 1995; construction company president in El Paso * Richard C. White, member of the United States House of Representatives, WWII veteran, Marine * Myra Carroll Winkler (1880-1963), first woman to hold elected office in El Paso County.

Western history

* George Campbell, ex-El Paso marshal *

Albert Jennings Fountain Colonel Albert Jennings Fountain (October 23, 1838 – disappeared February 1, 1896) was an American attorney who served in the Texas Senate and the New Mexico House of Representatives. Following a purge of corruption among cattle rustlers that ...

Wild West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

Indian fighter, politician * Henry O. Flipper (1856-1940),

Buffalo soldier Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the Black Cavalry by Native American tribes who fought in th ...

and first African American graduate of West Point. * Pat Garrett, Western law man known for killing Billy The Kid * John Wesley Hardin, outlaw, attorney and gunfighter in late 19th-century Texas * Gus Krempkau, El Paso County constable *

Pascual Orozco Pascual Orozco Vázquez, Jr. (in contemporary documents, sometimes spelled "Oroszco") (28 January 1882 – 30 August 1915) was a Mexican revolutionary leader who rose up to support Francisco I. Madero in late 1910 to depose long-time presi ...

, Mexican revolutionary leader * George Scarborough, U.S. Marshal, gunfighter, outlaw * John Selman, El Paso County constable, cattle rustler and outlaw * Dallas Stoudenmire, El Paso Town Marshal and U.S. Marshal *

Pancho Villa Francisco "Pancho" Villa (, Orozco rebelled in March 1912, both for Madero's continuing failure to enact land reform and because he felt insufficiently rewarded for his role in bringing the new president to power. At the request of Madero's c ...

, Revolutionary general of the Mexican Revolution, Centaur of the North (Centaurio del Norte) * Florida J. Wolfe (1867-1913), socialite, cattle rancher and philanthropist.

Film

F. Murray Abraham F. Murray Abraham (born Murray Abraham; October 24, 1939) is an American actor. Known for his roles on stage and screen, he came to prominence for his acclaimed leading role as Antonio Salieri in the drama film '' Amadeus'' (1984) for which he wo ...

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-winning

actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...

* Billy Blair, actor *

Don Bluth Donald Virgil Bluth (; born September 13, 1937) is an American film director, animator, production designer, and animation instructor, best known for his animated films, including '' The Secret of NIMH'' (1982), '' An American Tail'' (1986), ''Th ...

, animator and director *

Lombardo Boyar Lombardo Boyar (born December 1, 1973) is an American actor. He is best known for his recurring role as Chuy in ''The Bernie Mac Show'' and for voicing Lars Rodriguez in '' Rocket Power''. Career Lombardo is a veteran of the United States Army, ...

, actor *

Thomas Haden Church Thomas Haden Church (born Thomas Richard McMillen; June 17, 1960) is an American actor. After starring in the 1990s sitcom ''Wings'' and playing the lead for two seasons in ''Ned & Stacey'' (1995–1997)'','' Church became known for his film work, ...

, Academy Award-nominated actor *

Norma Crane Norma Crane (born Norma Anna Bella Zuckerman; November 10, 1928 — September 28, 1973) was an American actress of stage, film, and television best known for her role as Golde in the 1971 film adaptation of '' Fiddler on the Roof''. She also sta ...

, film actress known for her role as "Golde" in the 1971 film adaptation of '' Fiddler on the Roof'' *

Judith Ivey Judith Lee Ivey (born September 4, 1951) is an American actress and theatre director. She has twice won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play: for ''Steaming'' (1981) and '' Hurlyburly'' (1984). She has also appeared in several film ...

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

-winning actress *

Guy Kibbee Guy Bridges Kibbee (March 6, 1882 – May 24, 1956) was an American stage and film actor. Early years Kibbee was born in El Paso, Texas. His father was editor of the ''El Paso Herald-Post'' newspaper, and Kibbee learned how to set type at age ...

, actor * Rudy Larriva, animator and

director Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

* Laura Martinez Herring,

Miss Texas USA The Miss Texas USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Texas in the Miss USA pageant, and the name of the title held by that winner. This pageant is part of the Miss USA Organization, owned by Texas native C ...

1985,

Miss USA Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020, ...

1985 and actress, ''

Mulholland Drive Mulholland Drive is a street and road in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains of Southern California. It is named after pioneering Los Angeles civil engineer William Mulholland. The western rural portion in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties is nam ...

'' *

John Cameron Mitchell John Cameron Mitchell (born April 21, 1963) is a two-time Tony Award winning American actor, playwright, screenwriter, singer, songwriter, producer and director. He is best known as the writer, director and star of the 2001 film '' Hedwig and th ...

, actor, director, songwriter, '' Hedwig and the Angry Inch'' *

Lupe Ontiveros Guadalupe Ontiveros ( Moreno; September 17, 1942 – July 26, 2012) was an American actress best known for portraying Rosalita in ''The Goonies'', and Yolanda Saldívar in the film ''Selena''. She acted in numerous films and television shows, ...

, actress *

Anthony Quinn Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (April 21, 1915 – June 3, 2001), known professionally as Anthony Quinn, was a Mexican-American actor. He was known for his portrayal of earthy, passionate characters "marked by a brutal and elemental v ...

-winning actor * Debbie Reynolds, Academy Award-nominated actress, '' Singin' in the Rain'' * Lynne Roberts, actress *

Gilbert Roland Luis Antonio Dámaso de Alonso (December 11, 1905 – May 15, 1994), known professionally as Gilbert Roland, was a Mexican-born American film and television actor whose career spanned seven decades from the 1920s until the 1980s. He was twice no ...

, Golden Globe-nominated actor * Steven Sills, screenwriter * Octavio Solis, actor * Sharon Tate, actress, '' Valley of the Dolls'' *

Alan Tudyk Alan Wray Tudyk ( ;; born March 16, 1971) is an American actor. His film work includes roles in '' 28 Days'' with Sandra Bullock (2000), ''A Knight's Tale'' with Heath Ledger (2001), '' Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story'' with Vince Vaughn (2004 ...

, actor * Hal Warren, writer and director of '' Manos: The Hands of Fate'', widely regarded as one of the

worst movies ever made The films listed below have been cited by a variety of notable critics in varying media sources as being among the worst films ever made. Examples of such sources include Metacritic, Roger Ebert's list of most-hated films, ''The Golden Turkey ...

Television

* Ana Alicia, actress *

Estela Casas Estela Casas (born 1961) as an American health advocate for cancer awareness and former news anchor in El Paso, Texas. She was part of the "longest running anchor team in El Paso television history." Casas is an inductee of the El Paso Women's Hal ...

(born 1961), news anchor *

Ara Celi Ara Celi (born May 31, 1974) is an American actress active in American film and television. She had a starring role in the minor 1997 dance movie ''Looking for Lola,'' but she is probably best known for her guest starring role as Ampata Gutierrez ...

, actress *

Lydia Cornell Lydia Cornell (born Lydia Korniloff, July 23, 1953) is an American actress best known for her role as Sara Rush on the ABC situation comedy ''Too Close for Comfort''. Early life and family Cornell was born Lydia Korniloff in El Paso, Texas ...

, actress, model, comedian, novelist *

Sam Donaldson Samuel Andrew Donaldson Jr. (born March 11, 1934) is an American former reporter and news anchor, serving with ABC News from 1967 to 2009. He is best known as the network's White House Correspondent (1977–1989 and 1998–99) and as a panelist ...

, television journalist * Stephen Espinoza, television executive * Alana de la Garza, actress *

Vickie Guerrero Vickie Lynn Benson (formerly Guerrero, née Lara;Guerrero, Eddie. ''Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story'', p. 53. born April 16, 1968) is an American professional wrestling personality and manager. She is best known for her t ...

, actress *

Jack Handey Jack Handey (born February 25, 1949) is an American humorist. He is best known for his "Deep Thoughts by Jack Handey", a large body of surrealistic one-liner jokes, as well as his "Fuzzy Memories" and "My Big Thick Novel" shorts, and for his dead ...

, comedy writer and author *

Sherman Hemsley Sherman Alexander Hemsley (February 1, 1938 – July 24, 2012) was an American actor. He was known for his roles as George Jefferson on the CBS television series ''All in the Family'' (1973–1975; 1978) and ''The Jeffersons'' (1975–1985), Dea ...

, television actor, ''

The Jeffersons ''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history, ...

'' * Jordan Hinson, actress * Elisa Jimenez, designer *

Bill Macatee Bill Macatee (born November 17, 1955) is an American sports broadcaster for CBS Sports and Tennis Channel. Early life and career Macatee was born in Rome, New York, and grew up in El Paso, Texas. He graduated from Burges High School in El Pas ...

, sportscaster * Karla Martinez, television personality *

, actress * Gene Roddenberry, ''Star Trek'' creator and television producer *

Irene Ryan Irene Ryan (born Irene Noblitt, Noblett, or Noblette; October 17, 1902 – April 26, 1973) was an American actress and comedienne who found success in vaudeville, radio, film, television, and Broadway. She is most widely known for her por ...

, actress, ''

The Beverly Hillbillies ''The Beverly Hillbillies'' is an American television sitcom that was broadcast on CBS from 1962 to 1971. It had an ensemble cast featuring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer Jr. as the Clampetts, a poor, backwoods family f ...

'' * Aarón Sanchez, chef * Octavio Solis *

Nora Zehetner Nora Angela Zehetner (born February 5, 1981) is an American film and television actress. Early life Zehetner was born in El Paso, Texas, the daughter of Nancy Lynne (née Nelson) and John Carol Zehetner. She attended elementary school in Richar ...

, actress

Literature

* Paco Ahlgren, writer *

Alicia Gaspar de Alba Alicia Gaspar de Alba is an American scholar, cultural critic, novelist, and poet whose works include historical novels and scholarly studies on Chicana/o art, culture and sexuality. Biography Gaspar de Alba was born on July 29, 1958 in El Paso ...

, writer, poet, scholar * Kathleen Barber, writer * Cynthia Farah (born 1949), photographer and writer * Marcia Hatfield Daudistel, writer. *Daniel Edison, writer, intellectual historian. * Shanaya Fastje, author, singer, songwriter, actress and speaker * Betty J. Ligon (1921-2015), journalist * Sheryl Luna, poet. *

Cormac McCarthy Cormac McCarthy (born Charles Joseph McCarthy Jr., July 20, 1933) is an American writer who has written twelve novels, two plays, five screenplays and three short stories, spanning the Western and post-apocalyptic genres. He is known for his gr ...

, novelist * Aileen Mehle, gossip columnist *

Leon Claire Metz Leon Claire Metz (November 6, 1930 – November 15, 2020) was an American cultural historian, author, television documentary personality, and lecturer on the American Old West period. Metz presented hundreds of his programs to groups all over t ...

, author, writer, historian, television and radio personality, public speaker and story teller *

Pat Mora Pat Mora (born January 19, 1942 in El Paso, Texas) is an American poet and author of books for adults, teens and children. Her grandparents came to El Paso from northern Mexico. A graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso, she received Honor ...

, author * Michael Petry, artist, author *

Estela Portillo-Trambley Estela Portillo-Trambley (January 16, 1926 – December 1, 1998) was a Chicana poet and playwright. She gained recognition through the publishing of her many plays, prose, and poetry depicting the lives and plight of Chicana women in male-dominated ...

, poet *

John Rechy John Francisco Rechy (born March 10, 1931) is a Mexican-American novelist and essayist. In his novels, he has written extensively about gay culture in Los Angeles and wider America, among other subject matter, and is among the pioneers of moder ...

, author * Benjamin Alire Sáenz, writer, poet *

Rubén Salazar Ruben Salazar (March 3, 1928 – August 29, 1970) was a civil rights activist and a reporter for the ''Los Angeles Times,'' the first Mexican Americans, Mexican-American journalist from mainstream media to cover the Chicano community. Salazar wa ...

, journalist * Robert Skimin, author *

Sergio Troncoso Sergio Troncoso (born 1961) is an American author of short stories, essays and novels. He often writes about the United States-Mexico border, working-class immigrants, families and fatherhood, philosophy in literature, and crossing cultural, psyc ...

, author *

Janice Woods Windle Janice Woods Windle (born 1938) is an author of historical novels. She grew up in Seguin, Texas and lives in El Paso, Texas with her husband and family. Biography Windle was raised in Seguin, Texas. Both of her parents were "avid historians," ...

(born 1938), novelist *

Angelina Virginia Winkler Angelina Virginia Winkler (June 2, 1842 – May 4, 1911) was an American journalist, editor, magazine publisher. She specialized in literary criticism of Southern literature. Early life and education Angelina Virginia Smith was born in Richmond, ...

, journalist, editor, magazine publisher

Visual arts

Manuel Gregorio Acosta Manuel Gregorio Acosta (1921–1989) was a Mexican-born American painter, muralist, sculptor, and illustrator. His work received more recognition during the Chicano movement, and his portrait of Cesar Chavez was reproduced on the cover of ''Tim ...

, artist * Ho Baron, sculptor * Kate Moore Brown (1871-1945), clubwoman and creator of the International Museum of Art in El Paso. *

Mago Orona Gándara Margarita "Mago" Orona Gándara (February 8, 1929 – February 18, 2018) was a Chicana artist. She is known for her murals which can be seen throughout El Paso, Texas and in Ciudad Juárez. Biography Orona Gándara was born and raised in El ...

(1929-2018), Chicana artist and muralist *

Joe Allen Hong Joe Allen Hong (November 28, 1930 – February 28, 2004) was an American fashion designer. Hong was born in El Paso, Texas to immigrant parents—a Chinese father, Joseph Hong, and a Mexican mother, Refugio (Ruth) Pedrueza Lugo. His family moved ...

, fashion designer, artist * Anna Jaquez (born 1953), artist and metalsmith * Luis Jiménez, fiberglass artist * Tom Lea, artist, war correspondent, novelist, historian * Tom Moore, cartoonist, Archie comics * Gloria Osuna Perez (1947-1999), Chicana artist and * Becky Duval Reese, art curator and former director of the

El Paso Museum of Art Founded in 1959, The El Paso Museum of Art (EPMA) is located in downtown El Paso, Texas. First accredited in 1972, it is the only accredited art museum within a 250-mile radius and serves approximately 100,000 visitors per year. A new building ...

Urbici Soler Urbici Soler (Urbici Soler i Manonelles)Urbici Soler i Manonelles ...

, artist

Music, performing arts and stage

* Birdie Alexander (1870-1960), musician and educator *

Blake Allen Blake Allen (born 1988) is an American composer and viola player who is most known for writing the shards of an honor code junkie, music directing the 2019 revival of Over Here!, a frequent collaborator with Tina Burner, Insomnia at Carnegie Hal ...

, composer and musician *

At the Drive-In At the Drive-In was an American post-hardcore band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's most recent line-up consisted of Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals), Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, vocals), Paul Hinojos (bass), Tony Hajjar (dru ...

, alternative rock band * Clint Ballard Jr., musician *

Cedric Bixler-Zavala Cedric Bixler-Zavala (born November 4, 1974) is an American singer and songwriter. He is the lead singer and lyricist of the progressive rock band The Mars Volta and the only constant member of the post-hardcore group At the Drive-In, for whic ...

, musician *

Jimmy Carl Black James Carl Inkanish, Jr. (February 1, 1938 – November 1, 2008), known professionally as Jimmy Carl Black, was a drummer and vocalist for The Mothers of Invention. Background and early career: 1960s–1990s Born in El Paso, Texas, Black was o ...

, musician * Malena Cano, ranchero and mariachi singer *

Vikki Carr Florencia Vicenta de Casillas-Martínez Cardona (born July 19, 1940), known by her stage name Vikki Carr, is an American vocalist. She has a singing career that spans more than four decades. Born in El Paso, Texas, to Mexican parents, she has p ...

, Grammy-winning international singer, entertainer * The Chamanas, Latin Grammy nominee, border music band *

Adam Duritz Adam Fredric Duritz (born August 1, 1964) is an American singer, best known as the frontman for the rock band Counting Crows, of which he is a founding member and principal composer. Since its founding in 1991, Counting Crows has sold over 20 mi ...

, musician *

Emcee N.I.C.E. Aulsondro "Novelist" Hamilton, better known by his stage name Emcee N.I.C.E., is an American Christian hip hop recording artist. Five No. 1 hit records on the ''Billboard'' charts in "I Got Angels" claiming two positions along with "Glory to ...

, hip-hop recording artist *

Bobby Fuller Robert Gaston Fuller (October 22, 1942 – July 18, 1966)Bashe, P. R., & George-Warren, H., ''The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll'' (Third ed.). New York, Fireside, 2005, p. 360 was an American Rock and roll, rock singer, songwriter, ...

, musician *

Kenneth James Gibson Kenneth James Gibson is a musician, record producer, composer, singer, songwriter and a founding member of Bell Gardens, Furry Things, Eight Frozen Modules, and endics.shuffle. Career Kenneth James Gibson was born in Canada, grew up in El ...

, musician, record producer * Rosa Ramirez Guerrero (born 1934), educator and dancer * Gunplay, rapper * Ingeborg Heuser, dancer and choreographer *

Al Jourgensen Alain David Jourgensen (born Alejandro Ramírez Casas; October 9, 1958) is a Cuban-American singer, musician and music producer. Closely related with the independent record label Wax Trax! Records, his musical career spans four decades. He is b ...

, musician, music producer *

Khalid Khalid (variants include Khaled and Kalid; Arabic: خالد) is a popular Arabic male given name meaning "eternal, everlasting, immortal", and it also appears as a surname.

, singer-songwriter * Ronn Lucas, ventriloquist, comedian *

Terry Manning Terry Manning is an American photographer, composer, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, audio engineer, and visual artist. In a career spanning more than 50 years, he has worked with Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Bryan Adams, ...

, music producer, audio engineer, photographer *

The Mars Volta The Mars Volta is an American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas, formed in 2001. The band's only constant members are Omar Rodríguez-López (guitar, producer, direction) and Cedric Bixler-Zavala (vocals, lyrics), whose partnership for ...

, progressive rock band *

John Moyer John Moyer (born November 30, 1973) is an American musician, best known as the bassist and backing vocalist for the heavy metal band Disturbed. Taking over in 2004 after Steve "Fuzz" Kmak was fired, Moyer has played bass guitar with the group ...

, musician, bass player for

Disturbed Disturbed may refer to: Books * ''Disturbed'', a 2011 novel by Kevin O'Brien (author) Film and TV * ''Disturbed'' (film), a 1990 film starring Malcolm McDowell * "Disturbed" (''Numb3rs''), a 2009 episode of ''Numb3rs'' * "The Disturbed", a 2 ...

* Stevie Nicks, musician *

Drusilla Nixon Drusilla Elizabeth Tandy Nixon (July 15, 1899 – May 10, 1990) was a community activist and music educator in El Paso, Texas. Background The daughter of Maud Grant and John Clifford Tandy, she was born Drusilla Elizabeth Tandy in Toledo, Ohio ...

, music educator, civil rights activist, and community advocate Drusilla Elizabeth Tandy Nixon on BlackPast
/ref> * Salim Nourallah, musician * Phil Ochs, musician * Pissing Razors, groove metal band * Jiles Perry Richardson, musician also known as The Big Bopper * Joan H. Quarm (1920-2010), American educator, actor, and theater director *

Riot Ten Christopher Wilson (born October 27, 1992), better known by his stage name Riot Ten, is an American DJ and producer based in El Paso, Texas. He is best known for his dubstep and hardtrap production and is currently signed to Steve Aoki's Dim Mak ...

, DJ and producer *

Omar Rodríguez-López Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López (born September 1, 1975) is an American guitarist and songwriter. He has formed or played in several bands, including the Mars Volta, At the Drive-In, Antemasque, and Bosnian Rainbows. He was the bassist for the ...

, musician * The Royalty, musical group *

Tom Russell Thomas George Russell (born 1947/1948) is an American singer-songwriter. Although most strongly identified with the Americana music tradition, his music also incorporates elements of folk, rock, and the cowboy music of the American West. Man ...

, singer-songwriter *

, actress and entertainer * Freddy Soto, comedian *

Sparta Sparta ( Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, ''Spártā''; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, ''Spártē'') was a prominent city-state in Laconia, in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (, ), while the name Sparta referre ...

, musical group *

Ryan Stout Ryan Matthew Stout (born September 30, 1982) is an American stand-up comedian and television host.Pullen, Doug (2011)The life of Ryan: Comedian from El Paso finds his niche by poking fun where few dare, "El Paso Times, December 18, 2011, retriev ...

, comedian *

Don Tosti Don Tosti (given name: Edmundo Martínez Tostado) (March 27, 1923 – August 2, 2004) was an American musician and composer. Tosti forged a career spanning several decades and styles, from classical to jazz and rhythm and blues. He was best rem ...

, Mexican American composer, bandleader and musician * Jim Ward, musician * Todd Womack, comedian

Sports

Keitha Adams Keitha Rachelle Adams (born February 13, 1967) is an American college basketball coach who is currently the head women's basketball coach at UTEP. Prior to the 2006–07 season, Adams was known as Keitha Green. Coaching career Adams began her co ...

(born 1967), basketball coach Bob_Beamon_1968

Kristi Albers Kristi Albers (born December 7, 1963) is an American professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) is an American organization for female golfers. The organization is headquartered at the L ...

(born 1963), professional golfer *

Nate Archibald Nathaniel "Tiny" Archibald (born September 2, 1948) is an American retired professional basketball player. He spent 14 years playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City–Omaha Kings ...

, basketball player * Jerry D. Bailey, jockey *

Cesar Bazan Cesar, César or Cèsar may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''César'' (film), a 1936 film directed by Marcel Pagnol * ''César'' (play), a play by Marcel Pagnolt * César Award, a French film award Places * Cesar, Portugal * Ces ...

, boxer *

Bob Beamon Robert Beamon (born August 29, 1946) is an American former track and field athlete, best known for his world record in the long jump at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968. By jumping 8.90 m (29 ft. 2.5 in), he broke the existing record by ...

, Olympic champion long jumper *

Rich Beem Richard Michael Beem (born August 24, 1970) is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour and is best known for his upset victory at the 2002 PGA Championship. Beem was born in Phoenix, Arizona, grew up in El Paso, Texas, and pla ...

, professional golfer *

Sin Cara In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, ...

WWE World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...

wrestler *

Fred Carr Freddie Alton Carr (August 19, 1946 – February 19, 2018) was an American football player who played linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1968 to 1977. Carr attended Phoenix Union High School, where ...

, NFL player, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame inductee *

Frank Castillo Frank Anthony Castillo (April 1, 1969 – July 28, 2013) was an American Major League Baseball starting pitcher. Castillo played for the Chicago Cubs (1991–1997), Colorado Rockies (1997), Detroit Tigers (1998), Toronto Blue Jays (2000), Bo ...

, baseball player *

Andy Cohen Andrew Joseph Cohen (born June 2, 1968) is an American radio and television talk show host, producer, and writer. Cohen is the host and executive producer of Bravo's late night talk show, '' Watch What Happens Live!'' He also has a pop culture ...

, Major League Baseball second baseman and coach *

Randall "Tex" Cobb Randall Craig "Tex" Cobb (born May 7, 1950) is an American actor, martial artist, and former professional boxer who competed in the heavyweight division. Widely considered to possess one of the greatest chins of all time, Cobb was a brawler who ...

, boxer * Alan Culpepper, Olympic runner *

Christian Cunningham Christian Cianan Cunningham (born November 21, 1997) is an American basketball player who last played for Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He plays the forward position. Biography Cunningham was born in El Paso, Texas ...

(born 1997), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League * Mark Dantonio, college football coach * Billy Davis, NFL player, two-time Super Bowl champion * Jamie Dick, NASCAR driver * Manny Fernandez, wrestler *

Tim Floyd Tim Floyd (born February 25, 1954) is a former American college basketball coach, most recently the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). He was formerly the head coach of several teams in the NCAA and the NBA. Floyd is also k ...

, basketball coach * James Forbes, basketball player * Greg Foster, basketball player *

Mark Grudzielanek Mark James Grudzielanek (; born June 30, 1970) is a former Major League Baseball second baseman and shortstop. Grudzielanek played for six different teams during his 15-season career. He batted and threw right-handed. He was most recently the ma ...

, baseball player *

Chavo Guerrero Sr. Salvador Guerrero Llanes (January 7, 1949 – February 11, 2017), better known as Chavo Guerrero or Chavo Guerrero Sr., and also known during the 21st century as "Chavo Classic", was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for ...

, professional wrestler * Chavo Guerrero Jr., professional wrestler *

Eddie Guerrero Eduardo Gory Guerrero Llanes (October 9, 1967 – November 13, 2005) was an American professional wrestler. He was a prominent member of the Guerrero wrestling family, being the son of first-generation wrestler Gory Guerrero. Eddie Guerrero i ...

, professional wrestler former

WWE Champion The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDow ...

professional wrestling personality for

Don Haskins Donald Lee Haskins (March 14, 1930 – September 7, 2008), nicknamed "The Bear", was an American basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for three years under coach Henry Iba at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University). He w ...

, basketball coach, Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee * J. P. Hayes, professional golfer *

Tuff Hedeman Richard Neale "Tuff" Hedeman (born March 2, 1963) is an American former professional rodeo cowboy who specializes in bull riding. He won the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) bull riding world championship three times (1986, 1989 and ...

, rodeo performer *

Butch Henry Floyd Bluford "Butch" Henry III (born October 7, 1968) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who played for five MLB teams from 1992 to 1999. Listed at and , he pitched and batted left-handed. Henry has also been a coach in ...

, baseball pitcher and Minor League manager *

Bruce Holmes Bruce Barton Holmes (born October 24, 1965) is a former American football linebacker who played two seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings. He was drafted by the Chiefs in the twelfth round ...

, football player *

Chris Jacke Christopher Lee Jacke (born March 12, 1966) is a former professional American football placekicker best known for playing for the Green Bay Packers in the National Football League. Before his NFL career, Jacke played collegiately at the Univer ...

, NFL player, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame inductee *

Marcell Jacobs Lamont Marcell Jacobs Jr. (born 26 September 1994) is an Italian track and field sprinter and former long jumper. He is the 2020 Olympic 100 metres champion, the 2022 60 metres world champion, the 2022 European 100 metres champion, and a memb ...

, Olympic sprinter * Aaron Jones, NFL player *

Shawn Jordan Shawn Martin Jordan (born October 24, 1984) is an American professional mixed martial artist who last competed in the Professional Fighters League's Heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 2009, Jordan has also formerly competed for ...

, LSU Football Champion, UFC Fighter *

Seth Joyner Seth,; el, Σήθ ''Sḗth''; ; "placed", "appointed") in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Mandaeism, and Sethianism, was the third son of Adam and Eve and brother of Cain and Abel, their only other child mentioned by name in the Hebrew Bib ...

, professional football player * Juan Lazcano, boxer *

Nik Lentz Nik Lentz (born August 13, 1984) is an American retired mixed martial artist. He most notably fought for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, fighting in the lightweight division. Background Lentz was born in El Paso, Texas but grew up in Twin ...

, mixed martial artist * Marshall Leonard, professional soccer player *

Will Licon William Andrew Licon ( ; born August 25, 1994) is an American competitive swimmer who specializes in breaststroke and medley events. He currently competes for the professional team LA Current in the International Swimming League. Licon is a ...

, swimmer *

Don Maynard Donald Rogers Maynard (January 25, 1935 – January 10, 2022) was an American professional American football, football wide receiver known for playing for the New York Jets in the National Football League (NFL). He also played with the New York ...

, professional football player * Taj McWilliams-Franklin, professional basketball player * Ray Mickens, professional football player *

Ricardo Pepi Ricardo Daniel Pepi (born January 9, 2003) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a striker for Eredivisie club FC Groningen, on loan from FC Augsburg, and the United States national team. Early life Pepi was born in El Paso, ...

, professional soccer player *

Danny Perez Danny Perez is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. Perez was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the twenty-first round of the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft. He played at the Major League level with the team in 1996. Perez played at t ...

, professional baseball player * Mike Price, college football coach * Omar Quintanilla, professional baseball player *

Nolan Richardson Nolan Richardson Jr. (born December 27, 1941) is a former American basketball head coach best known for his tenure at the University of Arkansas, where he won the 1994 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament and led the Razorbacks to three F ...

, basketball coach Nolan_Richardson

* David Rodriguez professional boxer *

Sandra Rushing Sandra Rushing is an American women's college basketball coach. She has served as head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), Delta State University, and the University of Central Arkansas (UCA). When she left UTEP, she had the best r ...

, basketball coach *

Omar Salgado Omar Salgado (born September 10, 1993) is an American soccer player. Career Club Salgado began his career at the youth ranks of top Mexican club Guadalajara. Before that, he played for the El Paso Texas Fire Soccer club and attended Cathedral ...

, professional soccer player *

Dick Savitt Richard Savitt (March 4, 1927 – January 6, 2023) was an American tennis player. In 1951, at the age of 24, he won both the Australian and Wimbledon men's singles championships. Savitt was mostly ranked world No. 2 the same year behind fellow ...

, professional tennis player * Willie Shoemaker, jockey * John Skelton, NFL quarterback * Paul Smith, football player * Paul Stankowski, professional golfer *

Ed Stansbury Edmund Elisala Stansbury (Ed Ieremia-Stansbury) (born May 3, 1979) is a former professional American football fullback in the National Football League. He attended UCLA The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-gran ...

, NFL player * Reece "Goose" Tatum, professional basketball player * Kenny Thomas, professional basketball player * Tony Tolbert, professional American footballer * Lee Trevino, professional golfer *

Austin Trout Austin Dwayne Trout (born September 18, 1985) is an American professional boxer who held the WBA (Regular) light middleweight title from 2011 to 2013. He is also a three-time light middleweight world title challenger; challenging twice for the IB ...

, professional boxer *

Jesse Whittenton Urshell James "Jesse" Whittenton (May 9, 1934 – May 21, 2012) was an American football American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of ...

, NFL player, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame inductee * Brian Young, football player * Jake Young, football player *

Alan Zinter Alan Michael Zinter (born May 19, 1968) is an American former professional baseball player and hitting coach. He played for Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) in 1999 and with the Houston Astros and Arizona Diamondbacks of Major ...

, baseball player and coach

Educators and librarians

Blanca Enriquez, educator and director of Head Start * Betty Mary Goetting (1897-1980), librarian and activist *

Olga Bernstein Kohlberg Olga Bernstein Kohlberg (August 2, 1864,– August 12, 1935) was a History of the Jews in Texas, Jewish Texan philanthropist and founder of the first public kindergarten in Texas. Kohlberg served as president of the Women's Club (El Paso, Texas ...

(1864-1935), philanthropist and founder of first public kindergarten in Texas * Dionne Mack (born 1973), librarian and deputy city manager *

Francis Joseph Mullin Francis Joseph Mullin (December 16, 1906 – February 13, 1997), also often known as F.J. Mullin or Joe Mullin, was an American academic and the seventh president of Shimer College. He was raised Catholic Church, Catholic, but became an Episcop ...

, president of

Shimer College Shimer Great Books School (pronounced ) is a Great Books college that is part of North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. Prior to 2017, Shimer was an independent, accredited college on the south side of Chicago, with a history of being ...

Diana Natalicio Diana Natalicio (née Diana Siedhoff; August 25, 1939 – September 24, 2021) was an American academic administrator who served as 10th president of the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) from 1988 to 2019. After growing up in St. Louis, Nat ...

(born 1939), first woman to serve as president of UTEP * Mary Irene Stanton (1862-1946), founder of the El Paso Public Library * Maud Durlin Sullivan (1870-1943), librarian at the El Paso Public Library * Josefina Villamil Tinajero, bilingual educator * María Guillermina Valdes Villalva (1939-1991), scholar and educator *

Kimie Yanagawa Kimie Yanagawa Sanematsu (Tokuyama) (January 1, 1915 - August 23, 1997) was an American educator. In 1953 she was the first Japanese person to be naturalized in the United States since 1922, and the first in El Paso, Texas. News from the time perio ...

(1915-1997), educator and first Japanese person naturalized in the United States

Video Games

, animator and director; co-creator of

Dragon's Lair ''Dragon's Lair'' is a video game franchise created by Rick Dyer and Don Bluth. The series is famous for its Western animation-style graphics and complex decades-long history of being ported to many platforms and being remade into television a ...

* Rawson Stovall, video game producer/designer, author, and first nationally syndicated reviewer of video games

Others

* Jay J. Armes, private investigator * Josephine Clardy Fox (1881-1971), businesswoman and philanthropist. *

Christine Gonzalez Christine Gonzalez Aldeis is an American train engineer. She became the first woman to work as an engineer on a Class 1 railroad. Aldeis was born and raised in El Paso, Texas where she came from a family that had strong ties to the railroad indus ...

, train engineer *

Fred Imus Frederic Moore Imus (January 11, 1942 – August 6, 2011) was an American radio talk show host and the younger brother of radio talk show host Don Imus. He hosted ''Trailer Park Bash'', a weekly country music program launched on May 6, 2006, on Sa ...

, radio personality, brother of

Don Imus John Donald Imus Jr. (July 23, 1940 – December 27, 2019), also known mononymously as Imus, was an American radio personality, television show host, recording artist, and author. His radio show, '' Imus in the Morning'', was aired on various sta ...

Peter E. Kern Peter E. Kern (October 13, 1860 - February 8, 1937) was a jeweler and real-estate entrepreneur in El Paso, Texas and Skagway, Alaska. Kern Place in El Paso is named after him. Kern was keenly interested in astrology. Kern was a Freemason and had ...

(1860-1937), real estate entrepreneur * Ruth Kern (1914-2002), lawyer and *

Ginger Kerrick Ginger Kerrick is an American physicist at NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. She is the first Hispanic female to be flight director at NASA. Education Kerrick graduated second in her class from Hanks High School in El Paso, Texas, and was n ...

, physicist *

Richard Ramirez Ricardo "Richard" Leyva Muñoz Ramirez (; February 29, 1960 – June 7, 2013), dubbed the Night Stalker, the Valley Intruder (as his attacks were first clustered in the San Gabriel Valley), and the Walk-in Killer was an American serial kil ...

, serial killer * George Angel Rivas Jr., criminal, leader of the

Texas Seven The Texas 7 were a group of prisoners who escaped from the John B. Connally Unit near Kenedy, Texas, on December 13, 2000. Six of the seven were apprehended over a month later, between January 21–23, 2001, as a direct result of the television s ...

* Aaron Sanchez, chef *

Eugenia Schuster Eugenia Mananyi Schuster (1865–1946) was a community activist in El Paso, Texas, and one of the presidents of the Woman's Club of El Paso. She was also the founder of the El Paso Pan-American Round Table. Biography Schuster was born in Hungary ...

(1865-1946), community activist * Fannie S. Spitz, inventor * Ron Stallworth, police officer, subject of movie

BlacKkKlansman ''BlacKkKlansman'' is a 2018 American biographical black comedy crime thriller film directed by Spike Lee and written by Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, Kevin Willmott and Lee, based on the 2014 memoir ''Black Klansman'' by Ron Stallworth. ...

* Leona Ford Washington (1928-2007), community activist and writer of the song, "The City of El Paso," El Paso's official song * Wulf Zendik, author, environmentalist, founder of Zendik Farm commune and art cooperative.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of People From El Paso, Texas *

El Paso El Paso (; "the pass") is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the s ...