List of some notable people who have lived in the U.S. State of Colorado
The location of the
State of Colorado in the
United States
This is a list of some notable people who have lived in the
U.S.
State of Colorado . It includes people who were born, raised, or have significant relations with the state.
Coloradans have been prominent in many fields, including literature, entertainment, art, music, politics, and business. This list attempts to maintain biographical notability of significant Coloradans, and to organize historically important men and women hailing from Colorado.
Actors
Tim Allen
Lon Chaney
Douglas Fairbanks
Jake Lloyd (a.k.a. young Anakin Skywalker)
Hattie McDaniel
Amy Adams (raised in
Castle Rock , alumnus of
Douglas County High School ) – actress, nominated five times for an
Oscar for performances in
Junebug ,
Doubt ,
The Fighter ,
The Master and
American Hustle
Tim Allen (born in
Denver ) – film and television actor,
comedian , winner of a
Golden Globe Award (1993, nominated six times);
[1] star of
The Santa Clause ,
Toy Story and the television series
Home Improvement and
Last Man Standing
Baby Marie (real name Marie Osborne; born in
Denver ) – film actress and
costumer , starred in numerous silent films as a child
Roseanne Barr (lived in
Denver ) – film and television actress,
comedian ;
Golden Globe Award winner, and a Primetime
Emmy Award winner;
[2] starred in
Roseanne and was host of
The Roseanne Show
Earl W. Bascom (cowboyed in Northwest Colorado) – film and television actor in Hollywood western
The Lawless Rider and in television commercials with
Roy Rogers
Barbara Bates (born in
Denver ) – actress, featured in such films as
All About Eve and
The Caddy
Melissa Benoist (born in
Houston, Texas ; raised in
Littleton, Colorado – actress and singer, star of 2015 television series
Supergirl
[3]
Jessica Biel (born in MN and lived in
Boulder ) – film and television actress, starred in
7th Heaven and films including
Easy Virtue ,
The Illusionist and
Playing for Keeps
Julie Bishop (born in
Denver ) – actress featured in many 1930s and 1940s films
Kelly Bishop (born in
Colorado Springs ; raised in
Denver ) – film and television actress, played
Emily Gilmore on
Gilmore Girls
Michael Boatman (born in
Colorado Springs ) – film and television actor, co-starred in such TV shows as
Spin City ,
China Beach ,
Arliss
Frank Bogert (born in Mesa, Colorado) – rodeo announcer, actor, author, Mayor of Palm Springs California, Walk of Stars honoree
Sierra Boggess (born in
Denver ) – actress and singer;
Laurence Olivier Award and
Drama Desk Award -nominated
Broadway and
West End soprano; originated parts of Christine Daae in
Love Never Dies and Ariel in
The Little Mermaid
Tom Bower (born in
Denver ) – film and television actor, played Dr. Curtis Willard on
The Waltons
Jason Brooks (born in
Colorado Springs ) – film and television actor, played Sean Monroe on
Baywatch Hawaii and Peter Blake on
Days of Our Lives
Zachery Ty Bryan (born in
Aurora ) – film and television actor, starred in
Home Improvement
Molly Burnett (born in
Denver ) – television actress, starred on
Days of Our Lives
Spring Byington (born in
Colorado Springs ) – actress, star of many films and television series;
December Bride
Mary Jo Catlett (born in
Denver ) – film and television actress, played Pearl Gallagher, the housekeeper, on
Diff'rent Strokes and does the voice of Mrs. Puff on
SpongeBob SquarePants
Kristin Cavallari (born in
Denver ) –
reality television
personality and actress best known for appearing in
MTV 's
Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County and
The Hills
Lon Chaney (born in
Colorado Springs ) – actor in films of 1910s and 1920s, subject of biographical film
Man of a Thousand Faces
"Baby" Lyssa Chapman (born 1987
Denver ) – bounty hunter and television personality
Beth Chapman (born in
Denver ) –
bounty hunter and television personality
Duane "Dog" Chapman (born 1953 in
Denver ) – bounty hunter and television personality
Don Cheadle (alumnus of
East High School ) – actor,
Oscar nominee and two-time Golden Globe Award winner, four-time
Emmy Award nominee and Grammy winner; known for films
Boogie Nights ,
Hotel Rwanda ,
Ocean's Eleven ,
The Rat Pack and
Iron Man 2
[4]
Ken Curtis (born in
Las Animas ; attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs) – actor, musician; starred in TV series
Gunsmoke and in western films
The Searchers and
The Alamo
Kristin Davis (born in
Boulder ) – actress, star of
Sex and the City television series and films
Brian Dietzen (lived in
Boulder ; attended
University of Colorado Boulder ) – actor, co-star of
NCIS as the young Dr.
Jimmy Palmer
Thomas Doerr (lives in Boulder, Colorado) – architect, author, and educator at the
University of Colorado Boulder
Big Jack Earle (born in
Denver ) – silent film actor, sideshow performer and tall man
Ralph Edwards (born in
Merino ) – television
host and
producer known for
This Is Your Life and
Truth or Consequences
Chris Eigeman (born in
Denver ) – actor best known for
Whit Stillman films
Metropolitan ,
Barcelona , and
The Last Days of Disco ; starred in
ABC's
It's Like, You Know... and played
Jason Stiles on
Gilmore Girls
Douglas Fairbanks (born in
Denver , attended
East High School and the
Colorado School of Mines ) – film actor, first president of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (1927–1929), posthumous winner of an honorary Academy Award (1940)
[5] and star of numerous films during the 1910s and 1920s
David Fincher (born in
Denver ) – director of such films as
Zodiac ,
Fight Club ,
Seven and
Gone Girl
Joel Geist (born in
Denver ) – film and television actor
Jacque Georgia (lives in
Aurora ) – actress, author, Mrs. Colorado United States 2019
[6]
Pam Grier (attended
East High School in
Denver ) – actress, star of films including
Foxy Brown and
Jackie Brown
Devon Gummersall (born in
Durango ) – film television actor, played Brian Kraków on
ABC's
teen drama
My So-Called Life
Jon Heder (born in
Fort Collins ) – actor, played title character in
Napoleon Dynamite
Michael "Ffish" Hemschoot (born in
Parker ) – director, animator and visual effects artist in films
Kelo Henderson (born in
Pueblo ) – co-starred in 1957–1959
syndicated
western
television series
26 Men , based on case files of
Arizona Rangers law-enforcement team
Gregg Henry (born in
Lakewood ) – film and television actor, known for his roles in
Guardians of the Galaxy ,
Payback ,
Body Double and
Slither , as well as playing Hollis Doyle on
Scandal
Neil Hopkins (lived in
Aurora ; attended
Regis Jesuit High School ) – film and television actor
Steve Howey (lived in
Lakewood ); attended Green Mountain High School – film and television actor, played Van on
Reba television show and has been in various films, including Bride Wars
Olin Howland (born in
Denver ) – film and television actor
Matt Iseman (born in
Denver ) – comedian, actor, television host, and winner of
The New Celebrity Apprentice
Daniel Junge (lives in
Denver ) – Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker
Brandy Ledford (born in
Denver ) – actress, model, former
Penthouse Pet of the Year; played
Dawn Masterton on
Baywatch and
Doyle on
Andromeda
Sheryl Lee (grew up in
Boulder , alumnus of
Fairview High School ) – film and television actress, played
Laura Palmer and
Maddy Ferguson on
Twin Peaks and Dr. Sarah Church on
L.A. Doctors
Jake Lloyd (born in
Fort Collins ) – film actor, played young
Anakin Skywalker on
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
Scott Lowell (born in
Denver ) – film and television actor, starred in
Queer as Folk
John Carroll Lynch (born in
Boulder ) – actor, starred in films including
Zodiac and
The Founder
Ross Marquand – born in
Fort Collins, Colorado ; attended
University of Colorado Boulder ) – actor, recurring main character of TV series
The Walking Dead
Hattie McDaniel (lived in
Fort Collins and
Denver , attended
East High School ) – film and television actress, winner of an Academy Award (1940) for
Gone with the Wind
T. J. Miller (born in
Denver ) – actor and stand-up comedian, voice of Tuffnut in
How to Train Your Dragon and
Ranger Jones in
Yogi Bear , played Hud in
Cloverfield
Bill Murray (attended
Regis University in
Denver ) – film and television actor,
comedian , starred in
Saturday Night Live ,
Ghostbusters ,
Caddyshack ,
Rushmore , and
Lost in Translation
Tracey Needham (grew up in
Denver ) – film and television actress, appeared as Paige Thatcher on
Life Goes On , Lt. Meg Austin on
JAG , and as Inspector Candace "C. D." DeLorenzo on
The Division
Cyrus Nowrasteh (born in
Boulder ) – screenwriter and director for theatrical films, television films and shows; notable works include the miniseries
The Path to 9/11 , the drama
The Stoning of Soraya M. , and the television film
The Day Reagan Was Shot
Stephen Thomas Ochsner – actor, director, musician, artist, translator and producer
Peter O'Fallon (born in
Denver ) – film and television director, created NBC sci-fi/drama series
Mysterious Ways , directed such films as
Suicide Kings and
A Rumor of Angels
Debra Paget (born in
Denver ) – actress, star of films including
The Ten Commandments and
Love Me Tender
Trey Parker (born in
Conifer , alumnus of
Evergreen High School , attended
University of Colorado Boulder ) – actor,
animator ,
director ,
producer , musician,
screenwriter ; nominated for an Academy Award (2000) and winner of two
Emmy Awards (2005 and 2007, nominated seven times);
[7] co-creator of
South Park
Antoinette Perry (born in
Denver ) – stage actress and
director , co-founder of the
American Theatre Wing , posthumous namesake of the Antoinette Perry Awards for Excellence in Theatre, better known as the
Tony Awards
[8]
Amanda Peterson (born in 1971 in
Greeley ) – film and television actress, starred in
Can't Buy Me Love
Cassandra Peterson (also known as Elvira; lived in
Colorado Springs , alumnus of
Palmer High School ) – film and television actress, starred in
Elvira, Mistress of the Dark
Joseph C. Phillips (born in
Denver ) – actor, played Lt.
Martin Kendall on
The Cosby Show
Denver Pyle (born in
Bethune ) – actor featured in films including
Bonnie and Clyde and on television; played Uncle Jesse in
The Dukes of Hazzard
Brandon Quinn (born in
Aurora ) – actor, starred as Tommy Dawkins in
Big Wolf on Campus
Kelly Reno (born in
Pueblo ) – actor, starred in film
The Black Stallion and its
sequel
Kristen Renton (born in
Denver ) – actress, played
Morgan Hollingsworth on
Days of Our Lives
AnnaSophia Robb (born and lives in
Denver ) – film and television actress, starred in
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and
Bridge to Terabithia
Mark Roberts (born in
Denver ) – actor who appeared in over 100 films
Karly Rothenberg (born in
Denver ) – film and television actress
Barbara Rush (born in
Denver ) – actress, star of films including
The Young Philadelphians ,
The Young Lions ,
Bigger Than Life ,
Robin and the 7 Hoods and
Hombre
Kristen Schaal (born in
Longmont ) – actress and
comedian , played Mel on
Flight of the Conchords and Louise on
Bob's Burgers
Charity Shea (born in
Denver ) – actress, starred as
Samantha Best on teen drama
The Best Years
Matt Stone (lived in
Denver and
Littleton , alumnus of
Heritage High School and the
University of Colorado Boulder ) – actor, musician,
producer , writer; winner of two
Emmy Awards (2005 and 2007, nominated seven times);
[9] co-creator of
South Park
Sherry Stringfield (born in
Colorado Springs ) – actress, starred in TV series
ER
Tom Tully (born in
Durango ) – film and television actor, nominated for an Academy Award in 1955 for
The Caine Mutiny , starred in
CBS 's
police drama ,
The Lineup and co-starred in
ABC's
western TV series
Shane in 1966
Jan-Michael Vincent (born in
Denver ) – film and television actor, played helicopter pilot
Stringfellow Hawke on 1980s series
Airwolf (1984–1986)
Frank Welker (born in
Denver ) – voice actor, played Fred in
Scooby-Doo and Nibbler in
Futurama
David White (born in
Denver ) – film and television actor, featured in TV series
Bewitched
Sheree J. Wilson (lived in Boulder) – actress, played Alex Cahill in TV series
Walker, Texas Ranger
Artists, photographers
Robert Adams (lived in Colorado) – photographer of the western
landscape ; received two
Guggenheim Fellowships , a
MacArthur Fellowship ; works are in the permanent collection of the
Museum of Modern Art in New York
[10]
Earl W. Bascom (lived in Colorado) – artist, sculptor, cousin of western artist
Frederic Remington , lived and worked in Northwest Colorado during the late 1920s
John Fabian Carlson (lived in
Colorado Springs ) – painter, director and an instructor at the Broadmoor Academy, a precursor to the current
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
[11] and founder of the John F. Carlson School of Landscape Painting
[12]
Tomory Dodge (born in
Denver ; alumnus of
South High School (Denver) – artist, paintings in public collections including the
Whitney Museum of American Art and the
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Jess E. DuBois (born in
Denver ) – artist, advocate of Indian art
John Fielder – landscape photographer and nature writer
William Henry Jackson (lived in
Denver ) –
photographer for the
United States Geological Survey and
Union Pacific Railroad , created one of the largest and most expansive western photographic collections in the world
[13]
Frank Tenney Johnson – western artist related to artists Frederic Remington and Earl Bascom, lived and cowboyed near Hayden
Barry Kooser (born in
Wheat Ridge ; alumnus of
Arvada West High School ) –
Disney artist ,
fine art painter and
CCO of
Worker Studio
David Burroughs Mattingly (born in
Fort Collins ) –
illustrator and
painter known for book covers of
science fiction and
fantasy literature
Amanda Marie Ploegsma – known as Amanda Marie (born in the Netherlands, lives in Colorado) – artist, alumna of
Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design ,
stencilist of storybook imagery in contemporary murals and paintings
Robert Reid (lived in
Colorado Springs ) – painter, instructor at the
School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston , the
Cooper Union , and the
Broadmoor Academy
[11]
Wendi Schneider (lives in
Denver ) – Denver-based photographer of
nature and
wildlife ; often prints on
paper vellum with hand-applied layers of
gold leaf
[14]
Astronauts
Loren Acton (born 1936) – mission specialist on
STS-51-F
Jeffrey Ashby (born 1954) – pilot of
STS-93 and
STS-100 ; commander of
STS-112
Patrick Baudry (born 1946) – payload specialist on
STS-51-G
John E. Blaha (born 1942) – pilot of
STS-29 and
STS-33 ; commander of
STS-43 and
STS-58 ; Mission Specialist on
STS-79 ,
STS-81 , and
Mir space station
Michael J. Bloomfield (born 1959) – pilot of
STS-86 and
STS-97 ; commander of
STS-110
Karol J. Bobko (born 1935) – pilot of
STS-6 ; commander of
STS-51-D and
STS-51-J
Eric A. Boe (born 1964) – pilot of
STS-126
Vance D. Brand (born 1931) –
Mercury astronaut ; Apollo docking module pilot on the
Apollo–Soyuz Test Project ; commander of
STS-5 ,
STS-41-B , and
STS-35
Roy D. Bridges Jr. (born 1943) – pilot of
STS-51-F ; director of the
Kennedy Space Center (1997–2003); director of
Langley Research Center (2003–2005)
Curtis Brown (born 1956) – pilot of
STS-47 ,
STS-66 , and
STS-77 ; commander of
STS-85 ,
STS-95 , and
STS-103
Scott Carpenter (1925–2013) – pilot of
Mercury-Atlas 7 (Aurora 7); fourth human to orbit the Earth (1962)
Gerald P. Carr (1932–2020) – commander of
Skylab 4 (1973–1974)
John Casper (born 1943) – pilot of
STS-36 ; commander of
STS-54 ,
STS-62 , and
STS-77
Kalpana Chawla (1961–2003) – mission specialist on
STS-87 and
STS-107 ; killed on February 1, 2003, on the reentry of the
Space Shuttle Columbia
Kevin P. Chilton (born 1954) – pilot of
STS-49 and
STS-59 ; commander of
STS-76
Mary L. Cleave (born 1947) – mission specialist on
STS-61-B and
STS-30
Gordon Cooper (1927–2004) – pilot of
Mercury-Atlas 9 (Faith 7); command pilot of
Gemini V
Richard O. Covey (born 1946) – pilot of
STS-51-I and
STS-26 ; commander of
STS-38 and
STS-61
Takao Doi (born 1954) – mission specialist on
STS-87
B. Alvin Drew (born 1962) – mission specialist on
STS-118
Brian Duffy (born 1953) – pilot of
STS-45 and
STS-57 ; commander of
STS-72 and
STS-92
Samuel T. Durrance (born 1943) – payload specialist on
STS-35 and
STS-67
James Dutton (born 1968) – pilot of
STS-131
Martin J. Fettman (born 1956) – payload specialist on
STS-58
Dale Gardner (1948–2014) – mission specialist on
STS-8 and
STS-51-A
Guy Gardner (born 1948) – pilot of
STS-27 and
STS-35
Ronald J. Grabe (born 1945) – pilot of
STS-51-J and
STS-30 ; commander of
STS-42 and
STS-57
Frederick D. Gregory (born 1941) – pilot of
STS-51-B ; commander of
STS-33 and
STS-44
William G. Gregory (born 1957) – pilot of
STS-67
Sidney M. Gutierrez (born 1951) – pilot of
STS-40 ; commander of
STS-59
James D. Halsell (born 1956) – pilot of
STS-65 and
STS-74 ; commander of
STS-83 ,
STS-94 , and
STS-101
L. Blaine Hammond (born 1952) – pilot of
STS-39 and
STS-64
Susan J. Helms (born 1958) – mission specialist on
STS-54 ,
STS-64 ,
STS-78 ,
STS-101 ,
STS-102 , and
STS-105 ; flight engineer of
International Space Station
Expedition 2 (2001)
Terence T. Henricks (born 1952) – pilot of
STS-44 and
STS-55 ; commander of
STS-70 and
STS-78
John Herrington (born 1958) – mission specialist on
STS-113
Richard Hieb (born 1955) – mission specialist on
STS-39 ,
STS-49 , and
STS-65
James Irwin (1930–1991) –
lunar module pilot on
Apollo 15 ; eighth human to walk on the Moon (1971)
Marsha Ivins (born 1951) – mission specialist on
STS-32 ,
STS-46 ,
STS-62 ,
STS-81 , and
STS-98
Gregory H. Johnson (born 1962) – pilot of
STS-123 and
STS-134
Thomas D. Jones (born 1955) – mission specialist on
STS-59 ,
STS-80 , and
STS-98 ; payload commander on
STS-68
James M. Kelly (born 1964) – pilot of
STS-102 and
STS-114
Kevin R. Kregel (born 1956) – pilot of
STS-70 and
STS-78 ; commander of
STS-87 and
STS-99
Mark C. Lee (born 1952) – mission specialist on
STS-30 ,
STS-64 , and
STS-82 ; payload commander of
STS-47
Kjell N. Lindgren (born 1973) – flight engineer and mission specialist on
International Space Station
Expedition 44 and
Expedition 45
Steven W. Lindsey (born 1960) – pilot of
STS-87 and
STS-95 ; commander of
STS-104 and
STS-121
John M. Lounge (1946–2011) – mission specialist on
STS-51-I ,
STS-26 , and
STS-35
Bruce McCandless II (1937–2017)
Donald R. McMonagle (born 1952) – mission specialist on
STS-39 ; pilot of
STS-54 ; commander of
STS-66
Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger (born 1975) – mission specialist on
STS-131
George Nelson (born 1950) – mission specialist on
STS-41-C ,
STS-61-C , and
STS-26
Ellison Onizuka (1946–1986) – mission specialist on
STS-51-C and
STS-51-L ; killed on January 28, 1986, on the ascent of the
Space Shuttle Challenger
William A. Pailes (born 1952) – payload specialist on
STS-51-J
Scott E. Parazynski (born 1961) – payload specialist on
STS-66 ; mission specialist on
STS-86 ,
STS-95 ,
STS-100 , and
STS-120
Charles J. Precourt (born 1955) – mission specialist on
STS-55 ; pilot of
STS-71 ; commander of
STS-84 and
STS-91
Kent Rominger (born 1956) – pilot of
STS-73 ,
STS-80 , and
STS-85 ; commander of
STS-96 and
STS-100
Stuart Roosa (1933–1994) –
command module pilot on
Apollo 14 ; eleventh human to orbit the Moon (1971)
Richard A. Searfoss (1956–2018) – pilot of
STS-58 and
STS-76 ; commander of
STS-90
Ronald M. Sega (born 1952) – mission specialist on
STS-60 and
STS-76
Loren Shriver (born 1944) – pilot of
STS-41-B ; commander of
STS-31 and
STS-46
Robert L. Stewart (born 1942) – mission specialist on
STS-41-C and
STS-51-J
Steven Swanson (born 1960) – mission specialist on
STS-117 and
STS-119 ,
International Space Station
expeditions 39 and
40
Jack Swigert (1931–1982) –
command module pilot on
Apollo 13 mission; orbited the Moon; elected to the
United States Congress , but died before taking office
Joseph R. Tanner (born 1950) – mission specialist on
STS-66 ,
STS-82 ,
STS-97 , and
STS-115
James van Hoften (born 1944) – mission specialist on
STS-41-C and
STS-51-I
Charles L. Veach (1944–1995) – mission specialist on
STS-39 and
STS-52
Terry W. Virts (born 1967) – pilot of
STS-130
James Voss (born 1949) – mission specialist on
STS-44 ,
STS-53 ,
STS-69 ,
STS-101 ,
STS-102 , and
STS-105 ; flight engineer of
International Space Station
Expedition 2 (2001)
Athletes
Jack Dempsey
Goose Gossage
Bobby Unser
David Aardsma (lived in
Greenwood Village ; alumnus of
Cherry Creek High School ) –
Major League Baseball pitcher
Max Aaron (born in Arizona, lives in
Colorado Springs ) – 2013 U.S. national champion
figure skater
Louis Amundson (raised in Boulder, alumnus of
Monarch High School ) – pro basketball player
Heather Armbrust (lives in
Wheat Ridge ) – IFBB professional bodybuilder
Tom Ashworth (born in
Denver , alumnus of
Cherry Creek High School and
University of Colorado Boulder ) – NFL player, member of three NFL
Super Bowl champion teams (Super Bowls
XXXVI ,
XXXVIII and
XXXIX ) with
New England Patriots
Buddy Baer (born in Denver) – boxer and actor, brother of
Max Baer
Kalen Ballage (born in
Peyton ) – running back for the
Miami Dolphins
Josh Bard (born in
Ithaca, New York , moved to
Greenwood Village ; alumnus of
Cherry Creek High School ) – MLB catcher and coach
Earl W. Bascom (lived in Colorado) –
rodeo champion and Hall of Famer, invented rodeo's first hornless bronc saddle and fone-hand bareback rigging, called "father of modern rodeo", lived on White Bear Ranch in Northwest Colorado, married cousin of
Jack Dempsey
[15]
Chauncey Billups (born and raised in
Denver , alumnus of
George Washington High School and
University of Colorado Boulder ) – NBA player for
Denver Nuggets ,
Los Angeles Clippers and champion
Detroit Pistons team (2004); selected as
MVP of NBA Finals (2004), three-time NBA All-Star
Greg Bird (raised in
Aurora ; alumnus of
Grandview High School ) – first baseman for
New York Yankees
Ben Bishop (born in
Denver ) – National Hockey League
goaltender
Jeremy Bloom (born in
Loveland ; alumnus of
Loveland High School and
University of Colorado Boulder ) – Olympic and world champion freestyle moguls skier, played football for University of Colorado and in NFL
Tony Boselli (raised in
Boulder ; alumnus of
Fairview High School in Boulder) – offensive lineman for
USC , second selection of
1995 NFL Draft ; All Pro for
Jacksonville Jaguars
Ronnie Bradford (lived in
Commerce City ; alumnus of Adams City High School and
University of Colorado at Boulder ) – NFL player (1993–2002) for four teams;
special teams coach of
Denver Broncos
William Glenn Brundige (from
Holyoke ) – former NFL defensive end
Calais Campbell (born and raised in
Denver , alumnus of
South High School in Denver, Colorado) – NFL defensive end
Joe Barry Carroll (raised in
Denver , alumnus of
East High School in Denver) – basketball player for
Purdue , first selection of
1980 NBA draft , center and NBA All Star
Tom Chambers (alumnus of
Fairview High School in Boulder) – basketball player, 4-time NBA All Star
Alysha Clark (born 1987) –
American-Israeli basketball player for the Israeli team
Elitzur Ramla and the
Las Vegas Aces of the
Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
E.H. "Dutch" Clark (born in
Fowler ); alumnus of
Pueblo Central High School and
Colorado College ) – Colorado's first All-American football player; player and coach for
Detroit Lions in 1930s; charter member of
Pro Football Hall of Fame
Jon Cooper (born in
Fort Collins ; alumnus of
Fort Collins High School ) – center for
Minnesota Vikings
John Coughlin (1985–2019) – figure skater
[16]
Jesse Crain (lived in Boulder; alumnus of
Fairview High School ) – MLB relief pitcher
Mason Crosby (alumni of
University of Colorado ) – NFL kicker for
Green Bay Packers
Hayden Dalton (born 1996) – basketball player for
Hapoel Holon of the
Israeli Basketball Premier League
Drew Davis (born in
Denver ) –
wide receiver for
Atlanta Falcons
Pat Day (born in
Brush ) – Hall of Fame jockey,
Kentucky Derby winner
Joe DeCamillis (born in
Arvada ) –
special teams coach for
Denver Broncos previously with
Dallas Cowboys ,
Chicago Bears
Jack Dempsey (born in
Manassa ) – professional
boxer , nicknamed "the Manassa Mauler", regarded as boxing's
World Heavyweight Champion from 1919 to 1926
[17] Inducted into the
International Boxing Hall of Fame (1990); author of two books relating to
hand-to-hand combat
Reed Doughty (born in
Greeley ; alumnus of
Theodore Roosevelt High School in Johnstown, Colorado) – safety for
Washington Redskins
Joel Dreessen (lived in
Fort Morgan ; alumnus of Fort Morgan High School) – NFL tight end
Justin Drescher (born in
Colorado Springs ) –
long snapper for
New Orleans Saints
John Elway (lives in
Englewood ) – NFL quarterback (1984–1999) for
Denver Broncos , member of two
Super Bowl champion teams (Super Bowls
XXXII and
XXXIII ), selected as
NFL MVP (1987), MVP of Super Bowl XXXIII, twice as
UPI
AFC Offensive Player of the Year (1987 and 1993), five times for
AP NFL
All-Pro team, nine-time
Pro Bowl selection;
Denver Broncos Ring of Fame (1999),
College Football Hall of Fame (2000), and
Pro Football Hall of Fame (2004), vice president and general manager of Broncos
Alex English (lived in
Denver ) – NBA player (1976–1991) with
Milwaukee Bucks ,
Indiana Pacers ,
Denver Nuggets and
Dallas Mavericks , assistant coach with
Toronto Raptors , seven-time NBA All-Star, inducted into
Basketball Hall of Fame (1997)
Brian Fisher (born in Denver, lives in Aurora) –
Major League Baseball pitcher with
New York Yankees and
Pittsburgh Pirates
Peter Foley (born 1965 or 1966) – former snowboarding coach; suspended for 10 years for sexual misconduct
Missy Franklin (resides in
Centennial ) – five-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, attended
Regis Jesuit High School , and swam collegiality at
UCLA
Ben Garland (born in
Grand Junction ; alumnus of
Central High School ) –
offensive guard for the
Atlanta Falcons
Kevin Gausman (born in
Centennial ; alumnus of
Grandview High School in
Aurora ) –
Major League Baseball pitcher for the
Atlanta Braves
Brian Ginsberg (born 1966, lived in Denver) – gymnast, two-time US junior national gymnastics champion
Arielle Gold (born and lives in Steamboat Springs) – snowboarder; Olympic bronze medalist, Junior World Champion, and World Champion
Taylor Gold (born and lives in Steamboat Springs) – Olympic snowboarder
Richard "Goose" Gossage (born in
Colorado Springs , lives in
Highlands Ranch ) –
Major League Baseball pitcher (1972–1994) for nine teams; member of
1978 World Series champion
New York Yankees , 12-time All-Star, inducted into
National Baseball Hall of Fame (2008)
Daniel Graham (raised in
Denver ; attended
Thomas Jefferson High School ) – NFL tight end
Robert Griswold (born 1996) – swimmer
Roy Halladay (born in
Denver , raised in
Arvada ) – MLB
starting pitcher , won
AL Cy Young Award in 2003,
NL Cy Young Award in 2010; eight-time All-Star
Matt Hasselbeck (born in
Boulder ) – quarterback for four NFL teams, selected three times to
Pro Bowl , commentator
Chase Headley (born in
Fountain ; alumnus of
Fountain-Fort Carson High School ) – third baseman for the
New York Yankees
Phil Heath (lives in
Arvada ) – bodybuilder, twice Mr. Olympia
Taryn Hemmings (born in
Greeley ) – professional soccer player for
Chicago Red Stars and
Boston Breakers , played in Japan for
Tepco Mareeze and in Australia for
Canberra United , all-time leading Division 1 scorer for
University of Denver
Jordan Hicks (born in
Colorado Springs ) –
linebacker for
Philadelphia Eagles
Sarah Hirshland (born 1975), chief executive officer of the
United States Olympic Committee
Luke Hochevar (born in
Denver ) –
relief pitcher for
Kansas City Royals
Noah Hoffman (born 1989) – Olympic skier
Lamarr Houston (raised in
Colorado Springs ; attended
Thomas B. Doherty High School ) – defensive end for
Oakland Raiders
Danny Jackson (lived in
Aurora ; graduated from
Aurora Central High School ) – baseball player, pitcher for
KC Royals ,
Cincinnati Reds ,
Chicago Cubs
Reggie Jackson (lived in
Colorado Springs ; attended
Palmer High School ) – basketball player for NBA's
Oklahoma City Thunder
Vincent Jackson (born and raised in
Colorado Springs ; attended
Widefield High School and
University of Northern Colorado ) – wide receiver for
San Diego Chargers and
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ryan Jensen (born in
Rangely and reared in
Fort Morgan ; attended
Fort Morgan High School and
Colorado State University Pueblo ) – offensive lineman for
Baltimore Ravens , sixth-round pick of 2013
NFL Draft
[18]
Dirk Johnson (raised in Montrose, graduate of Montrose High School and
University of Northern Colorado ) – NFL punter
Seth Jones (born in
Arlington, Texas , but lived in
Denver ) – plays
defense in
NHL currently with
Columbus Blue Jackets
Jonathan Kaye (born in Denver) – professional golfer on
PGA Tour
Ronald Kiefel (lives in Wheat Ridge, born in Boulder) – bronze medal Olympic winner for road cycling' raced in Tour de France 7 times
Mark Knudson (born in Denver, alumnus of
Colorado State University ) –
Major League Baseball pitcher, first Colorado native to play for the
Colorado Rockies
Kevin Kouzmanoff (lived in
Evergreen , alumnus of
Evergreen High School ) –
Major League Baseball player for
Colorado Rockies
Oliver Larraz (born in
Denver ) – soccer player
Buddy Lazier (born in
Vail ) –
auto racing driver, winner of
Indy Racing League championship (2000) and
Indianapolis 500 (1996) – awarded
Indianapolis Motor Speedway 's
Scott Brayton Trophy (2003)
Brad Lidge (attended
Cherry Creek High School in
Greenwood Village and lives in
Englewood ) – relief pitcher for
Philadelphia Phillies ,
Houston Astros
Phillip Lindsay – (raised in
Aurora, Colorado ,
Denver South High School alumnus, and former
University of Colorado Boulder running back) current
National Football League running back
Jacob Lissek (born 1992) – soccer player
Phil Loadholt (lived in
Fountain ; alumnus of
Fountain-Fort Carson High School ) – offensive tackle for the
Minnesota Vikings
Dave Logan (attended
Wheat Ridge High School and
University of Colorado ) – drafted to three professional sports (football, basketball and baseball); wide receiver for
Cleveland Browns and
Denver Broncos ; radio personality on
KOA ; coached high school football teams for
Arvada West High School ,
Chatfield Senior High School ,
Mullen High School , Cherry Creek High School to state championships
Brian Matusz (born in
Grand Junction ) – relief pitcher for
Baltimore Orioles
Christian McCaffrey (born in Castle Rock, alumnus of
Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado) – NFL running back for the
San Francisco 49ers
Brandon McCarthy (lived in
Colorado Springs , attended
Cheyenne Mountain High School ) – MLB pitcher for
Atlanta Braves
Scot McCloughan (raised in
Loveland ; attended
Loveland High School ) – general manager of the
Washington Redskins
Darnell McDonald (born in
Fort Collins ) – attended
Cherry Creek High School ) – outfielder for
Boston Red Sox
Mark Melancon (born in
Wheat Ridge , attended
Golden High School ) –
closer for
Atlanta Braves
Bill Musgrave (raised in Grand Junction) – graduate of Grand Junction High School, football player for
Dallas Cowboys ,
San Francisco 49ers and
Denver Broncos , offensive coordinator for
Minnesota Vikings
Jesse Nading (born in
Highlands Ranch ; alumnus of
ThunderRidge High School ) – defensive end for
Houston Texans
David Pauley (born in
Longmont ) – relief pitcher for
Detroit Tigers ,
Boston Red Sox
Erik Pears (alumnus of
John F. Kennedy High School in
Denver ) – offensive tackle for
San Francisco 49ers
Jake Pemberton (born 1996) – American-Israeli basketball player in the
Israeli National League
Tyler Polumbus (born in
Denver ) – offensive tackle for
Denver Broncos
Alina Popa (lives in
Lakewood ) – IFBB professional bodybuilder
Mike Purcell (born in
Highlands Ranch ; alumnus of
Highlands Ranch High School ) – defensive end for
San Francisco 49ers
Sam Raben – soccer player
Micheal Ray Richardson (raised in
Denver , alumnus of
Manual High School in Denver) – NBA All Star point guard
Ryan Max Riley (raised in
Winter Park and
Steamboat Springs , alumnus of
Lowell Whiteman School in Steamboat Springs) – national champion mogul skier on
US Ski Team
Dalton Risner (born in
Wiggins, Colorado ) – current
National Football League left guard for the
Denver Broncos
Taylor Rogers (born in
Littleton ) –
closer for the
Minnesota Twins
Kevin Russo (born in
West Babylon, New York , moved to Boulder; attended
Fairview High School ) – baseball player for
New York Yankees
Jeff Salzenstein (born 1973; lived in Englewood) – tennis player
Bob Sapp (born in
Colorado Springs ) – kickboxer, attended
Mitchell High School
Bo Scaife (born and raised in
Denver , alumnus of
J.K. Mullen High School ) – NFL tight end
Daniel Schlereth (born in
Anchorage, Alaska , moved to
Highlands Ranch ; alumnus of
Highlands Ranch High School ) –
relief pitcher for
Detroit Tigers
Brian Schottenheimer (born in
Denver ) – offensive coordinator for
Indianapolis Colts
Brian Shaw (born in
Fort Lupton ) – four-time World's Strongest Man champion; three-time Arnold Strongman Classic champion
Nick Shore (born in
Denver , attended
University of Denver ) – plays
center in
NHL currently with
Los Angeles Kings
Jaccob Slavin (born in
Erie , attended
Colorado College ) – plays
defense in
NHL currently with
Carolina Hurricanes
Aaron Smith (born and raised in
Colorado Springs ; attended Sierra High School and
University of Northern Colorado ) – defensive end for
Pittsburgh Steelers , won two
Super Bowls (
2005 ,
2008 ); selected to
NFL Pro Bowl (2004); named to
Sports Illustrated ' s All-Decade Team (2000s)
Alex Smith (born in
The Bahamas , moved to
Denver ; attended
J. K. Mullen High School ) – tight end for
Cleveland Browns ,
New England Patriots and
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jason Smith (born in
Kersey ) – basketball player, first-round pick in
2007 NBA draft ,
power forward for
Washington Wizards
Nate Solder (born in
Denver ) –
offensive tackle for
New York Giants , first-round pick in
2011 NFL Draft
Kory Sperry (born in
Pueblo ) –
tight end for
San Diego Chargers
Eve Torres (born in Denver) – WWE Divas champion
Bobby Unser (born in
Colorado Springs ) –
auto racing driver; two-time winner of
USAC /
CART Indy Car championship (1968 and 1974), three-time winner of
Indianapolis 500 (1968, 1975 and 1981); 13-time winner of Open-Wheel Class at
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb ; inducted in
International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1990),
Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (1994), and
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame (1997)
Jerry Unser (born in
Colorado Springs ) –
auto racing driver, winner of
USAC Stock Car championship (1957)
Pat Valenzuela (born in
Montrose – jockey, winner of Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Breeders' Cup
Amy Van Dyken (born in
Denver , alumnus of
Cherry Creek High School ) –
swimmer , winner of six
Olympic gold medals (four in
1996 , two in
2000 ), three
FINA World Championship gold medals (
1998 ) and three
Pan American Games gold medals (
1995 )
Charles Washington (born in Colorado) – NFL player
LenDale White (born and raised in
Denver , alumnus of
South High School and
Chatfield Senior High School ) – All-American running back for
USC , running back for three NFL teams
Joanna Zeiger – Olympic and world champion triathlete, and author
Cat Zingano (born in
Winona, Minnesota but attended high school in
Boulder ) –
UFC
mixed martial artist
Business and community leaders
Horace Tabor
William Bent (lived near present-day
La Junta ) – with his brothers, Bent established
Bent's Fort trading post; became a peace negotiator between settlers and Native Americans
[19]
Norman E. Brinker (born in
Denver ; died in
Colorado Springs ) – restaurateur responsible for new business concepts in the restaurant field, such as the
salad bar
Margaret Brown (lived in Colorado) – socialite, philanthropist, and activist who became famous in the 1912 sinking of the RMS Titanic , "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"
James C. Collins (born in
Boulder ) – business consultant, author, and lecturer on the subject of company sustainability and growth
Adolph Coors (lived in
Golden ) – based in
Golden , established what is now the nation's third largest brewing company; his family has been active in Colorado
politics and
philanthropy
[20]
Charles Gates Jr. (born in
Denver ) – longtime president of the
Gates Corporation , the world's largest maker of automotive belts and hoses
Elliot Handler (raised in
Denver ) – co-founder of
Mattel ; helped develop some of the biggest-selling toys in American history, including
Barbie dolls,
Chatty Cathy ,
Creepy Crawlers and
Hot Wheels
Ruth Handler (born in
Denver ) – businesswoman and inventor; served as the president of the toy manufacturer
Mattel and is remembered for her role in designing and marketing the
Barbie doll
Margaret Isely (1921–1997) – peace activist and co-founder of
WCPA and
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
Philip Isely (1915–2012) – peace activist, writer and co-founder of
WCPA -GREN
[21] and
Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage
Daniel M. Lewin (born in
Denver ) – mathematician and entrepreneur, known for co-founding the internet company,
Akamai Technologies ; one of the murdered passengers on
American Airlines Flight 11
James Smith McDonnell (1899–1980) (born in
Denver ) – aviation pioneer and founder of
McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
Otto Mears (born in Russia, lived in
Silverton ) – entrepreneur, financier, and railroad builder; founder of the
Rio Grande Southern and the
Silverton railroads
David Halliday Moffat (1839–1911) – banker, financier, industrialist, and inspiration for the
Moffat Tunnel , the world's-longest railway tunnel upon its completion
Texas Jack Omohundro (lived and died in
Leadville ) – frontier
scout , actor, and cowboy
General
William Jackson Palmer (lived in
Colorado Springs ) – founder of Colorado Springs, developed the first narrow gauge railroad system, the
Denver and Rio Grande , owned the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company in
Pueblo
[22]
Winfield Scott Stratton (lived in
Victor and
Colorado Springs ) – prospector, businessman and philanthropist; became a millionaire after he discovered and developed the Independence Mine; when he died he left all of his wealth for the construction of the
Myron Stratton Home , for homeless and poor people
Horace Tabor (lived in
Leadville ) – prospector, businessman, and politician
[23]
Gertrude Vaile (1878–1954) – social worker
Stanley M. Wagner (1932–2013) – academic and longtime congregational rabbi of
Beth HaMedrosh Hagodol-Beth Joseph
Literary figures
Robert Baer (raised in
Aspen ) – author and a former
CIA
case officer assigned to the Middle East; wrote the books
See No Evil and
Sleeping with the Devil
Matthew Berry (born in
Denver ) – creator of the Man's League
[24] inductee in the
Fantasy Sports Trade Association Hall of Fame, and author (Fantasy Life )
Eleanor Brown (lives in
Highlands Ranch ) – author of New York Times bestselling novel The Weird Sisters and The Light of Paris
Neal Cassady (born in
Salt Lake City, Utah , raised in
Denver ) – figure from the
Beat Generation , known for being characterized as Dean Moriarty in
Jack Kerouac 's novel
On the Road
Clive Cussler (lived in
Arvada and
Golden ) – novelist,
Raise the Titanic ,
Deep Six
[25]
Eugene Field (lived in
Denver ) – poet and
journalist known for his work in children's
literature , wrote such poems as "
Little Boy Blue " and "
Wynken, Blynken, and Nod "
Allen Ginsberg (lived in
Boulder ) –
beat poet, author of "
Howl " and "
Kaddish ", co-founder of the
Naropa Institute's Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics in
Boulder
[26]
Shelby Holliday (grew up in
Denver ) – journalist for
The Wall Street Journal
Helen Hunt Jackson (lived in
Colorado Springs ) – wrote about the relationship between Coloradans and the Native
Indian Tribes , and is often remembered for her brave stance in novels such as
A Century of Dishonor and
Ramona
[27]
Ken Kesey (born in
La Junta ) – author of
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Benjamin Kunkel (born 1972) – novelist and political economist
James A. Michener (attended college in
Greeley ) – worked as a
professor at the
University of Northern Colorado in Greeley where his archives are held; his novel
Centennial is about
Colorado history
Jack Murphy (born in
Denver ) – sportswriter,
football stadium in
San Diego was named for him
Sayyid Qutb – author, poet, educator, and
Islamic political theorist who described his stay in
Greeley in the censorious article The America that I Have Seen that aroused
Anti-American Sentiment among many
Muslims ; executed by
Egypt
Marguerite Roberts (born in
Greeley ) – screenwriter, films include
Ivanhoe ,
True Grit ,
5 Card Stud
Harold Ross (born in
Aspen ) – journalist, founder of
The New Yorker
Lowell Thomas (born in
Woodington, Ohio , but raised in
Victor ) – writer, journalist, broadcaster and traveler best known as the man who made
Lawrence of Arabia famous
Hunter S. Thompson (lived in
Woody Creek ) – author; creator of
Gonzo journalism
Dalton Trumbo (born in
Montrose ; lived in
Grand Junction ; attended the
University of Colorado Boulder ) – author of Johnny Got His Gun and
Oscar -winning screenwriter for his work in The Brave One ; wrote the scripts for
Spartacus ,
Exodus ,
Hawaii , and
Papillon ; was blacklisted during the 1950s as one of the
Hollywood 10
[28]
Connie Willis (lives in
Greeley ) – science fiction writer
Military figures
Erwin J. Boydston (enlisted in Colorado) – recipient of the
United States Navy
Medal of Honor for his service during the
Boxer Rebellion
Arleigh Burke (born in
Boulder ) – admiral of the
United States Navy during World War II along with the
Korean War ; later the
Chief of Naval Operations during the
Eisenhower administration
Louis H. Carpenter – recipient of the
United States Army
Medal of Honor for meritorious service in Colorado during the Indian Wars
Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson (1809–1868) –
frontiersman , commander of
Fort Garland (1866–1867), and negotiator of the 1867 peace treaty between the United States and the
Ute tribe
Francis S. Dodge – recipient of the
United States Army Medal of Honor for his service in Colorado during the Indian Wars
Dwight David Eisenhower (married in
Denver ) –
34th President of the United States ; organized the temporary location of
Lowry Air Force Base ,
Denver , for a new service academy, the
United States Air Force Academy ; in 1954,
Colorado Springs won the location for the new United States Air Force Academy site; as president, his official airplanes,
Lockheed Constellation were The
Columbine , Colorado's state flower; Several times President Eisenhower was treated for cardiac events at
Fitzsimmons Army Hospital
William R. Grove (enlisted in Colorado) – recipient of the
United States Army
Medal of Honor for his service during the
Philippine–American War
William P. Hall – recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service in Colorado during the Indian Wars
Henry Johnson – recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service as a "
Buffalo Soldier " in Colorado during the Indian Wars
Marc Alan Lee – first
Navy SEAL to lose his life in
Operation Iraqi Freedom ; posthumously awarded the
Silver Star , the
Bronze Star Medal with Valor and the
Purple Heart
John Merrill – recipient of the
United States Army
Medal of Honor for gallant service in Colorado during the
Indian Wars
Wilhelm O. Philipsen – recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service in Colorado during the Indian Wars
George W. Wallace (enlisted in Colorado) – recipient of the United States Army Medal of Honor for his service during the
Philippine–American War
Musicians
John Denver
3OH!3 (formed in
Boulder ) –
electronica group; song "
Don't Trust Me " from the album
Want certified platinum by the
RIAA
Laurie Anderson (lived in Boulder) – avant garde performer and musician, communications expert, writer
The Astronauts (formed in Boulder) –
surf
rock ; first album along with the song "Baja"
[29] was number sixty-one in May 1963 on the
Billboard 200 album chart
[30]
Philip Bailey (attended
East High School in
Denver ) – singer/musician, Earth, Wind and Fire
[31]
Ginger Baker (lived in
Parker during the 1990s
[32] – English drummer, member of
Cream
Jello Biafra (real name Eric Boucher; born in
Boulder ; lived in
Denver ) – singer, songwriter, owner of
Alternative Tentacles record label, member of the
punk band
Dead Kennedys
[33]
Big Head Todd and the Monsters (formed at the
University of Colorado Boulder ) –
rock band; two of the band's albums have reached
Billboard ' s Top 40 Album charts (1993, 1994), with one (
Sister Sweetly ) certified platinum by the
RIAA
[34]
Tommy Bolin (lived in
Boulder ) – guitarist of
Zephyr ,
James Gang , and
Deep Purple
Breathe Carolina (born and raised in
Denver ) – electronica/screamo group; band consists of David Schmitt, Tommy Coops, Luis Bonet, Eric Armenta
Antonia Brico (lived in
Denver ) –
conductor and
pianist ; was conductor of the Brico Symphony Orchestra and the
Denver Symphony Orchestra
[35]
Chris Broderick (lived in
Lakewood ; attended
University of Denver ) – lead guitarist for
thrash metal band
Megadeth
Jesse Carmichael (born in
Boulder ) –
keyboardist for the
rock
group
Maroon 5
John Denver (real name Henry Deutschendorf Jr.; lived in
Aspen ) – singer, guitarist, songwriter; winner of a
Grammy Award (1997) and a posthumous Grammy Hall of Fame Award (1998); inducted into the
Songwriters Hall of Fame (1996); named the official
Poet Laureate of the State of Colorado (1977), with his song "
Rocky Mountain High ", which was named as one of the state's official songs
[36]
DeVotchKa (formed in
Denver ) –
rock band, nominated for a
Grammy Award (2006), assisted in composing and performing the score for the film
Little Miss Sunshine
Larry Dunn (attended
East High School in
Denver ) – musician/keyboards, Earth, Wind and Fire
[31]
Bryan Erickson (lives in
Westminster ) – singer,
producer ; member of the bands
Velvet Acid Christ and Toxic Coma
R5
Flobots (formed in
Denver ) –
Hip hop band known for the song "
Handlebars " from their album
Fight with Tools ; board members on the non-profit organization Flobots.org, a community organization; Flobots.org was founded before the band attained any fame
[37]
The Fluid (formed in
Denver ) –
grunge band
Dan Fogelberg – folk/soft rock/pop singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist; recorded material for some albums at
Nederland, Colorado ; built a recording studio, Mountain Bird Studio, in the Pagosa Springs area
[38]
[39]
Josephine Foster (from Fort Collins) – singer-songwriter
The Fray (formed in
Denver ) –
rock band; nominated for two
Grammy Awards (2007); album
How to Save a Life has been certified double platinum by the
RIAA ; members Dave Welsh and Ben Wysocki attended
Ralston Valley High School in
Arvada
Bill Frisell (attended
East High School in
Denver ) – jazz musician/guitarist
[31]
Don Grusin (born 1941 in
Denver , lives in
Boulder ) – songwriter, producer and keyboardist
India.Arie (born as India Arie Simpson in
Denver ) – singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer; winner of two
Grammy Awards (2003, nominated sixteen times); three released albums have all hit
Billboard 's Top 40 Albums chart and have been certified by the
RIAA as either platinum or multi-platinum sellers
Itchy-O (formed in
Denver ) –
electronica
experimental group; approximately 40 band members performing in the audience, with marching-band drums, taiko drums, electronics, dancers, and a Chinese lion; all while masked, covered in LED lights, often with fireworks and other props such as giant puppets and flame throwers
Ronnie Lane (lived and died in
Trinidad ) – singer, songwriter, bass guitarist; member of the bands
Small Faces and
Faces , and founder of his own backing band Slim Chance
Lecrae (lived in
Denver ) –
Christian hip hop recording artist, songwriter, record producer, and actor; president, co-owner and co-founder of the independent record label
Reach Records [
citation needed ]
The Lumineers (based in
Denver ) – folk rock band
C.W. McCall (lived in
Ouray ) – country singer known for the song "
Convoy " in 1975; served six years as mayor of Ouray in 1986
Ron Miles (attended
East High School in
Denver ) – musician/trumpet, jazz
[31]
Glenn Miller (full name Alton Glenn Miller; lived in
Fort Morgan and
Boulder ; alumnus of
Fort Morgan High School and the
University of Colorado Boulder ) –
trombonist ,
band leader , leader of the
Glenn Miller Orchestra and the United States Army Air Force Band; at the time of his death, one fifth of all music played on
jukeboxes was a Glenn Miller creation
[40]
Ronnie Montrose (born in
Denver ) – rock guitarist who led a number of his own bands as well as performing with a variety of musicians
Jaye P. Morgan (born in
Mancos ) – singer and television personality
OneRepublic (formed in
Colorado Springs ) –
rock band; album
Dreaming Out Loud has been certified platinum by the
RIAA
Günther Johannes Paetsch (born in Germany, lived in Colorado Springs) was a cellist and co-founder of the Paetsch Family Chamber Music Ensemble in Colorado Springs
Pretty Lights (from
Fort Collins )
The Samples (formed in
Boulder ) – reggae-influenced rock/pop group
[41]
Tickle Me Pink (formed in Fort Collins) – signed to Wind-Up Records; debut album Madeline
Townes Van Zandt (lived in
Boulder ; briefly attended the
University of Colorado ) – country singer and songwriter
Velvet Acid Christ (based in
Denver ) – electro-industrial band
Chuck E. Weiss (grew up in
Denver ) – musician and subject of the 1979
Rickie Lee Jones song "Chuck E.'s in Love"
Paul Whiteman (born in
Denver ) – considered by some the "King of Jazz"; after selling two million records with the song "
The Japanese Sandman ", Whiteman added to his fame by being one of the first nationally
broadcast jazz musicians; remembered for his ability to fuse jazz and classical in hits like
Rhapsody in Blue and "
Whispering "
[42]
Kip Winger (born in
Denver ) – singer and bassist for the 1980s hair metal band Winger, which had hit songs such as "Seventeen" and "Headed for a Heartbreak"; since band's breakup in 1994, Winger has continued as a solo artist
Andrew Woolfolk (attended
East High School in
Denver ) – musician/alto saxophone, Earth, Wind and Fire
[31]
Yonder Mountain String Band (based in
Nederland ) – bluegrass jam band whose fan base has been fueled primarily through live performances since their inception in 1998; self-titled 2006 studio album was the band's first release with a major label
[43]
Ace Young (born and raised in
Denver ) –
American Idol finalist
[44]
Politicians
Byron White
Madeleine Albright (spent her teen years in
Denver ; graduated from the
Kent Denver School in
Cherry Hills Village ) –
U.S. Secretary of State during the
presidency of Bill Clinton
Frank Bogert (born in Mesa, Colorado) – rodeo announcer, actor, author, Mayor of Palm Springs California, Walk of Stars honoree
William B. Ebbert (lived in
Rocky Ford ,
Pueblo and
Cortez ) – served in
Colorado General Assembly , 1889–1890 (Republican); 1907–1908 (Democrat); 1911–1912 (Democrat); rancher, farmer, poet and
American Civil War veteran
Gerald Ford (lived in
Vail ) – 38th
President of the United States
Trent Franks (born in
Uravan ) –
U.S. Representative for
Arizona's 2nd congressional district
John Kerry (born in
Aurora ) –
U.S. Secretary of State since 2013; longtime
U.S. Senator from
Massachusetts , 1985–2013; ran as the
Democratic nominee for
U.S. President in 2004
[45]
Golda Meir (spent part of her adolescence in
Denver ) – fourth prime minister of
Israel
Chief Ouray (lived in Colorado) –
Native American leader of the Uncompahgre band of the
Ute tribe of southwestern Colorado
[46]
Dana Perino (grew up in
Denver , graduate of
Colorado State University Pueblo ) –
White House Press Secretary during the
presidency of George W. Bush from September 14, 2007, to January 20, 2009
Condoleezza Rice (attended
St. Mary's Academy in
Cherry Hills Village ) –
U.S. Secretary of State during the
presidency of George W. Bush
Karl Rove (born in
Denver ) –
Deputy Chief of Staff during the
presidency of George W. Bush
Kenneth R. Rutherford – co-founder of the
Landmine Survivors Network
Scott Walker (born in
Colorado Springs ) –
Governor of Wisconsin
Byron R. White (born in
Fort Collins ; raised in
Wellington ); graduate of the
University of Colorado Boulder ) – appointed by
U.S. President
John F. Kennedy as a
Justice of the
U.S. Supreme Court ; served from 1962 until retiring to
senior status in 1993;
[47] also notable as a
football player, both in college at the
University of Colorado Boulder (with the
Colorado Buffaloes ) and professionally in the
National Football League (with the
Pittsburgh Pirates and
Detroit Lions )
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
Maurice L. Albertson (1918–2009) –
civil engineer and educator
Sidney Altman (1939–2022) –
molecular biologist ; 1989
Nobel laureate in Chemistry for the discovery of catalytic properties of
ribonucleic acid (RNA)
Albert Allen Bartlett (1923–2013) –
physicist ; opponent of the concept of
sustainable growth
Arden L. Bement Jr. (born 1932) –
metallurgical engineer , scientist; director of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Lewis M. Branscomb (born 1926) – physicist; director of the
National Bureau of Standards , founder of the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics (now known as
JILA )
Mary Babnik Brown (1907–1991) – her hair was used for the
Norden bombsight crosshairs
Louis George Carpenter – founder of the first Bachelor of Science degree in Irrigation Engineering in the Americas
Thomas Robert Čech (born 1947) –
biochemist ; 1989
Nobel laureate in Chemistry for the discovery of
catalytic properties of
ribonucleic acid (RNA)
Edward Uhler Condon (1902–1974) –
nuclear physicist ; director of the
National Bureau of Standards ; president of the
American Physical Society
Eric Allin Cornell (born 1961) –
physicist ; 2001
Nobel laureate in Physics for creating the first
Bose–Einstein condensate in 1995
T. Neil Davis (1932–2016) –
professor emeritus of
geophysics from the
University of Alaska Fairbanks ; author of several books
George Gamow (born Georgiy Antonovich Gamov (Георгий Антонович Гамов )) (1904–1968) –
theoretical physicist , cosmologist, and author
John Lewis "Jan" Hall (born 1934) –
physicist ; 2005
Nobel laureate in Physics for precision
spectroscopy and the optical
frequency comb technique
Deborah S. Jin (born 1968) –
physicist ; created the first
fermionic condensate in 2003
Herbert Kroemer (1928–2024) –
physicist and
electrical engineer ; 2000
Nobel laureate in Physics for developing semiconductor
heterostructures used in high-speed- and
opto-electronics
Matthew Meselson (born 1930) –
geneticist and
molecular biologist
Margaret Mary Murnane (born 1959) –
physicist and creator of ultra-high-speed lasers
Frank Friedman Oppenheimer (1912–1985) –
nuclear physicist and educator
Tim Samaras (1957–2013) –
engineer and
storm chaser ; starred on the
Discovery Channel 's documentary
reality television series
Storm Chasers ; he died in
Oklahoma City 's
EF3 wedge tornado on May 31, 2013, with his twenty-four-year-old son, Paul, and forty-five-year-old
TWISTEX colleague Carl Young of
South Lake Tahoe, California
Nikola Tesla (Никола Тесла ) (1856–1943) – inventor and engineer; ran a laboratory in
Colorado Springs between 1899 and 1900 to conduct high-voltage, high-frequency experiments
Carl Edwin Wieman (born 1951) –
physicist ; 2001
Nobel laureate in Physics for creating the first
Bose–Einstein condensate in 1995
Other notable people
Justice
Neil Gorsuch
United States Penitentiary, Administrative Maximum Facility
See also
References
^
Tim Allen (I) – Awards .
^
Roseanne – Awards .
^
"Supergirl" . October 26, 2015 – via www.imdb.com.
^
Don Cheadle – Awards .
^
Douglas Fairbanks – Awards .
^
"Mrs. Colorado United States - 2019" . www.unitedstatescrown.com . August 22, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2023 .
^
Trey Parker (I) – Awards .
^ Filmbug.
"Antoinette Perry" . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^
"Matt Stone" . IMDb .
^ Vera List Center for Art and Politics.
"Robert Adams" . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^
a
b
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center .
^
John Carlson – Artist, Art – John Fabian Carlson .
^
"William Henry Jackson Photograph and Art Work Collection" .
Brigham Young University . Archived from
the original on May 5, 2006. Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Gwinn, Allison (November 26, 2018).
"Spotlight: Wendi Schneider" . Denver Life Magazine. Retrieved January 29, 2020 .
^ Mary Bellis.
"Rodeo Innovations – Earl Bascom" . Archived from
the original on July 10, 2012. Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^
"Biography" .
^ International Boxing Hall of Fame.
"Jack Dempsey" . Archived from
the original on April 9, 2006. Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Ravens.com
^ PBS.
"William Bent" .
PBS . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Rob Levine.
"Castle Rock Foundation" . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Noel, Thomas J. (Thomas Jacob) (2006).
Colorado : an illustrated history of the highest state . Internet Archive. Sun Valley, Calif. : American Historical Press.
ISBN
978-1-892724-52-6 .
^ The American Civil War.
"William J. Palmer – A Biographical Sketch" . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Colorado State Archives.
"Colorado State Archives: Lieutenant Governors" . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^
"ESPNRadio: Shows, Podcasts, Stations, Live Streaming - ESPN" . ESPN.com .
^ National Underwater and Marine Agency.
"Clive Cussler" . Archived from
the original on June 13, 2006. Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Department of English, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
"Allen Ginsberg's Life" . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Colorado Women's Hall of Fame.
"Helen Hunt Jackson" . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Liukkonen, Petri.
"Dalton Trumbo" . Books and Writers (kirjasto.sci.fi) . Finland:
Kuusankoski Public Library. Archived from
the original on October 24, 2014.
^ MorriconeRocks (May 23, 2008).
"THE ASTRONAUTS -"Baja" (1963)" .
Archived from the original on December 14, 2021 – via YouTube.
^ Brown, G.
Colorado Rocks!: A Half-Century of Music in Colorado . p. 1,959. Retrieved April 22, 2011.
^
a
b
c
d
e Solomon, Jon (November 21, 2017).
"Colorado Music Hall of Fame Honors East High School" . westword.com .
^
"Biographies. Other musicians. Ginger Baker" . whereseric.com . Retrieved April 20, 2023 .
^
Alternative Tentacles – Bands .
^ MTV Networks.
"Big Head Todd & the Monsters" . Archived from
the original on April 28, 2002. Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Marin Alsop.
"CSO more important to community than ever" . Archived from
the original on May 11, 2006. Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Epinions, Incorporated.
"Thank God I'm a Country Boy – John Denver" . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Flobots.org.
"About Flobots.org" . Retrieved October 12, 2009 .
^
"Dan Fogelberg dies at age 56" . denverpost.com . December 16, 2007.
^
"Dan Fogelberg Official Website" . www.danfogelberg.com . Archived from
the original on May 14, 2009.
^ University of Colorado Boulder.
"And the Grammy Goes to ... CU-Boulder's Glenn Miller" . Archived from
the original on June 17, 2006. Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^
The Samples .
^ Answers.com.
"Paul Whiteman" .
Answers.com . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Yonder Mountain String Band biography.
"?" . Retrieved August 2, 2006 .
^ Fox Network.
"Ace Young" . Archived from
the original on May 28, 2006. Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ John Kerry.
"Biography" . Archived from
the original on June 1, 2006. Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Colorado State Capitol.
"Colorado State Capitol Virtual Tour" . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ University of Colorado Boulder.
"CU-Boulder Chancellor, President, Law School Dean Laud Scholar-Athlete Byron White" . Retrieved June 2, 2006 .
^ Gale, Eleanor (October 31, 1971).
"Lifestyle: Jessie Young at 71; Broadcast in Print Reaches Every State; First Radio Homemaker?" . Fort Collins Coloradoan . p. 14.
^ Howes, Durward, ed. (1937).
American Women : The Official Who's Who Among the Women of the Nation, Vol. II (1937-38) . Los Angeles, CA: American Publications, Inc. p. 763.
OCLC
435906904 .
^ Birkby, Evelyn (1991).
"Jessie Young" . Neighboring on the Air : Cooking with the KMA Radio Homemakers . Iowa City: University of Iowa Press. pp. 38–39.
ISBN
0-87745-316-0 .
External links
By city By office By alma mater
38°59′50″N 105°32′52″W / 38.9972°N 105.5478°W / 38.9972; -105.5478 (State of Colorado )