Back in 1995, a series of rejections resulted in an unexpected opportunity—thirty years later, I would be able to write a blog post about famous musicians from St. Louis.
It all started when the vast majority of East Coast universities were unimpressed with my video-game-playing and baseball-watching resume, leaving my fate up to admissions committees in the Midwest. One school in St. Louis, Missouri, said it would be happy to take my parents’ money, which it did.
Little did I know that the city on the Mississippi River would offer so much—striking population loss, numerous abandoned buildings, notoriously high crime, and a suboptimal national reputation.
Stated another way, it was my type of place.
In between meeting a wife and downing Anheuser-Busch products, I was introduced to a basic life truth: Beat-up towns make great art.
Let this list of famous musicians from St. Louis serve as proof.
Scott Joplin (1868-1917)
Ragtime, defined by its syncopated piano compositions, had its heyday at the turn of the 20th century, and Joplin was its master. Born in Texas to a former slave, the King of Ragtime spent some of his most productive years in St. Louis, where he wrote one of his most famous works, “The Entertainer.” You’ll recognize it from this mistake-riddled yet world-famous version.
Miles Davis (1926-1991)
Davis grew up just across the Mississippi River in East St. Louis, Illinois, known today for making the actual St. Louis seem really nice. As a young man, he dropped out of Juilliard and slowly began his domination of the trumpet and the jazz scene in general. “So What” is the opening track on Kind of Blue, one of the most popular jazz albums of all time.
Chuck Berry (1926-2017)
Berry was born and raised in St. Louis, and his musical gifts would eventually earn him the title Father of Rock and Roll. Later in life, he performed regularly at Blueberry Hill, located in a neighborhood called The Loop—also known as my home for two years. Rather than walk to class, I often walked to the restaurant and music club, where I ate cheeseburgers and familiarized myself with songs like “Johnny B. Goode.”
Tina Turner (1939-2023)
Turner was born in Tennessee but spent her teens and early adulthood in The STL. She went on to become the Queen of Rock and Roll, leaving us all to ask “What’s Love Got To Do With It”?
Michael McDonald (1952-Present)
McDonald, a product of suburban St. Louis, has worked with both Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers. Along the way, he’s also carved out a productive solo career, gifting us tracks like “I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near),” which Gen Xers may recognize from a subsequent Warren G/Nate Dogg tune.
Nelly (1974-Present)
Born in Texas, Nelly later moved a couple states north, where he proved that Midwesterners could rap, too. In his breakout hit “Country Grammar (Hot Sh*t),” he told the country that he was from The Lou—and proud.
SZA (1989-Present)
And finally, there’s SZA, born in St. Louis but raised in New Jersey, a type of geographic reality that rarely prevents undervalued cities from claiming success stories as their own. Thanks to songs like “Kill Bill,” the native daughter’s career is undoubtedly SZA-ling.
Acknowledgement:
The author would like to thank Ivy League admissions committees for making this post possible.
