The 20 Greatest People From Seattle

Grunge royalty and jazz legends share this list with software billionaires, Broadway stars and an Olympic speed skater. All of them came out of the same rain-soaked city, and most never stopped talking about it.

1. 1
   Jimi Hendrix

   Seattle-born guitarist widely regarded as the greatest electric guitarist in rock history.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Minoru Yamasaki

   Seattle-born architect who designed the original World Trade Center towers.
   862pts
3. 3
   Sir Mix-a-Lot

   Seattle-born rapper behind the Grammy-winning Baby Got Back.
   731pts
4. 4
   Dyan Cannon

   Oscar-nominated actress raised in Seattle, known for Heaven Can Wait and Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
   633pts
5. 5
   Bill Gates

   Seattle-born Microsoft co-founder who grew up in the city and attended Lakeside School.
   633pts
6. 6
   Chris Cornell

   Seattle-born singer of Soundgarden and Audioslave, one of grunge's defining voices.
   632pts
7. 7
   Frances Farmer

   Seattle-born 1930s film actress whose turbulent life became a Hollywood legend.
   632pts
8. 8
   Mary McCarthy

   Seattle-born novelist and critic who wrote The Group.
   548pts
9. 9
   Apolo Ohno

   Seattle-born short-track speed skater and eight-time Olympic medalist.
   548pts
10. 10
    Gypsy Rose Lee

    Seattle-born burlesque star whose memoir became the musical Gypsy.
    548pts
11. 11
    Quincy Jones

    Producer of Thriller and 28-time Grammy winner who grew up in Seattle and started out in its jazz clubs.
    448pts
12. 12
    Fred Couples

    Seattle-born golfer who won the 1992 Masters and was world number one.
    448pts
13. 13
    Bruce Lee

    Martial arts icon who studied at the University of Washington, opened his first school in Seattle and is buried there.
    448pts
14. 14
    Macklemore

    Seattle-raised rapper whose Thrift Shop and Can't Hold Us topped the charts.
    448pts
15. 15
    Carol Channing

    Seattle-born Broadway star who originated Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!
    448pts
16. 16
    Kenny G

    Seattle-born saxophonist and one of the best-selling instrumental artists of all time.
    329pts
17. 17
    Duff McKagan

    Seattle-born bassist of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver.
    329pts
18. 18
    Jean Smart

    Seattle-born actress who won Emmys for Hacks, Frasier and Samantha Who?.
    329pts
19. 19
    Paul Allen

    Seattle-born Microsoft co-founder who later owned the Seahawks and Trail Blazers and founded MoPOP.
    0pts
20. 20
    Rainn Wilson

    Seattle-born actor best known as Dwight Schrute on The Office.
    0pts

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