List of people from Texas
The following are notable people who were either born, raised or have lived for a significant period of time in the U.S. state of Texas.
Founders and early settlers of Texas
- Augustus Chapman Allen, founder of Houston
- Charlotte Baldwin Allen, financed founding of Houston, known as the "mother of Houston"
- John Kirby Allen, founder of Houston
- Stephen F. Austin, "father of Texas"
- Padre José Nicolás Ballí, grantee, settler, and namesake of Padre Island
- John Neely Bryan, founder of Dallas
- Moses Austin Bryan, early settler of Texas
- David G. Burnet, interim President of Republic of Texas
- Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels, established colonies of German immigrants in Texas
- Henri Castro, Jewish empresario
- William Leslie Cazneau, pioneer
- Jesse Chisholm, Indian trader, guide, interpreter, namesake of Chisholm Trail
- Jao De La Porta, trader, financed settlement of Galveston Island
- Green DeWitt, empresario, namesake of DeWitt County
- Susanna Dickinson, DeWitt Colonist, witnessed and survived Battle of the Alamo
- Angelina Eberly, stopped the attempted removal from Austin of the Republic of Texas Archives, thereby preserving Austin's status as the capital of Texas
- Johann Friedrich Ernst , first German to bring family to Texas, benefactor to German immigrants
- Warren Angus Ferris, early surveyor of Dallas
- Henry Francis Fisher, German settler, explored and colonized San Saba area
- Samuel Rhoads Fisher, settler in Republic of Texas and later its Secretary of Navy; namesake of Fisher County
- Betty Holekamp, German Texan pioneer, called the Betsy Ross of Texas
- Sam Houston, first and third President of Republic of Texas, later U.S. Senator and Governor of Texas
- Anson Jones, last President of Republic of Texas, called "Architect of Annexation"
- Mirabeau B. Lamar, second President of Republic of Texas, one of strongest proponents of Texas Navy
- Gideon Lincecum, pioneer, historian, physician, philosopher, naturalist
- Jane Herbert Wilkinson Long, considered the "mother of Texas"
- Collin McKinney, drafter of Texas Declaration of Independence; both Collin County and its county seat, McKinney, are named for him
- John Henry Moore, early settler
- Jose Antonio Navarro, Texas statesman, revolutionary and politician
- Robert Neighbors, Indian agent, soldier, legislator
- Cynthia Ann Parker, kidnapped in 1836 and raised by Comanche Indians; mother of Quanah Parker, the last Comanche Chief
- Daniel Parker, settler, church founder
- James W. Parker, early settler
- John Parker, pioneer Texas settler
- John Richard Parker, kidnapped in 1836 by Comanche Indians
- Emily Austin Perry, early settler of Texas
- Elijah Sterling Clack Robertson, early settler, translator, lawyer, postmaster
- Sterling C. Robertson, impresario, colony founder; signed Texas Declaration of Independence
- Thomas Jefferson Rusk, Secretary of War of Republic of Texas, Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Texas, U.S. Senator after state's admission to U.S.
- Edwin Waller, judge and signer of Texas Declaration of Independence
- Frank E. Wheelock, founder and first mayor of Lubbock, 1909–15
- Lorenzo de Zavala, first vice president of Republic of Texas, signer of Texas Declaration of Independence
Military/war
The Texas Revolution/The Alamo
- Richard Andrews, the first Texian killed during the Texas Revolution
- James Bowie, frontiersman, died at Battle of the Alamo
- William Joel Bryan, soldier in Texas Revolution, landowner
- Edward Burleson, lieutenant colonel during Texas Revolution, later Vice President of Republic of Texas
- John Coker, hero of San Jacinto
- Davy Crockett, frontiersman and U.S. Congressman from Tennessee, died at Alamo
- Almaron Dickinson, Texian soldier, died at Alamo
- James Fannin, key figure during Texas Revolution
- Thomas Green, artillery officer at San Jacinto, brigadier general in Confederate Army
- Sam Houston, commander of victorious Texian Army at the Battle of San Jacinto, which won independence for Texas
- Henry Karnes, soldier and commander in Texas Revolution
- Robert J. Kleberg, veteran of Battle of San Jacinto; descendants owned and managed King Ranch
- Antonio Menchaca, soldier in the Texas Army; he helped convince Houston to allow Tejanos to fight in the battle of San Jacinto
- Benjamin Milam, commander in Texas Revolution
- Emily West Morgan, indentured servant known as "The Yellow Rose of Texas" who, legend has it, helped win Texas Revolution
- Joel Walter Robison, fought in most battles of revolution; later state representative from Fayette County; General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna rode double on Robison's horse into Sam Houston's camp on April 21, 1836
- Juan Seguín, Tejano soldier during Texas Revolution
- John William Smith, fought at Battle of San Jacinto; later first mayor of San Antonio
- Alfonso Steele, last survivor of Battle of San Jacinto
- William B. Travis, commander of Texas forces at Alamo
- Logan Vandeveer, hero of San Jacinto
- William A. A. "Bigfoot" Wallace, Texas Ranger who fought in Texas Revolution, Mexican–American War, Civil War
American Civil War
- John Baylor, Confederate colonel, politician, military governor of Arizona Territory
- John Henry Brown, Confederate officer, served on staffs of two generals
- Nicholas Henry Darnell, leader of 18th Texas Cavalry Regiment, known as "Darnell's Regiment"; Speaker of House for both Republic of Texas and state of Texas
- Dick Dowling, commander at Sabine Pass and famous Houstonian
- John "Rip" Ford, Texas Rangers legend and commander at Battle of Palmito Ranch
- Milton M. Holland, Union soldier, won Medal of Honor
- John Bell Hood, commander of Hood's Texas Brigade and Confederate General
- Samuel Ealy Johnson Sr., soldier, grandfather of U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson
- Albert Sidney Johnston, Confederate General and commander of Confederate western forces
- John J. Kennedy, Confederate cavalry officer, ended Regulator-Moderator War
- John B. Magruder, Confederate General at Battle of Galveston
- Benjamin McCulloch, soldier in Texas Revolution, Texas Ranger, U.S. Marshal, and brigadier general for Confederate States of America
- Henry Eustace McCulloch, soldier in Texas Revolution, Texas Ranger, and brigadier general for Confederate States of America
- William Henry Parsons, colonel, Twelfth Texas Cavalry; newspaper editor, legislator
- Felix Huston Robertson, only Confederate general who was native-born Texan
- Lawrence Sullivan "Sul" Ross, Confederate general, Governor of Texas, President of Texas A&M University, namesake of Sul Ross State University
- William Read Scurry, Confederate General at Battle of Glorieta Pass
- Pleasant Tackitt, Confederate Officer and county official at Fort Belknap; a founder of Parker County
- Charles S. West, Confederate officer and judge advocate general for Trans-Mississippi Department
- Louis T. Wigfall, Confederate General and Senator from Texas, secured surrender of Fort Sumter
World War I
- Charles Gray Catto, flying ace credited with eight aerial victories
- Daniel R. Edwards, received Medal of Honor
- William S. Graves, commander of US forces in Siberia during the allied intervention in Russia
- David E. Hayden, Navy corpsman, Medal of Honor recipient
- Robert Lee Howze, Major General of 38th Infantry Division, commander of Third Army of Occupation of Germany, Medal of Honor recipient
- Louis Jordan, 1914 All American, first US Army officer from Texas to be killed in action during World War I
- William Thomas Ponder, flying ace credited with six aerial victories
- Edgar Gardner Tobin, flying ace credited with six aerial victories
World War II
- Harlon Block, raised flag on Mt. Suribachi at Iwo Jima
- Romus Burgin, U.S. Marine, author
- Charles P. Cabell, U.S. Air Force general; later Deputy Director of Central Intelligence Agency
- Horace S. Carswell Jr., Army Air Corps major, awarded Medal of Honor
- Claire Chennault, commander of "Flying Tigers"
- Robert G. Cole, soldier, won Medal of Honor for role in D-Day Normandy invasion
- Samuel David Dealey, U.S. Navy submarine commander, received Medal of Honor and other distinctions for valor
- Ira C. Eaker, commander of Eighth Air Force in World War II
- Calvin Graham, youngest US serviceman of World War II
- Dean E. Hallmark, aviator, Army Air Corps 1st lieutenant, Doolittle Raid
- David Lee "Tex" Hill, fighter pilot, flying ace
- Oveta Culp Hobby, Colonel Women's Army Corps, first secretary of Department of Health, Education and Welfare
- James L. Holloway Jr., U.S. Navy four-star admiral; Superintendent of U.S. Naval Academy
- Neel E. Kearby, fighter ace, Medal of Honor recipient
- Raymond L. Knight, aviator, Medal of Honor recipient
- Turney W. Leonard, Army officer, received Medal of Honor
- Felix Z. Longoria Jr., Hispanic soldier KIA in the Philippines whose burial was refused in hometown, causing statewide debate
- Glenn McDuffie, sailor featured kissing nurse in Alfred Eisenstaedt's iconic photograph V-J Day in Times Square
- Doris Miller, Pearl Harbor hero, first African American to receive Navy Cross
- Audie Murphy, World War II hero, actor, Medal of Honor Recipient
- Chester Nimitz, commander of Allied naval forces in Pacific during World War II
- Richard Arvin Overton, U.S. Army sergeant; from May 2016 until his death was the oldest surviving American military veteran
- Bruce Palmer Jr., U.S. Army officer, Chief of Staff of the United States Army during Vietnam War
- John L. Pierce, U.S. Army Brigadier General
- James Earl Rudder, D-Day commander of the U.S. Army 2nd Ranger Battalion, which stormed cliffs at Pointe du Hoc
- William H. Simpson, commander of U.S. Ninth Army in European Theater
- Lucian K. Truscott, U.S. Army General who held successive commands in European Theater
- Edwin Walker, U.S. Army Major General known for conservative views and attempted assassination target for Lee Harvey Oswald
- Walton Walker, U.S. Army general who served under Patton in European Theater and later in Korean War
Korean War
- Charles F. Pendleton, awarded Medal of Honor
- Oliver P. Smith, U.S Marine Corps general noted for his leadership in Battle of Chosin Reservoir
- Edwin Walker, U.S. Army Major General, attempted assassination target of Lee Harvey Oswald
- Walton Walker, U.S. Army general, first commander of U.S. Eighth Army during Korean War
Vietnam War
- Raul Perez Benavidez, awarded Medal of Honor for actions in South Vietnam
- Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez, Sergeant, USMC, Medal of Honor recipient
- David H. McNerney, 1st Sergeant U.S. Army, Medal of Honor, Vietnam 1967
- Oliver North, Lieutenant-Colonel, USMC, NRA board member and founder of the Freedom Alliance
- Chester M. Ovnand, Master Sergeant, U.S. Army, second American killed in Vietnam War
- Bruce Palmer Jr., U.S. Army officer, Chief of Staff of the United States Army during Vietnam War
- Alfred M. Wilson, Marine Private First Class awarded Medal of Honor posthumously
War in Afghanistan
- Marcus Luttrell, U.S. Navy SEAL, was awarded the Navy Cross for actions in conflicts with Taliban
- William H. McRaven, U.S. Navy admiral and SEAL, led planning for Operation Neptune Spear
- Patrick M. Walsh, U.S. Navy admiral, Commander of U.S. Pacific Fleet
- Billy Waugh, U.S. Army Special Forces, Studies and Observations Group
Iraq War
- Chris Kyle, U.S. Navy SEAL who fought in the Second Battle of Fallujah
- Kristian Menchaca, U.S. Army soldier who was captured and executed
War on Terror
- Clint Lorance, Army First Lieutenant convicted of second-degree murder for battlefield deaths; pardoned
- Michael L. Oates, United States Army Lieutenant General
Intelligence
- Bobby Ray Inman, U.S. Navy Admiral, Director of National Security Agency, Deputy Director of Central Intelligence Agency
Other
- Alfred Valenzuela, U.S. Army major general, commanded United States Army South
Politics and public office
See also :List of mayors of Austin, Texas; :List of mayors of Dallas, Texas; :List of mayors of El Paso, Texas; :List of mayors of Fort Worth, Texas; :List of mayors of Houston|List of mayors of Houston, Texas; :List of mayors of Plano, Texas; :List of mayors of San Antonio, Texas.
;A
- Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas, former Attorney General
- Fred Agnich, Texas state representative, member of "Dirty 30" in 1971; oilman, rancher, conservationist
- Elsa Alcala, judge of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals from Houston since 2011
- Elizabeth Alexander, press secretary for Vice President Joe Biden
- Bruce Alger, Republican U.S. representative for Texas's 5th congressional district, based in Dallas County, 1955–1965
- Rodney Anderson, former member of Texas House of Representatives from Grand Prairie
- Betty Andujar, first Republican woman to serve in Texas State Senate ; Pennsylvania native
- Bob Armstrong, member of Texas House of Representatives for Travis County 1963–71; Commissioner of General Land Office 1971–83
- Roy Alvin Baldwin, state representative from Slaton in Lubbock County; co-author of 1923 legislation establishing Texas Tech University
- Ben F. Barnes, lieutenant governor of Texas; youngest House Speaker in Texas history
- Ray Barnhart, state representative and director of Federal Highway Administration under President Reagan
- Decimus et Ultimus Barziza, state representative, Harris County, 1874–1876, businessman, Civil War soldier
- Robert Emmett Bledsoe Baylor, district judge, a framer of Texas Constitution; co-founded Baylor University
- Tina Benkiser, former chairman of Republican Party of Texas
- Lloyd Bentsen, U.S. representative and U.S. senator
- David Berchelmann, judge of two state district courts and Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; lawyer in native San Antonio
- Leo Berman, former state representative from Tyler
- Nandita Berry, Secretary of State of Texas, 2014–2015
- Paul Bettencourt, Republican member of Texas State Senate from Houston
- Teel Bivins, state senator from Amarillo and U.S. Ambassador to Sweden
- Bill Blythe, Houston Realtor and Republican state representative from Harris County, 1971–1983
- Robert Lee Bobbitt, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, state attorney general
- Elton Bomer, state representative from Anderson County and Texas Secretary of State
- Henry Bonilla, U.S. representative from San Antonio
- Dennis Bonnen, member of Texas House of Representatives from Brazoria County since 1997
- Greg Bonnen, neurosurgeon and state representative from Galveston County; brother of Dennis Bonnen
- Charles Robert Borchers, district attorney for Webb County 1973–1980
- Jeffrey S. Boyd, associate justice of Texas Supreme Court since 2012
- Wally Brewster, U.S. Ambassador to Dominican Republic
- John A. Brieden III, politician and National Commander of The American Legion, 2003–2004
- Stephen Broden, politician, professor, businessman, activist
- Louis H. Bruni, businessman and politician
- Esther Buckley, member of United States Commission on Civil Rights; educator in Laredo
- Cindy Burkett, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Dallas County
- Albert S. Burleson, U.S. Postmaster General and Congressman
- Edward Burleson, Texas soldier, general, and
- DeWayne Burns, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Johnson and Bosque counties since 2015
- Joel Burns, Fort Worth city councilman who spoke out against bullying of LGBT youth
- Konni Burton, member of Texas Senate from Tarrant County
- Jeb Bush, former governor of Florida, reared in Midland and Houston
- Angie Chen Button, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Dallas County
- Frank Kell Cahoon, Midland oilman and Republican former state representative
- Briscoe Cain, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives for Harris County District 128, effective January 2017
- Bill Callegari, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Harris County, 2001–2015
- Donna Campbell, Texas state senator and physician from New Braunfels
- Francisco Canseco, former U.S. representative from San Antonio
- John Carona, state senator from Dallas County, 1996–2015
- Victor G. Carrillo, member of Texas Railroad Commission, 2003–2011
- Stefani Carter, member of Texas House of Representatives from Dallas County since 2011; first African-American female Republican to serve in state House
- Carlos Cascos, Secretary of State of Texas in Abbott administration
- Carter Casteel, educator, county judge, member of Texas House of Representatives; attorney in New Braunfels
- Phil Cates, state representative from Texas Panhandle, 1971–1979; thereafter lobbyist in Austin
- Henry E. Catto, Jr., U.S. diplomat, businessman
- Lauro Cavazos, U.S. Secretary of Education in the George H. W. Bush administration, first Hispanic U.S. Cabinet officer
- Francis Cherry, Governor of Arkansas 1953–55, born in Fort Worth
- Richard M. Chitwood, state representative from Sweetwater, 1921–1925; first business manager of Texas Tech University
- Wayne Christian, Republican former state representative from Center and Nacogdoches; candidate for Texas Railroad Commission in 2014
- Henry Cisneros, former mayor of San Antonio and United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
- Ronald H. Clark, federal judge; former member of Texas House of Representatives
- Tom C. Clark, United States Attorney General and Associate Justice of Supreme Court of the United States
- David Cobb, 2004 U.S. Presidential candidate for Green Party
- Cathy Cochran, retiring judge of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
- Susan Combs, Texas comptroller and agriculture commissioner, state representative
- John B. Connally, Jr., Secretary of the Navy, Governor of Texas, US Treasury Secretary
- John Cornyn, United States Senator since 2002
- Tom Craddick, member of Texas House of Representatives from Midland; former Speaker
- Juanita Craft, Dallas city council member, civil rights activist
- Brandon Creighton, member of Texas House of Representatives from Conroe; House Majority Leader, attorney, businessman, and rancher
- Ted Cruz, Canadian-born politician, Texas Senator since 2013, and former 2016 presidential candidate
- Henry Cuellar, U.S. Representative from Texas' 28th congressional district; native of Laredo
- John Cyrier, member of Texas House of Representatives for District 17 since 2015; owner of Sabre Commercial, Inc. in Lockhart
- Tony Dale, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Williamson County since 2013
- Price Daniel, Democratic US Senator and 38th Governor of Texas
- Nicholas Henry Darnell, Speaker of House for both Republic of Texas and state of Texas
- John E. Davis, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Houston since 1999
- Wendy Davis, Texas State Senator from Tarrant County, Democratic gubernatorial nominee in 2014
- Jay Dean, mayor of Longview, 2005–2015; state representative for Gregg and Upshur counties, effective 2017
- David Dewhurst, Lieutenant Governor of Texas since 2003
- Robert Eckels, member of Texas House of Representatives from Houston and county judge of Harris County
- Paul Eggers, Republican gubernatorial nominee in both 1968 and 1970
- Gary Elkins, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Houston since 1995
- Ed Emmett, Harris County administrative county judge since 2007; Republican member of Texas House, 1979–1987
- Pat Fallon, member of Texas House of Representatives from Denton County
- Marsha Farney, state representative from Williamson County since 2013; member of the Texas State Board of Education 2011–2013; businesswoman and former educator
- James E. "Pa" Ferguson, governor of Texas, impeached, convicted, and removed from office
- Miriam "Ma" Ferguson, first female Governor of Texas
- Mindy Finn, media strategist, conservative feminist activist, independent U.S. vice presidential candidate in 2016
- Charles R. Floyd, Texas State Senator, State Representative, and co-founder of Paris Junior College
- Dan Flynn, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Van Zandt County
- James Frank, member of Texas House of Representatives from Wichita Falls
- Rick Galindo, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from District 117 in Bexar County, effective 2015
- Pete Gallego, U.S. representative from Texas' 23rd congressional district
- H. S. "Buddy" Garcia, former interim 2012 member of Texas Railroad Commission
- John Nance Garner, 44th Speaker of the US House and 32nd Vice President of the United States
- Tony Garza, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico
- Charlie Geren, member of Texas House of Representatives from his native Fort Worth
- Pete Geren, former member of United States House of Representatives from Texas's 12th congressional district and United States Secretary of the Army
- Ron Givens, first African-American Republican member of Texas House of Representatives since 1882; served from Lubbock County, 1985–89; realtor in Lubbock
- Craig Goldman, member of Texas House of Representatives from his native Fort Worth
- Alberto Gonzales, United States Attorney General
- Henry B. Gonzalez, U.S. representative from San Antonio
- John W. Goode, Republican lawyer from San Antonio; lost 1961 House race to Henry B. Gonzalez
- Austan Goolsbee, Chairperson of Council of Economic Advisers under President Barack Obama
- Tony Goolsby, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Dallas County, 1989–2009
- Blake Gottesman, aide to President George W. Bush
- Phil Gramm, former United States Senator
- Rick Green, former state representative and motivational speaker
- Tom Greenwell
- Jesse Edward Grinstead, one-time mayor of Kerrville and state legislator
- Henry C. Grover, state legislator, 1972 Republican gubernatorial nominee
- Bob Hall, Texas state senator from Van Zandt County
- Holly Ham, Executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders at the United States Department of Education
- Rick Hardcastle, Republican former member of Texas House form Wilbarger County
- Doug Harlan, Republican political consultant, author, lawyer, educator from San Antonio
- Patricia Harless, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from northwestern Harris County since 2007
- Will Ford Hartnett, Dallas lawyer and Republican member of Texas House, 1991–2013
- Thomas E. Hayden, mayor of Flower Mound
- Talmadge L. Heflin, former state representative from Harris County, director of Center for Fiscal Policy at Texas Public Policy Foundation
- Glenn Hegar, state senator and Republican candidate for state comptroller in 2014
- Jeb Hensarling, U.S. representative
- Dick Hervey, mayor of College Station, 1971–74
- Harvey Hilderbran, state representative from Kerrville; Republican candidate for state comptroller in 2014
- Jim Hogg, first native Texan to become Governor of Texas
- Vernon Edgar Howard, representative of the Texas House of Representatives, 1969–1975
- Dan Huberty, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Harris County
- Joan Huffman, former Houston criminal court judge; Republican member of Texas State Senate
- Bryan Hughes, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Wood County
- Swanee Hunt, U.S. Ambassador
- Robert Dean Hunter, member of Texas House of Representatives from Abilene, 1986–2007
- Todd A. Hunter, state representative, 1989–1997, 2009–present
- Thad Hutcheson, Houston lawyer and Republican politician
- Kay Bailey Hutchison, first woman U.S. Senator from Texas, 1993–2013
- Ray Hutchison, Dallas lawyer and Republican former politician
- Frank N. Ikard, U.S. representative from Texas' 13th congressional district, 1951–1961
- Alphonso Jackson, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George W. Bush
- Wallace B. Jefferson, Chief Justice of Supreme Court of Texas; resigned 2013
- Cheryl Johnson, Austin lawyer and judge of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals
- Elizabeth Ames Jones, former Texas Railroad Commissioner, member of Texas House of Representatives.
- Jesse H. Jones, U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Barbara Jordan, member of United States House of Representatives
- Rudy Juedeman, Odessa businessman and Republican politician
- Kyle Kacal, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from District 12
- David S. Kaufman, only Jew from Texas to serve in U.S. House of Representatives before 1970s
- Michael Keasler, Austin lawyer and judge of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals since 1999
- Bill Keffer, Dallas lawyer who served in Texas House, 2003–2007
- Jim Keffer, Eastland businessman and current Republican member of Texas House ; brother of Bill Keffer
- Isaac Herbert Kempner, Mayor of Galveston, founder of Imperial Sugar
- Mark Keough, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from The Woodlands in Montgomery County
- Ken King, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Canadian in Hemphill County
- Ron Kirk, United States Trade Representative; former Texas Secretary of State, former mayor of Dallas
- Tim Kleinschmidt, member of Texas House of Representatives from Lee County; attorney in Giddings
- Lois Kolkhorst, member of Texas House of Representatives from Washington County since 2001
- Linda Koop, member of Texas House from Dallas County; former member of the Dallas City Council
- Bob Krueger, former U.S. Ambassador, U.S. Senator and Congressman
- Dan Kubiak, state representative, businessman, educator
- Brooks Landgraf, state representative from Ector, Andrews, and Winkler counties; Odessa lawyer, effective 2015
- Barbara Lee, U.S. Representative from California
- Debra Lehrmann, Texas Supreme Court justice, elected 2010
- Eugene M. Locke, ambassador to Pakistan, deputy ambassador to South Vietnam, was awarded Presidential Medal of Freedom; candidate for Governor of Texas
- J. M. Lozano, member of Texas House of Representatives from Kingsville; native of Mexico
- Lanham Lyne, Mayor of Wichita Falls, state representative 2011-13
- Nathan Macias, former member of Texas House of Representatives from Comal County; retired Lieutenant colonel in Air Force
- George H. Mahon, U.S. representatives from Texas' 19th congressional district 1935 until 1979
- Mercurio Martinez, Jr., educator and politician from Laredo
- Charles R. Matthews, former Texas Railroad Commissioner and chancellor-emeritus of Texas State University System
- Jim Mattox, U.S. representative and attorney general of Texas
- Maury Maverick, Democratic U.S. representative
- Glen Maxey, state representative from Austin
- Ruth McClendon, African-American Democrat member of Texas House of Representatives from San Antonio since 1996
- Don McLeroy, former chairman and member of Texas State Board of Education; dentist, young-earth creationist
- Tom Mechler, Texas Republican state chairman since 2015; oil and gas consultant in Amarillo
- William C. Meier, state senator, holds world filibuster record; lost race for attorney general in 1982
- Will Metcalf, state representative from Montgomery County since 2015
- Fred Meyer, state Republican chairman, 1988–1994; Dallas businessman
- Morgan Meyer, state representative from Dallas County since 2015; attorney with Bracewell & Giuliani
- Lawrence E. Meyers, judge of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals since 1993
- Doug Miller, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Comal County; former mayor and city council member of New Braunfels
- Rick Miller, member of Texas House of Representatives from Sugar Land; former Republican party chairman in Fort Bend County
- Hilmar Moore, mayor of Richmond, 1949–2012, longest tenure of any elected official in U.S. history
- William T. "Bill" Moore, state senator from Bryan, known as "Bull of the Brazos" and "father of the modern Texas A&M University"
- Robert Morrow, chairman of Republican Party of Travis County since 2016; considered a conspiracy theorist
- Azie Taylor Morton, Treasurer of the United States
- Steve Munisteri, chairman of Republican Party of Texas, 2010–2015
- Jim Murphy, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from District 133 in Houston, 2007–2009 and since 2011
- David Newell, judge of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9; Houston attorney
- Joe Nixon, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from District 133
- James Robertson Nowlin, U.S. District Judge for Western District of Texas; one of first two Republicans since Reconstruction to represent Bexar County in Texas House of Representatives
- James E. Nugent, former Democratic member of Texas Railroad Commission and the Texas House of Representatives
- W. Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel, Governor of Texas and U.S. senator
- Tom Oliverson, anesthesiologist, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives
- Dora Olivo, attorney and former member of Texas House of Representatives for Fort Bend County
- Rob Orr, member of Texas House of Representatives since 2005 from Johnson County
- John Otto, member of Texas House of Representatives since 2005 from Liberty County
- Bill Owens, former Governor of Colorado
- Susan Pamerleau, retired United States Air Force major general and Republican sheriff of Bexar County, first woman elected to that position, 2012
- Hugh Q. Parmer, former Mayor of Fort Worth and member of both houses of Texas State Legislature
- Brad Parscale, political strategist
- Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor of Texas, former member of Texas State Senate and radio broadcaster
- Diane Patrick, former member of Texas House of Representatives from Arlingon
- Kae T. Patrick, member of Texas House of Representatives from San Antonio, 1981–1988
- Jerry E. Patterson, Texas Land Commissioner; former state senator, candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014
- Thomas Pauken, Texas Republican chairman, 1994–1997, lawyer and political commentator
- Gilbert Pena, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Pasadena
- Charles Perry, state senator from District 28 ; state representative from Lubbock
- Rick Perry, Governor of Texas, 2000–15; United States Secretary of Energy
- Dade Phelan, Republican state representative from Beaumont
- Larry Phillips, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Sherman
- Thomas R. Phillips, former Chief Justice of Texas Supreme Court
- George Pierce, Republican former member of Texas House of Representatives from San Antonio; president of Texas and Southern Railroad, Inc.
- Katrina Pierson, Tea Party activist, Donald Trump campaign spokesperson
- Dan Pope, Mayor of Lubbock since 2016
- David J. Porter, member of Railroad Commission of Texas, elected November 2, 2010
- Robert "Bob" Price, U.S. representative from Pampa in Texas Panhandle
- Tom Price, judge of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 1997–2015, and the Dallas-based 282nd Court, 1987–1997
- Walter Thomas Price, IV, state representative from Amarillo, first elected November 2, 2010
- Graham B. Purcell, Jr., U.S. representative from Texas's 13th congressional district, 1962–1973; Wichita Falls lawyer
- Jack Rains, former Texas secretary of state
- John N. Raney, member of Texas House of Representatives from Brazos County since 2011
- Bennett Ratliff, member of Texas House of Representative from Dallas County
- Bill Ratliff, state senator and lieutenant governor from Mount Pleasant
- Sam Rayburn, U.S. Congressman and Speaker of the House of Representatives
- Richard P. Raymond, South Texas state representative
- William Whitaker Reed, fought in Texas Revolution; first sheriff of Bell County, elected 1850
- Jim Reese, mayor of Odessa, 1968–1974; ran for Congress against George Mahon and George W. Bush
- Ron Reynolds, African-American Democrat member of Texas House of Representatives from District 27 in Missouri City
- Ann Richards, second woman governor of Texas ; state treasurer
- Cecile Richards, liberal political activist, daughter of Ann Richards
- Bert Richardson, judge of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; resides in San Antonio
- Tom Rickhoff, state court, appeals, and probate court judge in San Antonio
- Matt Rinaldi, member of Texas House of Representatives from Dallas County since 2015
- Allan Ritter, member of Texas House of Representatives from Jefferson and Orange counties since 1999
- Roy R. Rubottom, Jr., diplomat
- Jim Rudd, lawyer and lobbyist in Austin; former Texas state representative from Brownfield
- Paul Sadler, state representative, Democrat U.S. Senate nominee in 2012, lost to Republican Ted Cruz
- Pete Saenz, mayor of Laredo
- Joe Sage, one of first two Republicans since Reconstruction to represent Bexar County in Texas House of Representatives
- Mario Marcel Salas, civil rights activist, politician
- Scott Sanford, member of Texas House of Representatives from McKinney; Certified Public Accountant and executive pastor of Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church in Allen
- Mario Santos, Jr., sheriff of Webb County, 1977–1988
- Tom Schieffer, diplomat, brother of CBS anchorman Bob Schieffer
- Mike Schofield, member of Texas House of Representatives from Harris County since 2015; former policy advisor to Governor Rick Perry
- Leighton Schubert, member of Texas House of Representatives for District 13; lawyer in Caldwell
- Pete Sessions, U.S. representative
- Sonal Shah, economist and public official with Obama Administration
- Matt Shaheen, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Collin County
- John Sharp, former Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, chancellor of Texas A&M University
- J. D. Sheffield, member of Texas House of Representatives from Coryell County since 2013; physician in Gatesville
- Ralph Sheffield, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Bell County, 2008–2015
- Mark M. Shelton, pediatrician and member of Texas House of Representatives from District 97, 2009–2013
- David McAdams Sibley, attorney-lobbyist, Texas state senator, Mayor of Waco
- Ron Simmons, member of Texas House of Representatives from Carrollton since 2013
- Ryan Sitton, Republican nominee for Texas Railroad Commission in 2014 general election
- Preston Smith, Governor of Texas and lieutenant governor
- Steven Wayne Smith, member of Texas Supreme Court
- Wayne Smith, member of Texas House of Representatives from District 128 in Harris County since 2003
- John T. Smithee, member of Texas House of Representatives from Amarillo since 1985
- Barry Smitherman, former member of Texas Railroad Commission; unsuccessful candidate for attorney general in 2014
- Clay Smothers, member of Texas House of Representatives; operator of St. Paul Industrial Training School orphanage in Malakoff; radio personality
- Burt Solomons Denton County lawyer and Republican member of Texas House of Representatives, 1995–2013
- Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education
- Stuart Spitzer, surgeon in Kaufman; Republican member of Texas House of Representatives
- Drew Springer, Jr., member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 68
- Lonnie Stabler, Mayor of Bryan, 1995–2001
- Barbara Staff, co-chairman of 1976 Ronald Reagan Texas presidential primary campaign
- Sylvia Stanfield, diplomat
- Robert Stanton, director of National Park Service
- Todd Staples, Texas agriculture commissioner; candidate for lieutenant governor in 2014
- Ken Starr, federal judge, Solicitor General, and Independent Counsel during Clinton Administration
- William Steger, U.S. District Judge
- Jonathan Stickland, member of Texas House of Representatives from Tarrant County since 2013
- Steve Stockman, member of U.S. House of Representatives from Texas; candidate for Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 2014
- Robert Schwarz Strauss, politician, chairman of Democratic National Committee, and diplomat
- Dwayne Stovall, Cleveland businessman and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate against John Cornyn in primary election scheduled March 4, 2014
- Carole Keeton Strayhorn, Texas comptroller, railroad commissioner, former Mayor of Austin
- Raymond Strother, political consultant, native of Port Arthur
- Michael Quinn Sullivan, reporter, political activist, president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility
- Robert Talton, police officer, attorney, member of Texas House of Representatives from Harris County 1993–2009; candidate for Chief Justice of Texas Supreme Court in 2014 Republican primary
- Jack Taylor, Arizona Republican politician born in Sonora and former resident of Brownwood
- Buddy Temple, businessman, state representative from Angelina County, and railroad commissioner
- Ed Thompson, member of Texas House of Representatives from Brazoria County since 2013
- Tony Tinderholt, member of Texas House of Representatives from Arlington
- Raul Torres, former state representative from Nueces County
- Steve Toth, member of Texas House of Representatives, 2013–2015, from The Woodlands
- John G. Tower, first Republican U.S. Senator from Texas since Reconstruction
- Lupe Valdez, only female elected sheriff in Texas
- Corbin Van Arsdale, former state representative from Harris County, 2003–2008; lawyer and lobbyist in Austin
- Gary VanDeaver, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Bowie County, effective 2015
- Jason Villalba, state representative from Dallas County since 2013; Dallas attorney with Haynes and Boone
- Catalina Vasquez Villalpando, Treasurer of the United States
- Dale Wainwright, former associate justice of Texas Supreme Court
- Richard A. Waterfield, state representative who advocated for feeding programs for disabled and elderly
- Craig Watkins, first African-American district attorney in Texas, Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year 2008
- Gary Watkins, state representative, county judge, and state district court judge in Ector County
- Reed N. Weisiger, Texas State Senator, Confederate cavalry officer, pioneer in Victoria County
- Jack Wheeler, presidential aide to Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush administrations
- Molly S. White, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Bell County
- John Roger Williams, Republican U.S. representative from Texas, former Texas secretary of state, professional baseball player
- Michael L. Williams, director of Texas Education Agency, former Texas Railroad Commissioner, former assistant Secretary of Education for Civil Rights
- Barry Williamson, Republican former member of Texas Railroad Commission
- Arlene Wohlgemuth, Republican member of Texas House of Representatives from Johnson County, 1995–2005; executive director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation; ran unsuccessfully against Chet Edwards for Congress in 2004
- Paul Womack, member of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 1997–2015, resides in Georgetown in Williamson County
- Jared Woodfill, Houston attorney and chairman of Harris County Republican Party, 2002–2014
- John Lee Wortham, Texas Railroad Commissioner and Secretary of State, businessman
- Betsey Wright, political lobbyist, activist, consultant
- Clymer Wright, political activist; father of municipal term limits in Houston
- Jim Wright, former Congressman and Speaker of the House of Representatives
- Vicente T. Ximenes, Mexican-American civil rights pioneer, U.S. politician
- Ralph Yarborough, state senator, 1957 –1971; leader of progressive or liberal wing of his party
- Kevin Patrick Yeary, judge of Texas Court of Criminal Appeals since 2015
- Judith Zaffirini, state senator from Laredo
- Bill Zedler, member of Texas House of Representatives from Arlington
- Brian Zimmerman, elected mayor of Crabb at age 11
U.S. Presidents
- George H. W. Bush, 41st President and 43rd Vice President of the United States
- George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States
- Lyndon B. Johnson, 36th President of the United States ; Vice President
Notable women of Texas
- Jessie Daniel Ames, suffragette, civil rights activist
- Annie Webb Blanton, suffragist, educator
- Mary Eleanor Brackenridge, social activist, university regent
- Mary Couts Burnett, philanthropist
- Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States
- Mary Elizabeth Butt, philanthropist
- Minnie Fisher Cunningham, women's suffragist
- May Dickson Exall, civic leader, founder of Dallas Public Library
- Gloria Feldt, feminist leader, author, political commentator
- Margaret Formby, founder of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth
- Mariette Rheiner Garner, Second Lady of the United States
- Melinda Gates, philanthropist, wife of software magnate Bill Gates
- Edna Gladney, founder of "The Edna Gladney Home" for orphaned children
- Nellie Gray, pro-life activist
- Margaret Hunt Hill, heiress, philanthropist
- Ima Hogg, philanthropist
- Helen LaKelly Hunt, philanthropist for women's causes
- Lady Bird Johnson, former First Lady of the United States
- Maura McNiel, activist for women's rights
- Lucy Pickett, socialite, Southern belle; known as the "Queen of the Confederacy", her portrait appeared on some Confederate currency
- Cecile Richards, activist, president of Planned Parenthood
- Jennie Scott Scheuber, librarian, women's-suffrage activist, civic leader
- Ruth Carter Stevenson, arts patron, museum founder
- Virginia Whitehill, activist for women's rights
- Kathleen Zellner, attorney
Entertainment
Dance
- Joshua Allen, dancer, 2008 winner of So You Think You Can Dance
- Lauren Anderson, ballet dancer; first African-American ballerina to be principal of a major company
- Corky Ballas, ballroom dancer
- Mark Ballas, ballroom dancer, choreographer, actor, musician, and singer-songwriter
- Candy Barr, model, burlesque dancer
- Cyd Charisse, actress, dancer
- Bebe Daniels, actress, singer, dancer, writer, producer
- Gussie Nell Davis, physical education teacher who founded the Kilgore College Rangerettes drill team
- Kelli Finglass, dancer, director of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
- Summer Glau, dancer and actress, Firefly
- Chachi Gonzales, dancer
- Nathalie Krassovska, ballerina, ballet teacher
- Ann Miller, actress, dancer
- Annette O'Toole, dancer, actress
- Ginger Rogers, actress, singer, dancer
- Ross Sisters, Betsy, Vickie, and Dixie, Broadway singers, dancers, contortionists
- Kelly Rowland, R&B singer-songwriter, dancer, actress
- Solange, R&B singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer, producer, director
- Ben Stevenson, artistic director of Houston Ballet and Texas Ballet Theater
- Patsy Swayze, choreographer, dancer, dance teacher
- Judy Trammell, choreographer for Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders
Fashion and modeling
- Lisa Baker, Playboy Playmate of the Year
- Candy Barr, model, burlesque dancer
- Brooke Burns, model, actress
- Lois Chiles, model, actress
- Chloe Dao, fashion designer
- Hope Dworaczyk, model, Playboy Playmate of the Year
- Kelly Emberg, model, former partner of Rod Stewart
- Hannah Ferguson, model
- Tom Ford, former creative director for Gucci, film director
- Michelle Galdenzi, model, actress
- Jerry Hall, model, actress
- Marcy Hanson, Playboy Playmate, actress
- Angie Harmon, model, actress
- Julie Haus, fashion designer
- Kimberly Holland, Playboy model
- Daina House, Playboy centerfold
- Elisa Jimenez, fashion designer, interdisciplinary artist
- Sandy Johnson, Playboy centerfold, actress
- Tina Knowles, businesswoman, fashion designer
- Dorian Leigh , model, considered one of the first supermodels
- Kym Malin, Playboy Playmate, actress
- Irlene Mandrell, model, actress
- Brandon Maxwell, fashion designer
- Kim McLagan, model
- Ali Michael, model
- Kiko Mizuhara, model, actress, Japanese television personality
- Cole Mohr, model
- Chandra North, model
- Derrill Osborn, fashion executive
- Joan Severance, model, actress
- Lori Singer, actress, model, classical musician
- Anna Nicole Smith, model, actress
- Kimberly Kay Smith, model, actress
- Amir Taghi, fashion designer
- Tila Tequila, model, television personality
- Paola Turbay, model, actress, beauty pageant winner
- Ann Ward, model, winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 15
Film, theater, and television
- F. Murray Abraham, Academy Award- and Golden Globe Award-winning actor
- Amy Acker, actress
- Jensen Ackles, actor, Smallville, Supernatural
- Sunrise Adams, actress
- Norman Alden, actor
- Kevin Alejandro, actor
- Jaimie Alexander, actress
- Richard Alexander, actor
- Debbie Allen, actress, choreographer, director, producer
- Joshua Allen, dancer, 2008 winner of So You Think You Can Dance
- Krista Allen, actress
- Marshall Allman, actor, Prison Break, True Blood
- John A. Alonzo, cinematographer
- Audrey Marie Anderson, actress, played Kim Brown on The Unit
- Jacqueline Anderson, actress
- Wes Anderson, director, Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums
- Dana Andrews, actor, The Best Years of Our Lives, Laura
- Andrew Arbuckle, actor
- Macklyn Arbuckle, actor
- Melissa Archer, actress
- Michael Arden, actor
- Kelly Asbury, story artist, director, writer, Shrek 2
- Frank Ashmore, actor
- Tex Avery, animator, cartoonist, director
- Lorri Bagley, actress, model, Veronica's Closet, Ice Age
- G. W. Bailey, actor, M*A*S*H, Police Academy
- Joe Don Baker, actor, Charley Varrick, Walking Tall
- Kathy Baker, Emmy-winning actress, Picket Fences, Boston Public
- Paul Baker, actor, director, educator; founded Dallas Theater Center
- Troy Baker, voice actor, musician
- Greg Baldwin, actor, '
- Taylor Ball, actor
- Reginald Ballard, character actor, comedian, The Bernie Mac Show, Martin
- Bob Banner, television producer, writer, director
- Matt Barr, actor
- Barbara Barrie, actress, Suddenly Susan, Barney Miller, Double Trouble
- Skye McCole Bartusiak, actress
- Texas Battle, actor, played Marcus Walton on The Bold and the Beautiful
- Jim Beaver, actor, played Ellsworth on Deadwood
- David Beecroft, actor
- Gregory Beecroft, actor
- Madge Bellamy, actress
- Robby Benson, actor, director, singer, The Legend of Prince Valiant, Ellen, Beauty and the Beast
- Robert Benton, Academy Award-winning screenwriter and director, Kramer vs. Kramer, Places in the Heart
- Crystal Bernard, actress and singer, television series Wings
- Angela Bettis, actress
- Nicole Bilderback, actress
- Francelia Billington, actress in silent films
- Gil Birmingham, actor, Billy Black in The Twilight Saga
- Dustin Lance Black, Academy Award-winning screenwriter, director, producer
- Patricia Blair, actress, Daniel Boone, The Rifleman, The Electric Horseman
- Justin Blanchard, actor
- Alexis Bledel, actress, starred in Gilmore Girls
- Dan Blocker, actor, played Hoss Cartwright on Bonanza
- Joan Blondell, Academy Award-nominated actress
- Don Bluth, animator, studio owner, An American Tail, The Land Before Time
- Larry Blyden, actor, game-show host
- Spencer Boldman, actor
- John Boles, actor
- Tiffany Bolton, actress, model, talk-show host
- Matthew Bomer, actor, Tru Calling, White Collar
- Kevin Booth, film director, producer, lecturer, musician
- Powers Boothe, actor, Deadwood, Tombstone, Southern Comfort
- Jesse Borrego, actor, Fame, 24, Dexter
- Michael Bowen, actor, Jackie Brown, Magnolia, Lost
- Rob Bowman, film and television director, The X-Files, '
- Lombardo Boyar, actor, The Bernie Mac Show
- Richard Bradford, actor, Man in a Suitcase, The Untouchables
- Abby Brammell, actress, played Tiffy Gerhardt on The Unit
- Larry Brantley, voice actor, comedian, radio spokesman
- Eve Brent, actress
- Mary Brian, actress
- James Brown, actor, The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin
- Tammie Brown, actor, drag queen, musician
- Larry Buchanan, film director, producer, writer
- Samantha Buck, actress, Law & Order: Criminal Intent
- Betty Buckley, film and Tony Award-winning stage actress, singer
- Norman Buckley, television director and editor
- Dennis Burkley, actor
- Carol Burnett, actress, comedian, The Carol Burnett Show
- Brooke Burns, actress, model
- Burnie Burns, writer, actor, producer, comedian, host, director
- Marilyn Burns, actress, starred in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
- Wendell Burton, actor, The Sterile Cuckoo
- Gary Busey, Academy Award-nominated actor, The Buddy Holly Story, Under Siege
- Kevin Cahoon, actor, director, singer-songwriter
- Bill Camfield, radio and television host, writer, comedian
- Kate Capshaw, actress, married to Steven Spielberg
- Gina Carano, actress, television personality, mixed martial arts fighter
- Steve Cardenas, martial artist and retired actor, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, '
- Edwin Carewe, film director, actor, producer, writer
- Thomas Carter, director, actor
- Allen Case, actor, singer
- John L. Cason, actor
- Don Castle, actor
- Darlene Cates, actress
- Derek Cecil, actor, House of Cards
- Duane Lee Chapman, II, Dog the Bounty Hunter
- Leland Chapman, Dog the Bounty Hunter
- Cyd Charisse, actress, dancer, Singin' in the Rain, The Band Wagon
- Ricardo Chavira, actor, played Carlos Soli on Desperate Housewives
- Lois Chiles, actress, model, Moonraker, The Great Gatsby, Broadcast News
- Thomas Haden Church, Academy Award-nominated actor, Sideways, Spider-Man 3, All About Steve
- Victoria Clark, Tony Award-winning actress, singer
- Jack Clay, acting teacher, actor, director
- Taylor Cole, actress/model, Summerland, The Event
- Dabney Coleman, actor, Buffalo Bill, 9 to 5, The Towering Inferno, Tootsie
- Jessica Collins, actress, played Maggie on Rubicon
- Lynn Collins, actress, '
- Marcus Collins, actor, singer
- Shanna Collins, actress, Swingtown
- Ellar Coltrane, actor
- Chris Cooper, actor; winner, Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Adaptation, Seabiscuit, The Bourne Identity, The Patriot, The Muppets
- Tamarie Cooper, actress, playwright
- Barry Corbin, actor, Urban Cowboy, Nothing in Common, Who's Harry Crumb?
- Alex Cord, actor, Airwolf, rancher
- Allen Coulter, film and television director, The Sopranos
- Yvonne Craig, actress
- Norma Crane, actress, Fiddler on the Roof
- Chace Crawford, actor
- Joan Crawford, Academy Award-winning actress, Mildred Pierce, Johnny Guitar, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
- Catherine Crier, television personality, judge
- Kathryn Crosby, actress, Anatomy of a Murder, wife of Bing Crosby
- Shauna Cross, screenwriter, author, roller derby athlete
- Brett Cullen, actor, The Young Riders, Legacy, Ghost Rider
- Erin Cummings, actress, Detroit 1-8-7
- Bonnie Curtis, film producer
- Diana Danielle, Malaysian actress, born in Houston
- Bebe Daniels, actress, singer, dancer, writer, producer
- Linda Darnell, actress, Forever Amber, A Letter to Three Wives
- Jim Dauterive, producer and writer, King of the Hill
- Kennedy Davenport , television personality, drag queen, dancer
- Madison Davenport, actress
- Phyllis Davis, actress
- Eddie Dean, singer-songwriter, actor
- Lezlie Deane, actress, singer
- Marjorie Deanne, actress, first winner of Miss Texas pageant
- Alana de la Garza, actress, Law & Order, ', The Mountain
- Madison De La Garza, teen actress, Desperate Housewives
- Bob Denver, actor, played Maynard G. Krebs in Dobie Gillis and title role in Gilligan's Island
- Elizabeth De Razzo, actress, played Maria on Eastbound & Down
- Kaitlyn Dever, teen actress, Last Man Standing, Justified
- Loretta Devine, actress, Waiting to Exhale, Grey's Anatomy
- Dorothy Devore, actress, comedian
- Jenna Dewan, actress, star of Step Up and Take the Lead
- Elliott Dexter, actor
- Shae D'lyn, actress, Dharma and Greg
- Frank Q. Dobbs, screenwriter, director, producer
- Chris Donahue, Academy Award-winning film producer
- Colby Donaldson, actor
- Michael Dorn, star of ' and '
- Jessica Drake, porn star
- Haylie Duff, actress
- Hilary Duff, actress, singer
- Karen Dufilho-Rosen, Academy Award-winning film producer
- Josh Duhon, actor, played Logan Hayes on General Hospital
- Sandy Duncan, actress, singer, The Sandy Duncan Show, The Hogan Family
- Kenton Duty, teen actor, Shake It Up, Ctrl
- Shelley Duvall, actress, The Shining, Annie Hall, Olive Oyl in film Popeye
- George Eads, actor, plays Nick Stokes in television series '
- Greg Edmonson, music composer for television, movies and video games, King of the Hill, Firefly
- Shannon Elizabeth, actress, American Pie
- Chris Elley, film director, writer, producer
- Chris Ellis, actor
- Ron Ely, actor, Tarzan
- Mireille Enos, actress
- Molly Erdman, actress
- Bill Erwin, character actor
- Dale Evans, actress, singer-songwriter, married to Roy Rogers
- Morgan Fairchild, actress in Dallas television series and Flamingo Road
- Parisa Fakhri, voice actress, Dragon Ball GT, Fruits Basket
- Amy Farrington, actress
- Farrah Fawcett, actress and artist, Charlie's Angels, The Burning Bed, Extremities, The Apostle
- Katie Featherston, actress, Paranormal Activity
- Jay R. Ferguson, actor
- Rosita Fernandez, actress, pop singer
- Tyra Ferrell, actress, The Cape, City, The Bronx Zoo
- Margaret Field, actress, mother of actress Sally Field
- Miles Fisher, actor
- Sean Patrick Flanery, actor, The Boondock Saints
- Horton Foote, two-time Academy Award-winning screenwriter
- Michelle Forbes, actress, ', 24, True Blood
- Tom Forman, actor, writer, producer
- Steve Forrest, actor, So Big, Mommie Dearest, North Dallas Forty
- Robert Foxworth, actor, Falcon Crest, Six Feet Under
- Jamie Foxx, Academy Award-winning actor, Ray, Any Given Sunday, Django Unchained
- James Frawley, director, actor, producer
- Gavin Free, video cinematographer
- Al Freeman Jr., actor, director, Finian's Rainbow, Malcolm X
- K. Todd Freeman, actor
- Robert Fuller, actor, rancher
- Chris Furrh, actor
- Jennifer Garner, actress, 13 Going on 30, Dallas Buyers Club, Draft Day, television series Alias
- Joy Garrett, actress, singer
- Greer Garson, Academy Award-winning actress
- Nancy Gates, actress
- Lynda Day George, actress, television series '
- Richard Gilliland, actor
- Peri Gilpin, actress, Frasier
- Michael Gladis, actor, Mad Men, Eagleheart
- Lesli Linka Glatter, film director
- Summer Glau, dancer and actress, Firefly
- Carlin Glynn, actress, singer
- Dale Godboldo, actor
- Renée Elise Goldsberry, actress, singer-songwriter
- Mike Gomez, actor
- Selena Gomez, actress and singer, formed band Selena Gomez & The Scene
- Nicholas Gonzalez, actor
- Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez, character actor
- Jill Goodacre, actress, model
- Mckenna Grace, actress
- Brea Grant, actress, played Daphne Millbrook on Heroes
- Teresa Graves, actress
- David Gordon Green, filmmaker
- John Gremillion, voice actor
- Nan Grey, actress
- Corinne Griffith, actress
- Kristin Griffith, actress
- Texas Guinan, actress, singer, entrepreneur
- Tim Guinee, actor
- Anne Gwynne, actress
- Tommy Habeeb, actor, writer, producer
- Sara Haden, actress
- Reed Hadley, actor, Racket Squad
- Sarah Hagan, actress
- Emily Hagins, film producer, writer, editor, director
- Larry Hagman, actor, I Dream of Jeannie, Dallas, son of actress Mary Martin
- Monte Hale, actor, country singer
- Jackie Earle Haley, Academy Award-nominated actor, The Bad News Bears, Breaking Away, Little Children
- Bug Hall, actor
- Irma P. Hall, actress
- James Hall, actor
- Jerry Hall, model, actress, former wife of Mick Jagger
- Hope Hampton, actress in silent films
- John Lee Hancock, film director, The Blind Side
- Gunnar Hansen, actor, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre
- Marcy Hanson, actress, Playboy model
- Jerry Hardin, actor
- Melora Hardin, actress
- Ty Hardin, actor
- Ann Harding, actress
- Catherine Hardwicke, film director, Twilight
- Mark Harelik, actor, playwright
- Angie Harmon, actress, Law & Order, Rizzoli & Isles
- William Jackson Harper, actor
- James N. Harrell, actor
- Woody Harrelson, actor, Cheers, Natural Born Killers, White Men Can't Jump, No Country for Old Men, True Detective
- Laura Harring, actress, Mulholland Drive
- Fran Harris, television host, life coach, professional basketball player
- Harriet Sansom Harris, actress, Desperate Housewives, Frasier, It's All Relative, The 5 Mrs. Buchanans
- Chris Harrison, television announcer
- James V. Hart, screenwriter
- Lisa Hartman-Black, actress, Knots Landing
- Ethan Hawke, actor, Training Day, Before Midnight, Dead Poets Society
- John Hawkes, Academy Award-nominated actor, Winter's Bone, Deadwood, The Sessions
- Brad Hawkins, actor, VR Troopers
- Jerry Haynes, actor, children's television host
- Ted Healy, vaudeville performer, comedian, actor; created The Three Stooges
- Amber Heard, actress, Friday Night Lights, Pineapple Express, Drive Angry
- Rick Hearst, actor
- Katherine Helmond, actress, Soap
- Sherman Hemsley, actor, The Jeffersons, adopted El Paso as his hometown
- Josh Henderson, actor, model, singer, Dallas, Desperate Housewives, Over There
- Logan Henderson, actor and singer
- Tiffany Hendra, actress, television personality
- Kim Henkel, screenwriter, director, producer, actor
- Bill "Tex" Henson, animator
- Stephen Herek, film director, 101 Dalmatians
- Jennifer Love Hewitt, actress, Ghost Whisperer, The Client List
- Tamara Hext, actress, winner of Miss Texas pageant
- Joel Heyman, actor
- John Benjamin Hickey, actor, It's All Relative, The Big C
- John Hillerman, actor, played English Major domo Higgins on Magnum, P.I.
- Jordan Hinson, actress
- Junie Hoang, actress and plaintiff in Hoang v. Amazon.com
- Gregory Hoblit, television and film director
- Tommy Hollis, actor
- Tobe Hooper, director The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Poltergeist, Salem's Lot
- William Hootkins, actor, Batman, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars
- Roger Horchow, Broadway producer, catalog entrepreneur
- Lee Horsley, actor, Matt Houston
- Larry Hovis, actor, Hogan's Heroes
- Susan Howard, born in Marshall, longtime actress in Dallas television series
- Matt Hullum, director, producer, writer, actor, visual effects supervisor
- Gayle Hunnicutt, actress, Marlowe, The Legend of Hell House
- Paige Hurd, actress, Everybody Hates Chris
- Tracy Hutson, reality television personality
- Martha Hyer, Academy Award-nominated actress, Some Came Running, The Carpetbaggers, The Sons of Katie Elder
- Judith Ivey, film and Tony Award-winning stage actress, director
- John M. Jackson, actor, played Rear Admiral A. J. Chegwidden on JAG
- Gary Jacobs, television comedy writer, producer, author
- Dorothy Janis, actress in silent films
- Annalee Jefferies, actress
- Chane't Johnson, actress
- Dakota Johnson, actress
- Janelle Johnson, actress; mother of The Monkees' Micky Dolenz
- Sandy Johnson, actress, model
- Joe Johnston, film director, Jumanji, Jurassic Park III, '
- Nick Jonas, singer, actor
- Alex Jones, radio host, television host, film producer
- Angus T. Jones, actor, Jake Harper on Two and a Half Men
- Ashley Jones, actress, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless
- Carolyn Jones, actress, played Morticia Addams on The Addams Family
- Dick Jones, actor, starring role of Buffalo Bill, Jr. and voice of Pinocchio
- Jill Marie Jones, actress, Girlfriends, Gillian in Georgia
- L. Q. Jones, actor, The Wild Bunch, Casino, originally from Beaumont
- Margo Jones, theatre founder and director
- Mickey Jones, actor, musician, Home Improvement, Flo
- Preston Jones, playwright, actor, director
- Preston Jones, actor
- Tommy Lee Jones, Academy Award-winning actor, The Fugitive, Men in Black, Batman Forever, No Country for Old Men, Lincoln
- Glenn Jordan, television director, producer
- Jonathan Joss, actor
- Mike Judge, producer, animator and actor
- Joseph Kahn, music video, advertising, and feature film director
- Christian Kane, actor, singer, played "Lindsay" on Angel, Close to Home
- Jon Keeyes, film director, producer, screenwriter
- Allison Keith, actor, voice actor
- Evelyn Keyes, actress, Gone With the Wind
- Callie Khouri, Academy Award-winning screenwriter, director
- Guy Kibbee, actor
- Candice King, actress best known as Caroline Forbes on The Vampire Diaries
- Charles King, actor
- Madison Kocian, world- and Olympic-champion gymnast
- Liza Koshy, actress, internet personality
- Bernard L. Kowalski, film and television director
- Berry Kroeger, actor
- Eric Ladin, actor, The Killing
- Christine Lakin, actress, Step by Step, Valentine's Day
- Paul Lambert, actor
- Sasha Lane, actress
- Wallace Langham, actor, ', The Larry Sanders Show, Veronica's Closet
- Brooke Langton, actress
- Louise Latham, actress
- Jody Lawrance, actress
- Sheryl Leach, creator of children's programming
- Katie Leclerc, actress
- Ruta Lee, actress
- Brad Leland, actor, Friday Night Lights
- Joshua Leonard, actor, writer, director
- Hal LeSueur, actor; brother of Joan Crawford
- Liana Liberato, actress
- Lar Park Lincoln, actress
- Amy Lindsay, actress
- Rachel Lindsay, reality television star, The Bachelorette
- Richard Linklater, director Slacker, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise, School of Rock, A Scanner Darkly
- Cody Linley, actor, rapper, singer
- Lucien Littlefield, actor in silent films
- Tembi Locke, actress, Eureka, Sliders
- Jacqueline Logan, actress in silent films
- Joshua Logan, stage and film director
- Eva Longoria, actress, Desperate Housewives
- Trini Lopez, singer and actor, The Dirty Dozen
- Demi Lovato, singer, actress
- Bessie Love, actress
- Deirdre Lovejoy, actress, Rhonda Pearlman on The Wire
- Todd Lowe, actor
- Shannon Lucio, actress
- Allen Ludden, emcee, game show host
- Baruch Lumet, theatre actor, director, teacher
- Donald MacDonald, actor
- Lydia Mackay, voice actress
- Peter MacNicol, Emmy Award-winning actor, Ally McBeal, Chicago Hope, Sophie's Choice
- Martha Madison, actress
- Terrence Malick, director Badlands, Days of Heaven, The Thin Red Line
- Kym Malin, actress, model
- Irlene Mandrell, actress, model
- David Mann, actor, singer
- Tamela Mann, actress, singer
- Stephanie March, actress, '
- Amelia Marshall, actress
- Mary Martin, Emmy Award- and Tony Award-winning actress, mother of actor Larry Hagman
- Steve Martin, actor, The Jerk, Pennies from Heaven, Three Amigos, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Father of the Bride, Parenthood, The Pink Panther
- Margo Martindale, actress, The Riches, 100 Centre Street, The Millers
- Peter Masterson, actor, director, producer, writer
- Kimberly Matula, actress
- Adam Mayfield, actor
- Peter Mayhew, actor
- Tim McCanlies, screenwriter, director
- Cameron McCasland, filmmaker
- Matthew McConaughey, Academy Award-winning actor, Dallas Buyers Club, A Time to Kill, The Lincoln Lawyer, Contact, Magic Mike, True Detective
- Carolyn McCormick, actress, played Dr. Liz Olivet on Law & Order
- Jake McDorman, actor
- George McFarland, actor, played "Spanky" in the Our Gang comedies, aka The Little Rascals
- Bruce McGill, actor, Animal House, The Legend of Bagger Vance, 61*, Lincoln
- Jay McGraw, television producer and executive producer, author
- Kevin McHale, actor
- Ben McKenzie, actor, The O.C.
- Alex McLeod, actress
- Scoot McNairy, actor, producer, Halt and Catch Fire, 12 Years a Slave, Argo
- Terrence McNally, playwright
- William McNamara, actor
- Lisa McRee, television journalist
- Leighton Meester, actress, Gossip Girl
- Windell Middlebrooks, actor
- Liz Mikel, actress, singer
- Ann Miller, actress, dancer
- Austin Miller, actor, dancer, singer
- Billy Miller, actor, The Young and the Restless, All My Children
- Carl Miller, actor
- Logan Miller, actor, musician
- McKaley Miller, actress, Hart of Dixie, Partners
- Valarie Rae Miller, actress
- Don Mischer, television producer, director
- Elizabeth Mitchell, actress, Lost, V, ER
- Tom Mix, silent film actor
- Roger Mobley, child actor, Christian pastor
- DeQuina Moore, actress
- Belita Moreno, actress
- Glenn Morshower, actor, Agent Aaron Pierce on 24
- Michael Muhney, actor
- Mitchel Musso, actor, singer, musician
- Megan Mylan, Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker
- Jack Nance, actor
- Edwin Neal, actor
- Tracey Needham, actress, Life Goes On, JAG, The Division
- Pola Negri, silent film actress
- Austin Nichols, actor, Julian Baker on One Tree Hill
- Derek Lee Nixon, actor
- James Noble, actor, Benson
- Timothy Nolen, Broadway actor/singer, opera singer
- Chuck Norris, actor, Walker, Texas Ranger
- Renee O'Connor, actress
- John Baker "Texas Jack" Omohundro, actor, cowboy, frontier scout
- Ty O'Neal, actor
- Lupe Ontiveros, actress
- Hayley Orrantia, singer, actress, The Goldbergs
- Peter Ostrum, veterinarian, former child actor, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
- Annette O'Toole, actress, Superman III, Smallville
- Dan Hewitt Owens, actor
- Lee Pace, actor
- Jared Padalecki, actor, Gilmore Girls, Supernatural
- Kevin Page, actor, artist
- Greg Pak, film director, comic-book writer
- Kay Panabaker, television actress
- Fess Parker, actor, Daniel Boone, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Old Yeller
- Suzy Parker, actress, model
- Hunter Parrish, actor, Weeds
- Jim Parsons, Emmy Award-winning actor, The Big Bang Theory
- Paul A. Partain, actor
- Tayla Parx, actress
- Eric Patrick, filmmaker, animator, educator
- Hank Patterson, actor
- Bill Paxton, actor and director, Titanic, Apollo 13, Twister, Big Love
- Mark Payne, make-up artist, filmmaker, author
- Evelyn Peirce, actress
- Eagle Pennell, film director
- Jack Pepper, vaudeville dancer, singer, comedian, actor, nightclub manager; first husband of Ginger Rogers
- Piper Perabo, actress, Covert Affairs, The Prestige, Looper, Coyote Ugly
- Marco Perella, actor
- Valerie Perrine, Academy Award-nominated actress, Lenny, The Electric Horseman, Superman
- Lou Perryman, actor
- Madison Pettis, actress
- Cindy Pickett, actress, St. Elsewhere, Ferris Bueller's Day Off
- Arthur C. Pierce, screenwriter, film director
- Mary Kay Place, actress, Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, The Big Chill, John Grisham's The Rainmaker
- Jesse Plemons, actor
- Esteban Powell, actor
- Joan Prather, actress
- Ann Prentiss, actress
- Paula Prentiss, actress, What's New Pussycat?, Where the Boys Are, Catch-22, The Stepford Wives
- Missi Pyle, actress, singer, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, '
- Dennis Quaid, actor, Breaking Away, The Right Stuff, The Big Easy, Wyatt Earp, Everybody's All-American, Any Given Sunday
- Randy Quaid, actor, The Last Picture Show, The Last Detail, National Lampoon's Vacation, Brokeback Mountain
- Kevin Rahm, actor, Judging Amy, Desperate Housewives, Mad Men, Jesse
- Steve Railsback, actor, Helter Skelter, The Stunt Man
- Dominic Rains, actor
- Ethan Rains, actor
- Sendhil Ramamurthy, actor, Mohinder Suresh on Heroes
- Haley Ramm, actress
- Ben Rappaport, actor, Outsourced
- Phylicia Rashād, actress, The Cosby Show
- Jackson Rathbone, actor, musician
- Richard Rawlings, reality-television star, entrepreneur, auto mechanic, race car driver
- Allene Ray, actress
- Arthur Redcloud, actor
- Debbie Reynolds, Academy Award-nominated actress and singer, Singin' in the Rain, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, How the West Was Won, Mother, mother of Carrie Fisher
- Kevin Reynolds, screenwriter, director, ', Red Dawn
- Patricia Richardson, actress, Jill Taylor on Home Improvement
- Shannon Richardson, actress
- Noah Ringer, actor
- Emilio Rivera, actor, Marcus Álvarez on Sons of Anarchy
- Rudy Robbins, actor, screenwriter, stuntman, Western singer-songwriter
- Dallas Roberts, actor
- Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek creator, writer, director, producer
- Rod Roddy, radio and television announcer
- Holland Roden, actress, Teen Wolf
- James Roday Rodriguez, actor
- Michelle Rodriguez, actress, Lost
- Raini Rodriguez, actress, '
- Rico Rodriguez, teen actor, Modern Family
- Robert Rodriguez, director, producer, writer, composer
- Ginger Rogers, Academy Award-winning actress, singer, dancer
- Kylie Rogers, child actress, The Whispers, Collateral Beauty, Miracles from Heaven
- Henry Roquemore, actor
- Thomas Rosales Jr., stunt man
- Ross Sisters, Betsy, Vickie, and Dixie, Broadway singers, dancers, contortionists
- Debby Ryan, actress, singer, voice actress
- Irene Ryan, actress, "Granny" on The Beverly Hillbillies
- Melissa Rycroft, reality television contestant
- Mark Salling, actor
- Ajai Sanders, actress, comedian
- Jay O. Sanders, actor, Crime Story, AfterMASH, The Day After Tomorrow
- Stark Sands, actor
- John Phillip Santos, filmmaker, producer, journalist, author
- August Schellenberg, actor
- Robert Schenkkan, actor, playwright, screenwriter
- Thomas Schlamme, producer, director
- Julian Schnabel, award-winning film director, visual artist
- Maïté Schwartz, actress
- Tracy Scoggins, actress, The Colbys, ', Babylon 5
- Kimberly Scott, actress
- Zachary Scott, actor, Mildred Pierce, Cass Timberlane
- Edward Sedgwick, film director, writer, actor, producer
- Eileen Sedgwick, actress in silent films
- Joan Severance, actress, model
- Sarah Shahi, actress, Life, Fairly Legal, The L Word
- Shangela, drag queen, reality television personality
- Andrew Shapter, film director, producer, writer, photographer
- Karen Sharpe, actress, The High and the Mighty
- Molly Louise Shepard, playwright, screenwriter
- Ann Sheridan, actress, The Man Who Came to Dinner, Kings Row
- Jim Siedow, actor
- Justin Simien, filmmaker, actor, author
- Johnny Simmons, actor
- Lori Singer, actress, model, classical musician
- Marc Singer, actor, Michael Donovan on V: The Original Miniseries, V: The Final Battle, and V: The Series
- Guru Singh, actor
- J. Mack Slaughter Jr., actor
- Brian J. Smith, actor, Stargate Universe, Sense8
- Bubba Smith, actor, professional football player
- Jaclyn Smith, actress, starred in Charlie's Angels
- Kimberly Kay Smith, model, actress
- Gus Sorola, actor, podcast host
- Eve Southern, actress
- Sissy Spacek, Academy Award-winning actress, Coal Miner's Daughter, Carrie, Missing, cousin of Rip Torn
- Merrie Spaeth, child and teen actress; now a business and political consultant and educator
- Aaron Spelling, television producer
- Georgina Spelvin, adult film actress
- Brent Spiner, actor, star of '
- Kim Spradlin, reality television personality, interior designer, business owner
- Andy Stahl, actor, The Client, The Patriot, The Blind Side
- Nick Stahl, actor, Sin City, The Man Without a Face, '
- Jimmy Starr, screenwriter, columnist
- Jack Starrett, actor, director
- Eddie Steeples, actor
- Jennifer Stone, actress
- Matt Stone, animator, voice actor, cocreator of South Park with Trey Parker
- Gale Storm, actress, singer
- Glenn Strange, actor
- Sherry Stringfield, actress
- David Sullivan, actor
- Allison Sumrall, voice actress
- Don Swayze, actor
- Patrick Swayze, actor, Dirty Dancing, The Outsiders, Road House, Ghost
- Madylin Sweeten, actress, Everybody Loves Raymond
- Clarence Swensen, actor
- Francie Swift, actress, Gossip Girl
- Ralph Tabakin, actor, '
- Margaret Tallichet, actress
- Sharon Tate, actress, Valley of the Dolls
- Jacqueline Taylor, actress, Broadway and cabaret singer
- Regina Taylor, actress, Molly Blane on The Unit; playwright
- Ron Taylor, actor
- Henry Thomas, actor, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Gangs of New York, All the Pretty Horses
- Jay Thomas, actor, Mr. Holland's Opus, Cheers
- Tiffany Thornton, actress
- Stephen Tobolowsky, actor, Bob Bishop on Heroes, Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day
- Rip Torn, Academy Award-nominated actor, Cross Creek, Sweet Bird of Youth, The Cincinnati Kid, Defending Your Life, The Larry Sanders Show, cousin of Sissy Spacek
- Stacey Travis, actress
- Jesús Salvador Treviño, television director
- Barry Tubb, actor, director
- Alan Tudyk, actor
- Tommy Tune, dancer, actor, Broadway director, choreographer
- Paola Turbay, actress, model, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, Cane
- Janine Turner, model, actress, author, radio talk show host
- Karri Turner, actress
- Maidel Turner, film actress
- Meg Turney, internet personality, cosplayer, model, vlogger
- Michael Urie, actor, Ugly Betty
- Brenda Vaccaro, Academy Award-nominated actress, Once Is Not Enough, Midnight Cowboy, Airport '77
- Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Association of America, 1966–2004; special assistant to U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
- Greg Vaughan, actor, former fashion model, General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, Charmed
- Conrad Vernon, voice actor, writer, director, the Shrek movies, the Madagascar movies, Monsters vs. Aliens
- Florence Vidor, actress
- King Vidor, film director, producer
- Libby Villari, actress
- Tom Virtue, actor, Even Stevens, Blades of Glory
- Elda Voelkel, actress; later documentary filmmaker
- Lenny Von Dohlen, actor
- Helen Wagner, actress, played Nancy Hughes on As the World Turns for 54 years
- Charlotte Walker, actress
- Jordan Wall, actor
- Isaiah Washington, actor, Dr. Preston Burke on Grey's Anatomy
- Barry Watson, actor
- Ann Wedgeworth, actress, Lana on Three's Company
- Debbie Weems, actress, singer, Captain Kangaroo
- Peter Weller, actor, RoboCop, Star Trek Into Darkness
- Noël Wells, actress, comedian
- Bob West, actor, Barney & Friends
- Lisa Whelchel, actress, author
- Forest Whitaker, Academy Award-winning actor and director, The Last King of Scotland, Bird, Good Morning, Vietnam, Panic Room, Lee Daniels' The Butler
- Johnny Whitworth, actor,
- Caroline Williams, actress
- Guinn Williams, actor
- JoBeth Williams, actress, Poltergeist, The Big Chill, Screen Actors Guild president
- Ryan Piers Williams, actor, director, writer
- Van Williams, actor
- Noble Willingham, actor, Walker, Texas Ranger
- Travis Willingham, actor, voice actor
- Chill Wills, Academy Award-nominated actor and singer
- Andrew Wilson, actor
- Chandra Wilson, actress, Miranda Bailey on Grey's Anatomy
- Dooley Wilson, actor, singer, played "Sam" in Casablanca
- Luke Wilson, actor, Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums, Idiocracy
- Owen Wilson, actor, The Darjeeling Limited, Midnight in Paris, Cars
- Robert Wilson, theatre director, playwright
- Trey Wilson, actor, Bull Durham, Raising Arizona
- William D. Wittliff, screenwriter, author, photographer
- Morgan Woodward, actor, Dallas, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, Gunsmoke
- Doug Wright, Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning playwright, screenwriter
- Robin Wright, actress, The Princess Bride, House of Cards
- Natalie Zea, actress, Justified, Dirty Sexy Money
- Nora Zehetner, actress
- Renée Zellweger, Academy Award-winning actress, Cold Mountain, Jerry Maguire, Chicago
- Craig Zisk, television director, producer
- Randy Zisk, television director, producer
Comedians
- Rodney Carrington, comedian
- Wyatt Cenac, stand-up comedian, actor, writer
- Kambri Crews, comedic storyteller, memoirist
- Jeff Dunham, ventriloquist, stand-up comedian
- Jade Esteban Estrada, comedian, actor
- Bill Engvall, comedian, actor
- Jack Handey, writer for Saturday Night Live
- Bill Hicks, comedian
- KevJumba , comedian, YouTube celebrity
- Freddy Lockhart, comedian, actor
- Steve Martin, comedian, actor
- Rasika Mathur, comedian, actress, Wild 'n Out
- Ralphie May, comedian
- Grady Nutt, humorist, Baptist minister
- Alex Reymundo, comedian, actor
- Iliza Shlesinger, comedian
- Shuckey Duckey , comedian, circus ringmaster
- Freddy Soto, comedian, actor
- Ryan Stout, comedian
- Greg Travis, actor, stand-up comedian
- Paul Varghese, comedian
- Stephnie Weir, comedian, actress, MADtv
- White Chocolate, BET Comic View
- Ron White, comedian, actor
- Harris Wittels, comedian, actor, writer, producer, musician
- Dustin Ybarra, comedian, actor
Magicians
- Jay Alexander, magician
- J.B. Bobo, magician
- Richard Turner, magician specializing in card manipulation
- Mark Wilson, magician
Music
;A
- Dimebag Darrell Abbott, rock guitarist
- Jerry Abbott, country songwriter, producer
- Dave Abbruzzese, rock drummer
- Jacques Abram, classical pianist
- Kevin Abstract , rapper, singer-songwriter, director
- Yolanda Adams, Grammy Award-winning gospel singer
- Samuel Adler, composer, conductor, educator
- Pepe Aguilar, ranchera/mariachi/pop singer-songwriter
- Don Albert, jazz trumpeter, bandleader
- Carter Albrecht, rock keyboardist, guitarist, classical pianist
- Victor Alessandro, conductor
- Alger "Texas" Alexander, blues singer
- Dave Alexander , blues singer, pianist
- Terry Allen, musician
- Jerry Allison, musician
- Joe Allison, country songwriter, producer
- Ruby Allmond, country songwriter, fiddler, guitarist
- Tommy Allsup, rock/country guitarist
- Nancy Ames, pop/folk singer
- Trey Anastasio, rock singer/guitarist
- Christopher M. Anderson, college band director
- Coffey Anderson, country singer-songwriter
- Keith Anderson, jazz saxophonist
- Ryan Anthony, trumpet player
- Clifford Antone, blues club owner, record producer, mentor to musicians
- Charlie Applewhite, singer, radio host
- Katie Armiger, country singer
- Lev Aronson, classical cellist and teacher
- Charline Arthur, boogie-woogie/blues singer
- Gene Austin, pop/jazz singer-songwriter
- James Austin, classical trumpet player, educator
- Larry Austin, composer, educator
- Gene Autry, country music singer
- Pedro Ayala, conjunto accordionist-songwriter
- Harry Babasin, jazz bassist
- Erykah Badu, R&B and hip hop singer
- Zuill Bailey, classical cellist
- Wilfred Bain, music educator
- Zac Baird, rock keyboardist
- Sam Baker, folk singer-songwriter, survived a terrorist bombing attack by Shining Path
- Marcia Ball, blues singer
- Clint Ballard Jr., songwriter
- Smith Ballew, singer, bandleader, actor
- Moe Bandy, country singer
- Kirko Bangz, southern hip hop music and R&B singer
- Joseph Banowetz, classical pianist, teacher
- Stephen Barber, symphonic/pop/rock composer, arranger
- Danny Barnes, country/jazz/punk banjo player and guitarist
- Les Baxter, composer of lounge music and exotica
- Frank Beard, drummer in ZZ Top
- George Beauchamp, maker and inventor of violins and guitars
- Jim Beck, country music talent agent, record promoter, recording studio owner, A&R engineer, record producer, music publisher
- Leila Bela, musician, writer, actress
- Archie Bell, singer
- Jesse Belvin, R&B pianist, singer-songwriter
- Tex Beneke, big-band saxophonist, singer, bandleader
- Ray Benson, Western swing singer-songwriter, producer, Asleep at the Wheel
- Buster Benton, blues guitarist, singer
- Taz Bentley, rock drummer
- Shelly Berg, jazz pianist and educator
- David Berman, alt-rock singer-songwriter
- Big Moe , rapper
- Bill Smith Combo, aka Tommy & The Tom Toms, DFW rock 'n roll group
- Ryan Bingham, country singer-songwriter
- Scott H. Biram, blues, punk, country, heavy metal musician
- Cedric Bixler-Zavala, dub, salsa and progressive rock musician
- Black Ace , blues singer, guitarist
- Clint Black, country music singer, raised in Houston
- Robert Black, classical conductor, pianist, composer
- William Black, classical pianist, educator
- Zach Blair, guitarist of Rise Against
- Clay Blaker, country singer-songwriter
- William Blankenship, opera singer, educator
- Jules Bledsoe, Broadway singer
- Julien Paul Blitz, conductor, cellist
- Craig Bohmler, opera/musical-theatre composer
- Zuzu Bollin, blues guitarist
- Maya Bond, singer-songwriter, drummer; born in Osaka, Japan, immigrated to Austin
- Juke Boy Bonner, blues musician
- Emanuel Borok, classical violinist
- Brent Bourgeois, rock singer, producer
- Jane Bowers, folk singer-songwriter
- Euday L. Bowman, ragtime/blues pianist, composer
- Euel Box, music producer, composer, arranger, trumpeter
- Boxcar Willie , country singer
- Bill Boyd, country singer, guitarist
- Craig Wayne Boyd, country singer and winner of NBC's The Voice season 7
- Calvin Boze, jazz/R&B trumpeter
- Danielle Bradbery, country singer
- Jeff Bradetich, classical double bass player and educator
- Bobby Bradford, jazz trumpeter, cornetist, bandleader, composer
- Doyle Bramhall, blues singer-songwriter, drummer
- Doyle Bramhall II, blues/rock guitarist
- Zachary Breaux, jazz guitarist
- David Breeden, classical clarinetist
- Leon Breeden, jazz bandleader, musician, educator
- Edie Brickell, singer, married to Paul Simon
- Leon Bridges, soul singer-songwriter
- Billy Briggs, independent musician-songwriter
- Ally Brooke, pop singer
- Karen Brooks, country singer
- Cecil Brower, country fiddler
- The 5 Browns, classical pianist siblings born in Texas, raised in Texas and Utah
- Charles Brown, blues singer, pianist
- Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown, blues instrumentalist
- Jewel Brown, jazz/blues singer
- Lacey Brown, folk/pop singer
- Rex Brown, musician
- Cliff Bruner, western swing fiddler, bandleader
- Anshel Brusilow, orchestra conductor and violinist
- Stephen Bruton, country musician
- Mike Buck, blues/rock drummer
- Betty Buckley, actress, singer
- Teddy Buckner, jazz/Dixieland trumpeter
- Bun B , rapper
- T-Bone Burnett, rock/country songwriter, musician, producer
- Gerald Busby, classical and film composer
- Johnny Bush, country singer-songwriter
- William Butler, member of Arcade Fire
- Win Butler, lead singer of Canadian indie-rock band Arcade Fire
- Ryan Cabrera, singer/songwriter
- Ernie Caceres, jazz instrumentalist
- Chris Cagle, country music artist
- Kimberly Caldwell, pop singer, actress
- Tevin Campbell, musician
- Tony Campise, jazz woodwind player
- Laura Canales, Tejano singer
- Hayes Carll, country singer-songwriter
- Chris Carmichael, pop/country string instrumentalist, arranger
- Vikki Carr, jazz, pop, country and Latin music singer
- Georgia Carroll, big-band singer, actress, model
- Johnny Carroll, rockabilly singer, guitarist
- John Carter, jazz instrumentalist, composer, club owner
- Kristopher Carter, classical and Emmy Award-winning film composer
- Cindy Cashdollar, Western swing/bluegrass steel guitarist
- AJ Castillo, Tejano singer
- Joyce Castle, opera singer
- Jason Castro, pop singer/guitarist
- Hollie Cavanagh, pop singer
- John Cerminaro, classical horn player
- Chamillionaire, rapper
- Greyson Chance, pop/rock singer, pianist
- John Barnes Chance, classical composer, timpanist
- Bruce Channel, rock and roll singer
- Gary Chapman, contemporary Christian singer-songwriter
- Mark Chesnutt, country singer-songwriter
- Chingo Bling , rapper, producer
- Harry Choates, Cajun fiddler
- Charlie Christian, swing/jazz guitarist
- Chungha , South Korean musician
- Ciara , musician
- Gary Clark Jr., Texas blues musician
- Guy Clark, country singer-songwriter
- Lakrea Clark, singer-songwriter
- Victoria Clark, singer, Tony Award-winning actress
- Kelly Clarkson, singer, American Idol winner
- Cynthia Clawson, Grammy Award-winning gospel singer
- James Clay, jazz instrumentalist
- Sonny Clay, jazz pianist, drummer, bandleader
- Laura Claycomb, operatic soprano
- Van Cliburn, pianist
- Arnett Cobb, jazz saxophonist
- Eddie Coker, singer-songwriter of music for children
- Henry Coker, jazz trombonist
- Gary B.B. Coleman, soul/blues guitarist, singer-songwriter, producer
- Jerry "Bo" Coleman, radio disc jockey; KDAV in Lubbock
- Ornette Coleman, jazz saxophonist
- John Ford Coley, rock musician
- Bill Collings, guitar maker
- Albert Collins, blues musician
- Jim Collins, country singer-songwriter
- Eugene Conley, opera singer
- Barbara Smith Conrad, opera singer
- David Cook, rock singer-songwriter
- Nick Cooper, drummer, record producer, composer, filmmaker, social activist
- Johnny Copeland, blues guitarist, singer
- Larry Coryell, jazz fusion guitarist
- James Cotton, blues harmonica player, singer-songwriter
- Josie Cotton , rock singer
- Orville Couch, country singer-songwriter
- Cowboy Troy, rap singer-songwriter
- Bryan-Michael Cox, record producer, songwriter
- Pee Wee Crayton, R&B/blues guitarist, singer
- Roger Creager, country singer
- Dash Crofts, soft-rock musician
- Christopher Cross, singer
- Randy Crouch, country instrumentalist
- Wayne Crouse, violist
- Rodney Crowell, country singer-songwriter
- Lella Cuberli, opera singer
- Henry Cuesta, jazz/big-band clarinetist
- Jim Cullum Jr., Dixieland/jazz cornetist and bandleader
- Jeff Current, lead singer for Against All Will
- Sonny Curtis, country/pop singer-songwriter
- Ted Daffan, country guitarist, songwriter
- Pappy Daily, country music record producer
- Floyd Dakil, pop guitarist-songwriter
- Vernon Dalhart , country singer-songwriter
- Chris Dave, jazz/gospel/hip hop drummer, composer, bandleader
- Ivan Davis, classical pianist
- Mac Davis, musician
- Monte Hill Davis, classical pianist
- Ronnie Dawson, rockabilly musician
- Bobby Day , rock and roll/R&B singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, producer
- Eddie Dean, country singer-songwriter
- Jimmy Dean, country singer, television personality, businessman
- Bill Dees, country songwriter, "Oh, Pretty Woman"
- Ryan Delahoussaye, rock instrumentalist
- Tim DeLaughter, rock singer
- Brett Deubner, classical violist
- Lindsay Deutsch, classical violinist
- Al Dexter, country singer
- Mike Dillon, rock drummer-singer-songwriter
- Floyd Dixon, R&B pianist, singer
- Jessy Dixon, gospel singer
- DJ Screw , hip-hop artist
- The D.O.C., rapper
- Deryl Dodd, country music singer-songwriter
- Helen Donath, operatic soprano
- Kenny Dorham, jazz trumpeter, singer, composer
- Dorrough, rapper
- Amber Dotson, country singer
- Bobby Doyle, jazz singer
- Damita Jo DuBlanc, lounge singer, actress, comedian
- Sherman H. Dudley, vaudeville and black musical performer and producer
- Hilary Duff, singer
- Ted Dunbar, jazz guitarist, composer, educator
- Johnny Duncan, country singer
- Tommy Duncan, Western swing singer-songwriter
- Bob Dunn, jazz trombonist, Western swing steel guitarist
- Holly Dunn, country singer
- Ronnie Dunn, country singer
- Chauntelle DuPree, rock/pop guitarist
- Garron DuPree, rock/pop bass guitarist
- Sherri DuPree, rock/pop singer, guitarist, lyricist
- Stacy DuPree, rock/pop keyboardist, singer
- Weston DuPree, rock/pop drummer
- Eddie Durham, jazz guitarist, trombonist, composer, arranger
- Robert Ealey, blues singer
- Steve Earle, singer-songwriter, musician
- Roger Edens, film composer
- Emily Elbert, folk/soul/jazz/pop singer-songwriter
- Willard Somers Elliot, classical bassoonist
- Herb Ellis, jazz guitarist
- Merrill Leroy Ellis, classical composer
- Robert Ellis, country/rock singer-songwriter
- Terry Ellis, R&B singer
- Paul Ellison, classical bassist and teacher
- Joe Ely, singer-songwriter, guitarist
- Ralna English, singer from The Lawrence Welk Show
- Roky Erickson, rock singer-songwriter, instrumentalist
- Booker Ervin, jazz saxophonist
- Alejandro Escovedo, rock guitarist, singer-songwriter
- Dale Evans, country singer-songwriter, guitarist
- Herschel Evans, jazz saxophonist
- Terry Fator, singer, ventriloquist, impersonator
- Fat Pat , rapper
- Jimmy Lee Fautheree, rockabilly singer
- José Feghali, classical pianist and teacher
- Wilton Felder, jazz saxophonist, bassist
- Freddy Fender, musician
- Keith Ferguson, blues/rock bass guitarist, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
- Rosita Fernandez, Tejano/pop singer, actress
- Ernie Fields, jazz trombonist
- Carl Finch, polka musician, founder of Brave Combo
- Charles Finger, music teacher, conservatory administrator; later a noted author of children's literature
- Sonny Fisher, rockabilly singer-songwriter, guitarist
- Rosie Flores, country singer
- Carlisle Floyd, opera composer
- George Floyd, rapper, died in Minneapolis Police custody
- Jim Bob Floyd, classical pianist, composer
- Blaze Foley , folk singer-songwriter
- Bruce Ford, operatic tenor
- Radney Foster, country music singer-songwriter
- Ruthie Foster, blues/folk singer-songwriter
- Kevin Fowler, country singer
- Curly Fox, country fiddler
- James Francies, jazz pianist, composer
- Kirk Franklin, gospel singer
- Denny Freeman, blues instrumentalist, songwriter
- Eddie Freeman, jazz/flamenco guitarist, arranger, teacher
- Walter Fried, violinist and conductor
- Kinky Friedman, singer-songwriter, novelist, columnist, candidate for governor of Texas
- Lefty Frizzell, country singer
- Steven Fromholz, singer-songwriter
- Bobby Fuller, rock singer and guitarist
- Marjorie Fulton, classical violinist and teacher
- Anson Funderburgh, blues guitarist, bandleader
- Justin Furstenfeld, rock singer and guitarist
- Kyle Gann, composer, musicologist, music critic
- Red Garland, jazz pianist
- Travis Garland, singer-songwriter
- Joy Garrett, big-band singer, actress
- Henry Garza, Los Lonely Boys lead guitarist of San Angelo, 2005 Grammy Award winner
- Jojo Garza, Los Lonely Boys bass of San Angelo, 2005 Grammy Award winner
- Ringo Garza, Los Lonely Boys drummer of San Angelo, 2005 Grammy Award winner
- Larry Gatlin, singer-songwriter, member of the Gatlin Brothers
- Zelma Watson George, opera singer, musicologist
- Richard Giangiulio, classical trumpet player and conductor
- Billy Gibbons, guitarist in ZZ Top
- Mickey Gilley, country musician
- Don Gillis, composer, conductor, producer, educator
- Everett M. Gilmore, classical tubist
- Jimmie Dale Gilmore, singer-songwriter
- Johnny Gimble, country fiddler
- John Giordano, orchestra conductor
- Jimmy Giuffre, jazz composer, arranger, clarinetist and saxophonist
- Robert Glasper, jazz pianist
- Jack Glatzer, concert violinist
- Terry Glaze, country/heavy-metal singer, guitarist
- Darrell Glenn, country singer
- Lloyd Glenn, R&B pianist, bandleader, arranger
- Tyree Glenn, big band/jazz trombonist
- Lillian Glinn, blues singer-songwriter
- David Gockley, opera company administrator
- Renée Elise Goldsberry, singer-songwriter, actress
- David Golub, classical pianist, conductor
- Selena Gomez, actress and singer
- Allie Gonino, actress and pop singer
- Floyd Graham, bandleader, educator
- Larry Graham, soul, R&B, and funk musician
- Susan Graham, opera singer
- Donald Grantham, classical composer and music educator
- Jennifer Grassman, independent music singer, pianist
- Mitchell 'Mitch' Grassi, a cappella singer
- Dobie Gray, soul singer-songwriter
- Jerry Gray, swing-era arranger and bandleader
- Pat Green, country singer-songwriter
- Thurman Green, jazz trombonist
- Art Greenhaw, Grammy Award-winning recording artist, producer, engineer
- Nanci Griffith, singer-songwriter
- Larry Groce, singer/songwriter of country music, children's songs; radio host
- Texas Guinan, western singer, actress
- David Wendel Guion, composer, arranger of folk tunes
- Guitar Shorty , blues guitarist
- Woody Guthrie, folk singer-songwriter
- Billy Guy , R&B/rock and roll singer
- Monte Hale, country singer, actor
- Gene Hall, jazz saxophonist, music educator
- Tommy Hall, rock electric jug player
- Stuart Hamblen, country singer, candidate for U.S. President
- Ed Hamell, punk-rock singer-songwriter, guitarist
- Bob Hames, jazz guitarist
- Butch Hancock, country/folk singer-songwriter
- Gerre Hancock, organist, composer
- Tommy Hancock, country singer, bandleader
- John Handy, jazz saxophonist
- John Hardee, jazz saxophonist
- Maud Cuney Hare, music historian, civil rights activist
- Roy Hargrove, jazz trumpet player
- Eric Harland, jazz drummer
- Everette Harp, jazz saxophonist
- Lynn Harrell, concert cellist raised in Texas
- Mack Harrell, operatic baritone
- Peppermint Harris , R&B singer, guitarist
- Daniel Hart, indie pop singer-songwriter, violinist
- Earl Harvin, rock drummer
- Bess Lomax Hawes, folk musician, folklorist
- Nelly , rapper, singer-songwriter, entrepreneur, investor, and occasional actor
- Gibby Haynes, lead singer of the Butthole Surfers
- Cedric Haywood, jazz pianist
- Roy Head, Roy Head and The Traits
- Sundance Head, country singer-songwriter, contestant from American Idol season 6 and winner of NBC's The Voice season 11
- Chet Helms, music promoter, called father of the Summer of Love
- Julius Hemphill, jazz composer, saxophonist
- Bugs Henderson, blues guitarist
- Tom Hendricks, rock/blues guitarist, magazine writer, editor
- Terri Hendrix, contemporary folk singer-songwriter
- Don Henley, musician with rock group the Eagles
- Shifty Henry, R&B/jazz instrumentalist, songwriter
- Walter Herbert, opera conductor and administrator
- Ally Brooke Hernandez, pop singer
- Anna Goodman Hertzberg, pianist, civic leader, philanthropist
- Casey Hess, rock guitarist
- Carolyn Hester, folk singer-songwriter
- Sara Hickman, rock/pop singer-songwriter
- Johnnie High, country musician and impresario
- Ray Hildebrand, pop singer, Paul & Paula
- Dusty Hill, bass guitarist in ZZ Top
- Z. Z. Hill, blues singer
- Tish Hinojosa, Mexican-American folk singer
- James William Hipp, classical trumpet player, educator, music administrator
- Desmond Hoebig, classical cellist and teacher
- Ernst Hoffmann, orchestra conductor
- Adolph Hofner, western swing bandleader
- Smokey Hogg, country blues singer, guitarist
- Jennifer Holliday, Grammy Award-winning singer, actress
- Buddy Holly, singer-songwriter
- Steve Holy, country singer
- Sam Lightnin' Hopkins, blues musician
- Jazzmeia Horn, jazz singer-songwriter
- Johnny Horton, country singer
- Brad Houser, rock instrumentalist
- Scott Hoying, a cappella singer
- Frank Huang, concert violinist
- Ray Wylie Hubbard, country singer-songwriter
- Bill Hughes, jazz trombonist, bandleader
- Joe "Guitar" Hughes, blues singer, guitarist
- Bobbi Humphrey, jazz flutist
- Jerry Hunt, avant-garde composer
- Ivory Joe Hunter, R&B singer-songwriter, pianist
- Long John Hunter, blues guitarist, singer-songwriter
- Willie Hutch, blues/R&B singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, record producer
- Clarence Hutchenrider, jazz clarinetist
- Walter Hyatt, folk singer, guitarist
- Jack Ingram, country singer-songwriter
- Jill Jackson, pop singer, Paul & Paula
- Melvin Jackson, blues guitarist
- Ronald Shannon Jackson, jazz drummer
- Illinois Jacquet, jazz saxophonist, bassoonist
- Russell Jacquet, jazz trumpeter
- Sarah Jaffe, folk/rock singer-songwriter
- Casey James, pop/country singer, guitarist
- Harry James, jazz/big band trumpeter
- Sarah Jarosz, Americana/bluegrass singer-songwriter, instrumentalist
- Blind Lemon Jefferson, blues musician
- Speight Jenkins, opera administrator, producer
- Waylon Jennings, country singer
- Michael Jerome, rock drummer
- Flaco Jiménez, Tejano accordionist
- Santiago Jiménez Jr., conjunto accordionist
- Kari Jobe, Christian singer-songwriter
- Evan Johns, rockabilly guitarist
- Blind Willie Johnson, blues/spirituals singer, guitarist
- Budd Johnson, jazz saxophonist
- Conrad O. Johnson, music educator
- David N. Johnson, classical organist, composer, educator
- Eric Johnson, rock/jazz/country guitarist
- Gus Johnson, jazz drummer
- Keg Johnson, jazz trombonist
- Money Johnson, jazz trumpeter
- Virgil L. Johnson, musician, The Velvets
- Willie Neal Johnson, gospel singer
- Daniel Johnston, rock singer-songwriter
- Nicholas Jonas, singer, guitarist of the Jonas Brothers
- George Jones, country singer
- Little Hat Jones, blues singer, guitarist
- Maggie Jones, blues singer, pianist, known as "The Texas Nightingale"
- Mike Jones, rapper
- Norah Jones, soul/folk singer-songwriter, born in New York City but raised in Texas
- Tom Jones, lyricist of musical theater
- Janis Joplin, blues/rock singer
- Scott Joplin, ragtime musician and composer
- Esteban Jordan, conjunto/Tejano accordionist
- Jimmy Joy, jazz/big-band saxophonist, clarinetist
- Kurt Kaiser, church music composer
- Benjamin Kamins, classical bassoonist
- Milton Katims, concert violist and conductor
- Robert Earl Keen, singer-songwriter
- Bobby Keys, rock/jazz saxophonist, played with The Rolling Stones
- Peck Kelley, jazz pianist and bandleader
- Kent Kennan, classical composer
- King Curtis , R&B/pop saxophonist
- Freddie King, blues guitarist and singer
- Ralph Kirshbaum, cellist
- Beyoncé, R&B singer, actress
- John Knowles, popular/classical guitarist, composer, arranger, music educator, physicist
- Solange Knowles, R&B singer-songwriter, actress, model, dancer
- Buddy Knox, rockabilly singer-songwriter
- Normani Kordei, pop singer, dancer
- Karl Korte, composer, music educator
- Lili Kraus, classical pianist
- Hans Kreissig, conductor, pianist, educator; created Dallas Symphony Orchestra
- Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter, actor
- Philip Krumm, composer
- Fredell Lack, concert violinist and teacher
- Eugene Lacritz, classical/Broadway clarinetist, saxophonist, conductor
- Jimmy LaFave, folk/country/rock singer-songwriter
- Gary Lakes, opera singer
- Alex Lambert, pop singer-songwriter
- Miranda Lambert, country music singer/songwriter
- Harold Land, bop saxophonist
- Kasey Lansdale, country singer-songwriter
- Milt Larkin, jazz trumpeter, bandleader
- Prince Lasha, jazz instrumentalist
- William P. Latham, classical composer
- Melissa Lawson, country singer
- Lead Belly , blues musician
- Paul Leary, rock guitarist
- Johnny Lee, country singer
- Will Lee, jazz/rock bassist
- William Franklin Lee III, jazz pianist, composer, arranger, author, music educator
- Raymond Lewenthal, concert pianist
- Vaden Todd Lewis, grunge singer-guitarist
- Willie Lewis, jazz clarinetist, bandleader
- Lil Flip , rapper
- Mance Lipscomb, Blues singer, guitarist
- Robert Lipsett, concert violinist and master teacher
- Bill Lister, country singer
- Andrew Litton, orchestra conductor
- Lizzo , rapper, singer-songwriter
- Lisa Loeb, singer-songwriter, actress
- Hannibal Lokumbe , jazz trumpet player, composer
- Alan Lomax, folk singer, guitarist, ethnomusicologist, folklorist
- John London, pop/rock guitarist, songwriter; television production crew
- Jim Long, music producer, publisher; entrepreneur
- Isidro López, Tejano bandleader
- Trini Lopez, Hispanic musician, singer
- Demi Lovato, singer, actress
- Lyle Lovett, singer-songwriter
- David Lowery, rock guitarist, singer-songwriter
- Josephine Lucchese, opera singer
- LeToya Luckett, singer
- Bob Luman, country/rockabilly singer
- Lunic , electropop singer, multi-instrumentalist
- Ray Lynch, classical guitarist and lutenist
- Machine Gun Kelly , rapper
- Michael Madden, bassist for Maroon 5
- Clif Magness, pop songwriter, producer
- Martie Maguire, country singer-songwriter
- Austin Mahone, pop singer
- Martin Mailman, classical composer and educator
- Lloyd Maines, musician, producer
- Natalie Maines, musician
- Major , pop/soul singer-songwriter
- Petronel Malan, concert pianist
- Kirstin 'Kirstie' Maldonado, a cappella singer
- Post Malone, rap singer-songwriter
- Barbara Mandrell, country singer
- Louise Mandrell, country singer
- David Mann, gospel singer, actor
- Tamela Mann, gospel singer, actress
- Chris Marion, rock musician member of Little River Band
- Tina Marsh, jazz singer, composer
- David Martin rock musician, member of Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs, Tommy & The Tom Toms
- Mary Martin, Broadway singer, actress
- Narciso Martínez, conjunto singer, accordionist
- Óscar Martínez, Tejano musician, songwriter
- Rhema Marvanne, gospel singer
- Eduardo Mata, orchestra conductor
- Johnny Mathis, singer
- Johnny "Country" Mathis, country singer-songwriter
- Rich Matteson, jazz brass player, bandleader, educator
- Pete Mayes, blues singer-songwriter, guitarist
- Sally Mayes, Broadway singer and actress, jazz/rock singer
- Timothy McAllister, classical saxophonist
- Leon McAuliffe, Western swing guitarist
- W. Francis McBeth, composer, music educator
- Erin McCarley, alternative music singer-songwriter
- Delbert McClinton, singer-songwriter, instrumentalist
- Mary McCormic, opera singer, educator
- Neal McCoy, country singer
- David McEnery, country/Christian singer-songwriter, guitarist
- Ray McKinley, jazz drummer, singer, bandleader
- Eliza Jane McKissack, music educator and administrator, singer, pianist
- Ian McLagan, rock keyboardist
- Cosmé McMoon, classical pianist, accompanied Florence Foster Jenkins
- James McMurtry, folk-rock singer-songwriter, son of novelist Larry McMurtry
- Cindy McTee, classical composer
- Meat Loaf, singer, actor
- David Meece, contemporary Christian singer, pianist
- William B. Meeks Jr., producer, composer, arranger of radio jingles; woodwind player
- Lydia Mendoza, Tejano singer
- Tom Merriman, commercial/jazz composer, arranger, producer, bandleader, educator
- Tift Merritt, rock/country singer-songwriter
- Augie Meyers, rock/Tejano keyboard player
- Louis Meyers, co-founder of South by Southwest music and media festival, multi-instrumentalist
- Bunny Michael, visual artist, musician, and rapper
- Aryn Michelle, Christian pop/rock singer-songwriter
- Liz Mikel, jazz singer, actress
- Amos Milburn, R&B singer, pianist
- Buddy Miles, rock drummer
- Frankie Miller, country musician
- Julie Miller, country singer-songwriter
- Rhett Miller, alt-country singer
- Roger Miller, singer-songwriter
- Steve Miller, blues/rock guitarist
- Mary Mills, opera singer
- Charles Moffett, jazz drummer
- Bill Moffit, marching-band director, music arranger and composer
- Margarita Monet, rock singer, pianist, composer, actress
- Bob Montgomery, rockabilly singer-songwriter, producer
- Johnny Moore, blues singer, guitarist
- Oscar Moore, jazz/blues guitarist
- Tiny Moore, western swing instrumentalist
- Whistlin' Alex Moore, blues pianist, singer, whistler
- Michael Morales, rock/pop singer-songwriter
- Jason Moran, jazz pianist
- Mike Moreno, jazz guitarist
- Mike Morgan, blues guitarist, harmonica player, singer-songwriter
- Craig Morris, classical trumpet player, educator
- Gary Morris, country singer, actor
- Harold Morris, classical pianist, composer, educator
- Jay Hunter Morris, opera singer
- Maren Morris, country singer-songwriter
- Ella Mae Morse, blues/jazz/pop singer
- Mark Morton, classical double bass player
- Lacey Mosley, lead singer of alternative metal band Flyleaf
- Moon Mullican, country singer-songwriter, pianist
- Michael Martin Murphey, country singer-songwriter
- Kacey Musgraves, country singer-songwriter
- Mason Musso, pop/rock singer-songwriter
- Sam Myers, blues singer, instrumentalist
- Johnny Nash, pop singer-songwriter
- Emilio Navaira, Latin pop/country musician
- Sam Neely, country singer, guitarist
- Nelly, rapper
- Jimmy Nelson, blues singer-songwriter
- Steady Nelson, jazz/swing trumpeter
- Willie Nelson, country singer-songwriter
- Michael Nesmith, singer with The Monkees
- Mickey Newbury, country/folk singer-songwriter
- David "Fathead" Newman, jazz saxophonist
- Johnny Nicholas, blues singer, pianist
- Elena Nikolaidi, opera singer and teacher
- John Nitzinger, rock guitarist, songwriter
- Timothy Nolen, opera singer, Broadway singer and actor
- Normani, pop singer
- Daron Norwood, country singer
- Salim Nourallah, alt-country singer-songwriter
- Darrell Nulisch, blues singer
- Gary P. Nunn, country singer-songwriter
- Phil Ochs, folk singer-songwriter
- W. Lee "Pappy" O'Daniel, country-western singer-songwriter, Texas governor, and U.S. senator
- Adolfo Odnoposoff, classical cellist and teacher
- O.G. Style , rapper
- Paul Olefsky, classical cellist and teacher
- Pauline Oliveros, avant-garde composer, performance artist
- Gene O'Quin, country singer
- Roy Orbison, singer-songwriter
- K. T. Oslin, country singer-songwriter
- Tommy Overstreet, country singer
- Buck Owens, country singer
- Hot Lips Page, jazz trumpeter, bandleader
- Knocky Parker, country/jazz pianist
- Dean Parks, studio musician
- Vinnie Paul , rock drummer, producer
- Glen Payne, gospel singer
- Leon Payne, country singer-songwriter
- Maurice Peress, classical conductor, educator
- Paul Peress, jazz/world music drummer, composer, producer
- Chris Pérez, rock guitarist, singer-songwriter
- Jay Perez, Tejano singer-songwriter
- Jack Petersen, jazz guitarist, educator
- Ray Peterson, pop singer
- Esther Phillips, R&B/jazz/pop/country singer
- Washington Phillips, gospel singer, instrumentalist
- Buster Pickens, blues pianist
- Patrice Pike, rock/soul singer-songwriter-guitarist
- Ben J. Pierce, YouTuber, singer-songwriter, actor
- Pimp C , rapper
- Mark Pirro, rock bass player
- Harvey Pittel, classical saxophonist
- Howard Pollack, classical pianist, musicologist, author, professor
- Joe Poovey, rockabilly singer-songwriter
- The Powell Brothers, country musicians
- Billy Preston, soul musician
- Johnny Preston, pop singer
- Ray Price, country singer
- Sammy Price, jazz/blues pianist, bandleader
- Toni Price, country/blues singer
- Charley Pride, country singer
- P. J. Proby, singer-songwriter, actor
- Chris Purdy, pop/rock singer-songwriter
- Wynne Pyle, classical pianist
- Queen Ida , Creole/zydeco accordionist
- Abraham Quintanilla, Tejano singer-songwriter, producer
- Ezra Rachlin, orchestra conductor, pianist
- RaeLynn , country singer
- Gene Ramey, jazz double bassist
- Richard Ramirez, noise musician
- Willis Alan Ramsey, country singer-songwriter
- Jon Randall, country singer-songwriter
- Mickey Raphael, country/rock harmonica player
- Leon Rausch, Western swing singer
- Tha Realest , rapper
- Jaret Reddick, punk singer-songwriter, guitarist, Bowling for Soup
- Dewey Redman, jazz saxophonist
- Goebel Reeves, folk singer
- Jim Reeves, country/pop singer-songwriter
- Claire Raphael Reis, classical music promoter, musicologist, educator
- Max Reiter, classical orchestra conductor
- Nicola Rescigno, opera conductor
- Timothy Rhea, conductor, music educator
- Sonny Rhodes , blues singer, guitar player
- John Rich, country music singer-songwriter
- J.P. Richardson, singer
- Jim Riggs, saxophonist, educator
- Jeannie C. Riley, country singer
- LeAnn Rimes, country singer; born in Mississippi, but grew up in Garland
- Cowboy Slim Rinehart, country singer
- Tex Ritter, singer/ actor, father of actor John Ritter
- Rudy Robbins, Western singer-songwriter, actor, screenwriter, stuntman
- LaTavia Roberson, singer
- Eck Robertson, country fiddler
- Don Robey, blues songwriter, record producer
- Hal Robinson, classical string bass player
- Sharon Robinson, concert cellist
- Emily Robison, country singer-songwriter
- Jimmie Rodgers, country singer
- Carrie Rodriguez, folk singer-songwriter, fiddler
- Danny Rodriguez, Christian rapper
- David Rodriguez, folk singer-songwriter
- Johnny Rodriguez, country singer
- Omar Rodríguez-López, Dub and Progressive rock musician
- Robert Xavier Rodríguez, classical composer
- Herbert Rogers, classical pianist and teacher
- Kenny Rogers, country singer-songwriter
- Randy Rogers, country singer
- Gene Roland, jazz composer, musician
- A. Clyde Roller, conductor and music educator
- Moreland Kortkamp Roller, classical pianist and teacher
- Lulu Roman, country/gospel singer, comedian
- Kelly Rowland, R&B singer-songwriter, dancer, actress
- Corey Rozzoni, rock guitarist
- Nancy Rumbel, classical/new-age oboist, ocarina player, won Grammy Award
- Tim Rushlow, country musician
- Doug Sahm, Tejano musician-songwriter
- Carl St. Clair, orchestra conductor
- Sandra St. Victor, R&B/soul/jazz singer-songwriter
- St. Vincent , pop singer-songwriter, instrumentalist
- Olga Samaroff, classical pianist and teacher
- Joe Sample, jazz pianist, composer
- Domingo "Sam" Samudio, rock 'n' roll musician, bandleader, entertainer
- George Sanger, video-game music composer
- Stephanie Sant’Ambrogio, violinist
- Simon Sargon, classical composer, pianist, conductor
- Ray Sasaki, trumpet player, educator
- Leslie Satcher, country and bluegrass singer
- Billy Jack Saucier, country fiddler
- Boz Scaggs, singer-songwriter
- Tony Scalzo, pop/rock singer-songwriter, guitarist
- Scarface, rapper
- Haley Scarnato, American Idol finalist
- Harvey Schmidt, musical theatre composer
- Eduard Schmieder, classical violinist, teacher
- David Schnaufer, folk dulcimer player, music educator
- Jerry Scoggins, country singer
- Kendrick Scott, jazz drummer, bandleader, composer
- Travis Scott , hip hop recording artist, music producer
- Joe Scruggs, retired children's and folk singer-songwriter
- Dan Seals, rock/country musician
- Jim Seals, soft-rock musician
- Lynn Seaton, jazz bassist, educator
- Selena , Tejano/pop singer
- Jason Sellers, country singer-songwriter
- Arban Severin, composer of electronic music, film scores; producer
- Charlie Sexton, rock guitarist, singer-songwriter
- Allen Shamblin, country songwriter
- Ray Sharpe, rockabilly singer-songwriter, guitarist
- Billy Joe Shaver, country singer-songwriter
- Robert Shaw, blues pianist
- Bob, Joe, and Merle Shelton, country musicians, The Shelton Brothers
- Chad Shelton, opera singer
- Harry Sheppard, jazz vibraphonist
- John Sheridan, jazz pianist
- Amanda Shires, country singer-songwriter, fiddler
- Michelle Shocked, singer-songwriter, musician
- Jade Simmons, classical pianist; was also Miss Illinois
- Ashlee Simpson, singer
- Jessica Simpson, singer
- Lori Singer, classical cellist
- Thomas Sleeper, classical composer, conductor
- Slim Thug, rapper
- Brinton Averil Smith, classical cellist
- Buster Smith, jazz saxophonist
- Chris "Frenchie" Smith, pop/rock record producer, guitarist, songwriter
- Elliott Smith, rock singer-songwriter
- Granger Smith, country singer-songwriter
- Julia Smith, composer, pianist, author
- Ruby Jane Smith, bluegrass fiddler, singer-songwriter
- Tim Smith, rock instrumentalist
- Walter Smith III, jazz saxophonist, composer
- Doak Snead, singer/songwriter
- Ed Soph, jazz drummer, educator
- J. D. Souther, country/rock singer-songwriter, instrumentalist
- Billie Jo Spears, country singer
- Victoria Spivey, blues singer-songwriter
- SPM , Chicano rapper
- Terry Stafford, country/pop singer-songwriter
- Kay Starr, pop/jazz singer
- Lanny Steele, jazz pianist, music educator, composer, jazz festival promoter
- Daniel Sternberg, classical conductor, composer, educator
- B. W. Stevenson, country/pop singer-songwriter
- Stephen Stills, singer-songwriter
- Sly Stone , soul/funk singer-songwriter
- George Strait, country singer
- Nikki Stringfield, guitarist for The Iron Maidens and Before the Mourning
- Steven Stucky, Pulitzer Prize-winning classical composer
- Eric Stuer, drummer
- Lacey Nicole Sturm, Alternative metal, Post-grunge, Hard rock Flyleaf
- Deanna Summers, songwriter, born in Mississippi
- Gene Summers, rock 'n roll singer
- Helen Sung, jazz pianist
- Doug Supernaw, country singer-songwriter
- Jeffrey Swann, classical pianist
- Sunny Sweeney, country music singer
- Horace Tapscott, jazz pianist, composer
- Buddy Tate, jazz saxophonist
- Jacqueline Taylor, Broadway/cabaret singer, actress
- Johnnie Taylor, soul/pop singer, DJ
- Will Taylor, jazz/rock/pop/country violist, violinist, arranger, composer, producer, guitarist
- Charlie Teagarden, jazz trumpeter
- Jack Teagarden, jazz trombonist and bandleader
- Norma Teagarden, jazz pianist
- Alfred Teltschik, classical pianist and teacher
- Owen Temple, folk/country singer-songwriter, instrumentalist
- Joe Tex , soul singer-songwriter
- Texas Ruby , country singer
- Christopher Theofanidis, classical composer
- B. J. Thomas, country singer-songwriter
- George W. Thomas, jazz pianist, songwriter
- Henry Thomas, blues/ragtime singer-songwriter
- Hersal Thomas, blues pianist, composer
- Benny Thomasson, country fiddler
- Hank Thompson, country singer-songwriter
- William Ennis Thomson, music educator
- Big Mama Thornton, R&B singer-songwriter
- Frank Ticheli, classical composer
- Neal Tiemann, David Cook's rock band guitarist
- Floyd Tillman, country guitarist, singer
- Louise Tobin, jazz singer
- Matt Tolentino, musician specializing in pre-swing music
- Chris Tomlin, singer-songwriter
- Tommy & The Tom Toms, aka Bill Smith Combo, DFW rock 'n roll group
- Tone , pop guitarist
- Mitchell Torok, country singer-songwriter
- Don Tosti, Latin, R&B, swing, jazz, classical bassist, pianist
- Alphonse Trent, jazz pianist, bandleader
- Michael Trimble, opera singer, teacher
- Robyn Troup, R&B/pop/soul singer
- Ernest Tubb, country singer-songwriter
- Justin Tubb, country singer-songwriter
- Tanya Tucker, country singer
- Fisher Tull, composer and educator
- "Blue" Gene Tyranny, avant-garde composer
- Steve Tyrell, pop singer, music producer
- Alexander Uninsky, concert pianist and teacher
- Tim Urban, pop singer
- Usher , R&B and pop singer
- Mary Jeanne van Appledorn, composer and educator
- Frank Van der Stucken, conductor, composer; founder of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
- Vanilla Ice, rapper
- Paul van Katwijk, pianist, conductor, composer, educator
- Townes Van Zandt, country singer-songwriter
- Jimmie Vaughan, blues/rock guitarist, singer
- Stevie Ray Vaughan, musician
- Jaci Velasquez, Contemporary Christian Latin pop singer
- Carl Venth, composer, conductor, violinist, music educator
- William VerMeulen, classical horn player
- Rita Vidaurri, Tejana singer
- Tiffany Villarreal, R&B and hip hop singer
- Eddie Vinson, blues saxophonist
- Emmett Vokes, classical pianist and teacher
- Billy Walker, country singer-songwriter
- Charlie Walker, country singer-songwriter
- Chris Walker, R&B/jazz singer, bass guitarist
- Cindy Walker, country singer-songwriter
- Django Walker, country/rock singer-songwriter
- Esther Walker, blues singer, musical comedy actress
- Jerry Jeff Walker, country singer-songwriter
- T-Bone Walker, blues musician
- William Walker, opera singer
- Paul Wall, rapper
- Sippie Wallace, blues singer-songwriter
- Don Walser, country singer, guitarist
- Cedar Walton, jazz pianist
- Mercy Dee Walton, blues pianist, singer-songwriter
- Waterparks, band
- Chris Waters, country singer-songwriter
- Dale Watson, country singer
- Gene Watson, country singer
- Johnny "Guitar" Watson, blues guitarist, singer
- WC, rapper from Westside Connection
- Katie Webster, blues pianist
- Julius Weiss, music professor, mentor to Scott Joplin
- Michael Weiss, jazz composer and pianist
- Dan Welcher, composer, music educator, bassoonist
- Emily Wells, hip-hop/classical violinist
- James Westfall, jazz vibraphonist, keytarist
- William Westney, classical pianist, teacher
- Barry White, soul singer and record producer
- J. White Did It, hip hop record producer, songwriter, and DJ
- Michael White, jazz violinist
- Chris Whitley, blues singer-songwriter, guitarist
- Buddy Whittington, blues/rock guitarist
- Rusty Wier, country/folk singer-songwriter
- Marijohn Wilkin, country songwriter
- Slim Willet , country singer-songwriter, DJ
- Willie D , rapper
- Clifton Williams, composer, educator
- Dave Williams, rock singer
- Don Williams, country singer-songwriter
- Lew Williams, rockabilly singer-songwriter
- Otis Williams, singer with The Temptations
- Richard Williams, jazz trumpeter
- Roosevelt Williams, blues pianist
- Zane Williams, country singer-songwriter
- Bob Wills, country singer with The Texas Playboys
- Johnnie Lee Wills, Western swing fiddler
- Dooley Wilson, blues/jazz pianist, bandleader; actor
- Hop Wilson, blues steel guitarist
- J. Frank Wilson, pop singer, J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers
- Kim Wilson, blues singer, harmonica player, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
- Teddy Wilson, jazz pianist
- U.P. Wilson, blues guitarist, singer
- Edgar Winter, jazz/blues/rock musician
- Johnny Winter, blues guitarist
- Jonathan M. Wolfert, composer, producer of radio jingles
- Lee Ann Womack, country singer-songwriter
- Darren Keith Woods, opera company director, singer
- Lammar Wright, Sr., jazz trumpeter
- Leo Wright, jazz instrumentalist
- Roger Wright, classical pianist
- Jimmy Wyble, jazz/swing guitarist
- Cindy Yen, pop singer-songwriter
- Sydney Youngblood, dance/funk singer
- Camille Zamora, classical singer
- Nancy Zhou, classical violinist
- Jessica Zhu, classical pianist
Beauty pageant winners
- Shirley Cothran, Miss America 1975
- Candice Crawford, beauty queen, winner of Miss Missouri USA, competed in the Miss Texas Teen USA pageant and the Miss USA pageant
- Brooke Daniels, Miss Texas USA 2009
- Jo-Carroll Dennison, Miss America 1942
- Danielle Doty, Miss Teen USA 2011
- Alyssa Edwards , drag performer, Miss Gay USofA 2006, Miss Gay America 2010
- Magen Ellis, Miss Texas USA, Miss Texas Teen USA
- Christy Fichtner, Miss USA 1986
- Phyllis George, Miss America 1971
- Courtney Gibbs, Miss USA 1988
- Kandace Krueger, Miss USA 2001
- Debra Maffett, Miss America 1983
- Melissa Marse, Texas' Junior Miss 1991, concert pianist
- Laura Martinez-Harring, Miss USA 1985
- Asia O'Hara, drag performer, Miss Gay America 2016
- Gretchen Polhemus, Miss USA 1989
- Michelle Royer, Miss USA 1987
- Jade Simmons, classical pianist; was also Miss Illinois
- Chelsi Smith, Miss USA 1995 and Miss Universe 1995
- Candice Stewart, Miss American Teen, Miss Louisiana Teen USA, Miss Louisiana USA
- Crystle Stewart, Miss USA 2008
- Linda Stouffer, Texas' Junior Miss 1988, television journalist
- Kimberly Tomes, Miss USA 1977
- Paola Turbay, Miss Colombia, first runner-up for Miss Universe, model, actress
- Christie Lee Woods, Miss Teen USA 1996
- Cindy Yen, Miss Chinatown USA 2009
Athletics, sports and recreation
Baseball
;A-F- Matt Albers, relief pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
- Brandon Allen, infielder for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Brett Anderson, starting pitcher for the Colorado Rockies
- Jake Arrieta, starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
- Scott Atchison, relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Homer Bailey, starting pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
- Anthony Banda, starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks
- Jeff Banister, former catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, current manager for the Texas Rangers
- Ernie Banks, Baseball Hall of Famer
- Daniel Bard, relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Blake Beavan, starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
- Chad Beck, relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Josh Beckett, baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers, pitcher, MVP of the 2003 World Series
- Lance Berkman, retired first baseman and outfielder
- Michael Bourn, center fielder for the Atlanta Braves
- Drake Britton, relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Zach Britton, relief pitcher for the New York Yankees
- Jay Bruce, outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Clay Buchholz, baseball, Arizona Diamondbacks, pitcher, threw a no hitter in just his second MLB start
- Jorge Cantú, infielder for the San Diego Padres
- Matt Carpenter, infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Norm Cash, MLB first baseman, primarily for the Detroit Tigers
- Andrew Cashner, starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers
- Randy Choate, relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Preston Claiborne, relief pitcher for the New York Yankees
- Roger Clemens, baseball pitcher, seven-time Cy Young Award winner
- Andy Cohen, baseball second baseman and coach
- Clay Condrey, relief pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
- Carl Crawford, outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- John Danks, starting pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
- Chris Davis, first baseman for the Baltimore Orioles
- Sam Demel, relief pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks
- Doug Drabek, former Cy Young-winning MLB pitcher
- Kyle Drabek, relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Justin Duchscherer, starting pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles
- Dave Duncan, pitching coach for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Adam Dunn, All-Star player for the Chicago White Sox
- Tyler Duffey, relief pitcher for the Minnesota Twins
- Zach Duke, relief pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Jon Edwards, relief pitcher for the San Diego Padres
- Nathan Eovaldi, starting pitcher for the New York Yankees
- Taylor Featherston, infielder for the Los Angeles Angels
- Brandon Finnegan, relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
- Bill Foster, Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher
- Steve Foster, bullpen coach for the Kansas City Royals
- Sam Freeman, relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves
- David Freese, third baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Yovani Gallardo, starting pitcher for the Texas Rangers
- Ron Gant, former MLB outfielder and second baseman
- Jaime García, starting pitcher for the New York Yankees
- Cito Gaston, former MLB center fielder and manager for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Evan Gattis, player for the Houston Astros
- John Gibbons, manager for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Ryan Goins, infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Paul Goldschmidt, first baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks
- Greg Golson, former MLB outfielder
- Michael Gonzalez, relief pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles
- Brian Gordon, former MLB starting pitcher
- Jeff Gray, former MLB relief pitcher
- Will Harris, relief pitcher for the Houston Astros
- Brad Hawpe, former MLB outfielder
- Danny Heep, former MLB outfielder who played with several teams
- Chris Herrmann, catcher, outfielder, and first baseman for the Arizona Diamondbacks
- Jordan Hicks, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Trey Hillman, bench coach for the Houston Astros
- Bryan Holaday, catcher for the Texas Rangers
- Brock Holt, utility player for the Boston Red Sox
- Joe Horlen, All Star starting pitcher
- Rogers Hornsby, Hall of Fame infielder, manager;.358 career batting average, two-time NL MVP, earned two Triple Crowns, All-Century Team, first-team MLB All-Time Team
- Aubrey Huff, former MLB infielder and outfielder
- Chad Huffman, outfielder for the Cleveland Indians
- Philip Humber, starting pitcher for the Oakland Athletics
- Jason Hursh, relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves
- Austin Jackson, center fielder for the Cleveland Indians
- Conor Jackson, former MLB outfielder
- Paul Janish, shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles
- Kelly Johnson, utility player for the New York Mets
- Gary Jones, third base and infield coach for the Chicago Cubs
- Nate Karns, starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Scott Kazmir, starting pitcher for the Houston Astros
- Ty Kelly, American-Israeli utility player
- Steve Kemp, former outfielder, primarily with the Detroit Tigers
- Kyle Kendrick, starting pitcher for the Colorado Rockies
- Clayton Kershaw, starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Corey Kluber, starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians
- Chuck Knoblauch, former second baseman, played primarily with the Minnesota Twins and the New York Yankees
- John Lackey, starting pitcher for the Chicago Cubs
- Ryan Langerhans, outfielder for the Seattle Mariners
- Scott Linebrink, former MLB pitcher
- Grady Little, former baseball manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox
- Boone Logan, relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians
- James Loney, first baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Mark Lowe, relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Tyler Lyons, relief pitcher for the New York Yankees
- Greg Maddux, Hall of Fame pitcher, primarily with the Chicago Cubs and Atlanta Braves
- Jeff Manship, relief pitcher for the Cleveland Indians
- Robert Manuel, relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox
- Chris Martin, relief pitcher for the New York Yankees
- Dustin May, relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Andrew McKirahan, relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves
- Jon Meloan, former MLB pitcher
- Ryan Merritt, starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians
- Shelby Miller, pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks
- Hoby Milner, pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays
- A. J. Minter, relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves
- Adam Moore, catcher for the Cleveland Indians
- Jim Morris, MLB player and oldest rookie
- Max Muncy, infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- David Murphy, left fielder for the Cleveland Indians
- Tyler Naquin, outfielder for the Cleveland Indians
- Joe Nathan, relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
- Jeff Newman, MLB All-Star baseball player for the Oakland A's and Boston Red Sox and manager
- Jeff Niemann, starting pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Jayson Nix, utility player for the New York Yankees
- Logan Ondrusek, relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
- Troy Patton, relief pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles
- Hunter Pence, right fielder for the San Francisco Giants
- Cliff Pennington, infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Andy Pettitte, former starting pitcher for the New York Yankees and Houston Astros
- Colin Poche, relief pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Ryan Pressly, pitcher for the Houston Astros
- David Purcey, relief pitcher for the Detroit Tigers
- Robert Ray, relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Anthony Rendon, infielder for the Washington Nationals
- Craig Reynolds, former MLB shortstop, primarily with the Houston Astros
- Arthur Rhodes, former MLB pitcher
- Will Rhymes, second baseman for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Frank Robinson, won Triple Crown in both National League and American League, hit 586 career home runs, and was the first black manager in the Major Leagues
- Fernando Rodriguez, relief pitcher for the Oakland Athletics
- David Rollins, relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
- Chance Ruffin, former MLB relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers
- Justin Ruggiano, outfielder for the Seattle Mariners
- Nick Rumbelow, relief pitcher for the New York Yankees
- Nolan Ryan, Baseball Hall of Famer
- Reid Ryan, president of the Houston Astros, son of Nolan Ryan
- Bo Schultz, relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Kelly Shoppach, former MLB catcher for several teams
- Matthew Silverman, general manager and President for Baseball Operations for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Kevin Slowey, former MLB starting pitcher for the Minnesota Twins and Miami Marlins
- Burch Smith, pitcher for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Carson Smith, closer for the Seattle Mariners
- Chris Snyder, former MLB catcher
- Kyle Snyder, pitching coach for the Tampa Bay Rays
- Zach Stewart, former MLB pitcher
- Monty Stratton, pitcher for the Chicago White Sox
- Huston Street, closer for the Los Angeles Angels
- Ross Stripling, relief pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Drew Stubbs, center fielder for the Texas Rangers
- Blake Swihart, catcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Jordan Tata, former MLB pitcher
- Taylor Teagarden, catcher for the Chicago Cubs
- Garry Templeton, former MLB shortstop
- Ryan Tepera, relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Jess Todd, former MLB pitcher
- Shawn Tolleson, closer for the Texas Rangers
- Josh Tomlin, relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves
- Anthony Vasquez, starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
- Randy Velarde, former MLB infielder and utility player, primarily with the New York Yankees
- Jordan Walden, pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals
- Vernon Wells, three-time All-Star outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Austen Williams, pitcher for the Washington Nationals
- Smokey Joe Williams, baseball great
- Chris Withrow, relief pitcher for the Atlanta Braves
- Brandon Wood, third baseman and shortstop for the Los Angeles Angels
- Kerry Wood, former MLB relief pitcher
- Brandon Workman, starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
- Anthony Young, former MLB pitcher
- Chris Young, pitcher for the Kansas City Royals
- Chris Young, outfielder for the New York Yankees
Basketball
- Quincy Acy, forward for the Dallas Mavericks
- LaMarcus Aldridge, NBA player, San Antonio Spurs, power forward
- Chris Andersen, power forward/center for the Miami Heat
- Darrell Arthur, power forward for the Denver Nuggets
- Maceo Baston, former professional basketball player, power forward
- Tony Battie, former NBA power forward/center
- Bill Blakeley, Head Coach, Dallas Chaparrals, University of North Texas
- Mookie Blaylock, former NBA point guard
- Chris Bosh, NBA player, Miami Heat, power forward
- Jimmy Butler, small forward/shooting guard for the Philadelphia 76ers
- Kaleb Canales, assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks
- Jody Conradt, head coach for UT's Lady Longhorns
- Clyde Drexler, Hall of Fame swingman for the Portland Trail Blazers and the Houston Rockets
- Mike Dunleavy, Jr., small forward/shooting guard for the Chicago Bulls
- Carsen Edwards, player for the Boston Celtics
- T. J. Ford, former NBA point guard
- Jeff Foster, former NBA player
- Daniel Gibson, point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers
- Gerald Green, shooting guard/small forward for the Houston Rockets
- Brittney Griner, WNBA basketball player
- Terrel Harris, guard for the Bakersfield Jam
- Grant Hill, former seven-time NBA All-Star small forward
- Josh Huestis, small forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder
- Stephen Jackson, shooting guard/small forward for the San Antonio Spurs
- Wesley Johnson, small forward/power forward for the Los Angeles Lakers
- DeAndre Jordan, center for the Los Angeles Clippers
- Luke Kornet, player for the Chicago Bulls
- Guy Lewis, Hall of Fame college basketball coach
- Rashard Lewis, forward for the Miami Heat
- John Lucas III, point guard for the Utah Jazz
- Slater Martin, NBA player, elected to Basketball Hall of Fame
- Wesley Matthews, shooting guard for the Dallas Mavericks
- Jason Maxiell, power forward for the Charlotte Hornets
- Taj McWilliams-Franklin, WNBA basketball player, gold medalist, New York Liberty
- C. J. Miles, forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers
- Eric Moreland, power forward and center for the Toronto Raptors
- Randolph Morris, center for the Beijing Ducks
- Gerald Myers, basketball coach 1971–1991; athletic director, Texas Tech University
- Eduardo Nájera, former NBA player
- Emeka Okafor, player for the Phoenix Suns
- Kevin Ollie, former NBA point guard
- Shaquille O'Neal, former NBA 15-time All-Star center
- Kendrick Perkins, center for the Oklahoma City Thunder
- Dexter Pittman, center for the Atlanta Hawks
- Ronnie Price, point guard for the Orlando Magic
- Taurean Prince, small forward for the Brooklyn Nets
- André Roberson, player for the Oklahoma City Thunder
- Dennis Rodman, former NBA forward, played primarily with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls
- Quinton Ross, former NBA player
- Xavier Silas, player for the Maccabi Ashdod B.C.
- Jonathon Simmons, player for the San Antonio Spurs
- Odyssey Sims, player for Baylor Lady Bears basketball
- Donald Sloan, guard for the Indiana Pacers
- Sheryl Swoopes, WNBA, Olympic gold medalist
- Kurt Thomas, former NBA player
- Wayman Tisdale, NBA power forward
- Ben Uzoh, point guard for the Canton Charge
- Willie Warren, player for the Szolnoki Olaj KK
- Deron Williams, point guard for the Dallas Mavericks
- Sean Williams, power forward/center for the Selçuk Üniversitesi BK
- Tex Winter, former basketball coach, innovator of the triangle offense, Hall of Fame inductee
Bodybuilding
- Heather Armbrust, IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Tina Chandler, IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Ronnie Coleman, eight-time Mr. Olympia IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Laura Creavalle, Guyanese-born Canadian/American professional bodybuilder
- Vickie Gates, IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Kristy Hawkins, IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Iris Kyle, ten-time overall Ms. Olympia professional bodybuilder
- Colette Nelson, IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia, IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Betty Pariso, IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Denise Rutkowski, IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Alana Shipp, American-Israeli IFBB professional bodybuilder
Boxing
- Mike Ayala, boxer
- Paulie Ayala, world-champion boxer
- Tony Ayala, Jr., boxer
- Ruben Castillo, boxer
- Randall "Tex" Cobb, boxer, fought for world heavyweight title
- Curtis Cokes, world champion boxer
- Bruce Curry, world-champion boxer
- Donald Curry, world-champion boxer
- Juan Díaz, world-champion boxer
- Oscar Díaz, boxer
- Troy Dorsey, world-champion boxer and kickboxer
- George Foreman, heavyweight champion boxer, entrepreneur, Christian ordained minister
- Gene Hatcher, world-champion boxer
- Jack Johnson, boxer, first black heavyweight champion
- Quincy Taylor, world-champion boxer
Football
- Emmanuel Acho, linebacker for Philadelphia Eagles
- Sam Acho, linebacker for Arizona Cardinals
- Joseph Addai, running back for Indianapolis Colts
- Eric Alexander, linebacker for Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jared Allen, defensive end for Chicago Bears
- Danny Amendola, wide receiver, kickoff returner for New England Patriots
- Adrian Awasom, defensive end for New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings
- Remi Ayodele, defensive tackle for Minnesota Vikings
- Jonathan Babineaux, defensive tackle for Atlanta Falcons
- Jordan Babineaux, defensive back for Seattle Seahawks
- Stephen Baker, wide receiver for New York Giants
- Joplo Bartu, linebacker for Atlanta Falcons
- Arnaz Battle, wide receiver for Pittsburgh Steelers
- Jackie Battle, running back for Kansas City Chiefs
- Sammy Baugh, Hall of Fame quarterback, primarily with Washington Redskins
- Kelvin Beachum, offensive lineman for Pittsburgh Steelers
- Cole Beasley, wide receiver, return specialist for Buffalo Bills
- Byron Bell, offensive tackle for Carolina Panthers
- Emory Bellard, college football coach
- Martellus Bennett, tight end for New England Patriots
- Michael Bennett, defensive end for Seattle Seahawks
- Cedric Benson, running back for Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals
- Rocky Bernard, defensive tackle for New York Giants
- Justin Blalock, offensive guard for Atlanta Falcons
- Rhett Bomar, quarterback for New York Giants
- David Boston, NFL wide receiver
- Kyle Bosworth, outside linebacker for Dallas Cowboys
- Bobby Boyd, All-Pro defensive back, Baltimore Colts, Oklahoma Sooners
- Drew Brees, quarterback for New Orleans Saints
- Mike Brisiel, guard for Oakland Raiders
- Michael Brockers, defensive tackle for St. Louis Rams
- Aaron Brown, running back, return specialist for Detroit Lions
- Chykie Brown, cornerback for Baltimore Ravens
- Kris Brown, placekicker for San Diego Chargers
- Malcom Brown, defensive tackle for New England Patriots
- Tarell Brown, cornerback for San Francisco 49ers
- Dez Bryant, wide receiver for Dallas Cowboys
- Matt Bryant, placekicker for Atlanta Falcons
- Red Bryant, defensive lineman for Jacksonville Jaguars
- Maury Buford, NFL punter
- Melvin Bullitt, defensive back for Indianapolis Colts
- Rex Burkhead, running back for the New England Patriots
- Earl Campbell, Pro Football Hall of Famer, Heisman Trophy winner
- Marcus Cannon, offensive tackle for New England Patriots
- Rock Cartwright, running back for Washington Redskins
- James Casey, tight end for Philadelphia Eagles
- Juan Castillo, defensive coordinator for Philadelphia Eagles
- Scott Chandler, tight end for Buffalo Bills
- Jamaal Charles, running back for Kansas City Chiefs
- Jeromey Clary, offensive guard for San Diego Chargers
- Keenan Clayton, outside linebacker for Oakland Raiders
- Perrish Cox, cornerback, return specialist for San Francisco 49ers
- Michael Crabtree, wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers
- Patrick Crayton, wide receiver for San Diego Chargers
- Mason Crosby, placekicker for Green Bay Packers
- John David Crow, athletic director for Texas A&M; NFL player and coach
- Andy Dalton, quarterback for Cincinnati Bengals
- Chase Daniel, quarterback for New Orleans Saints, Kansas City Chiefs
- Cody Davis, safety for St. Louis Rams
- Knile Davis, running back for Kansas City Chiefs
- Leonard Davis, guard for Dallas Cowboys
- Phil Dawson, placekicker for San Francisco 49ers
- Quintin Demps, safety for New York Giants
- Ty Detmer, NFL quarterback
- Eric Dickerson, NFL running back and Pro Football Hall of Famer
- Zac Diles, linebacker for Houston Texans
- Derrick Dockery, guard for Dallas Cowboys
- Donald Driver, wide receiver for Green Bay Packers
- Ron Edwards, defensive tackle for Carolina Panthers
- Ikemefuna Enemkpali, linebacker for Buffalo Bills
- Thomas Everett, NFL safety and College Football Hall of Famer
- Jermichael Finley, tight end for Green Bay Packers
- Cameron Fleming, offensive tackle for New England Patriots
- Jamell Fleming, cornerback for Kansas City Chiefs
- Larry Flowers, NFL safety, primarily with New York Giants
- Matt Flynn, quarterback for Green Bay Packers
- Nick Foles, quarterback for Philadelphia Eagles, St. Louis Rams
- Justin Forsett, running back for Seattle Seahawks
- Barry Foster, NFL running back
- Jason Fox, offensive tackle for Miami Dolphins
- Robert Francois, linebacker for Green Bay Packers
- Jerrell Freeman, linebacker for Indianapolis Colts
- Taylor Gabriel, wide receiver for Atlanta Falcons
- Dylan Gandy, center for Detroit Lions
- Roberto Garza, guard for Chicago Bears
- Crockett Gillmore, tight end for Baltimore Ravens
- Chris Givens, wide receiver for Baltimore Ravens
- Bill Glass, defensive end, Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns
- Cody Glenn, linebacker for Indianapolis Colts
- Charles Godfrey, safety/nickelback for Carolina Panthers
- Mike Goodson, running back/kick returner for Oakland Raiders
- Marquise Goodwin, wide receiver, kickoff returner for Buffalo Bills
- Josh Gordon, wide receiver for New England Patriots
- Jakeem Grant, wide receiver for Miami Dolphins
- "Mean Joe" Greene, College and Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive tackle for Pittsburgh Steelers
- Jabari Greer, cornerback for New Orleans Saints
- Forrest Gregg, Hall of Fame offensive tackle and head coach
- Robert Griffin III, Heisman Trophy-winning NFL quarterback
- Andre Gurode, center for Baltimore Ravens
- Bryce Hager, linebacker for St. Louis Rams
- Ahmard Hall, fullback for Tennessee Titans
- Casey Hampton, nose tackle for Pittsburgh Steelers
- Phil Handler, NFL football player and coach
- Geoff Hangartner, center and guard for Carolina Panthers
- Caleb Hanie, quarterback for Chicago Bears
- Merton Hanks, safety for San Francisco 49ers
- James Hanna, tight end for Dallas Cowboys
- Graham Harrell, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers
- Tommie Harris, defensive tackle for Chicago Bears
- Garrett Hartley, placekicker for New Orleans Saints
- David Hawthorne, linebacker for New Orleans Saints
- Kellen Heard, defensive end for Buffalo Bills
- Johnnie Lee Higgins, wide receiver for Oakland Raiders
- Tony Hills, offensive tackle for Dallas Cowboys
- Ellis Hobbs, cornerback for Philadelphia Eagles
- Montrae Holland, guard for Dallas Cowboys
- Ziggy Hood, defensive end for Pittsburgh Steelers
- Rob Housler, tight end for Arizona Cardinals
- Chris Houston, cornerback for Atlanta Falcons
- Ken Houston, Hall of Fame safety for Houston Oilers, Washington Redskins
- Thomas Howard, linebacker for Oakland Raiders
- Josh Huff, wide receiver for Philadelphia Eagles
- Michael Huff, free safety for Oakland Raiders
- Jerry Hughes, defensive end for Buffalo Bills
- Byron Hunt, linebacker for New York Giants
- Phillip Hunt, defensive end for Philadelphia Eagles
- Kendall Hunter, running back for San Francisco 49ers
- Sam Hurd, wide receiver for Dallas Cowboys
- Demontre Hurst, cornerback for Chicago Bears
- Brian Iwuh, linebacker for Chicago Bears
- Fred Jackson, running back for Buffalo Bills
- Quentin Jammer, cornerback for San Diego Chargers
- Tony Jerod-Eddie, defensive end for San Francisco 49ers
- Luke Joeckel, offensive tackle for Jacksonville Jaguars
- Charlie Johnson, offensive tackle for Indianapolis Colts
- Chris Johnson, cornerback for Baltimore Ravens
- Derrick Johnson, linebacker for Kansas City Chiefs
- D. J. Johnson, cornerback for New York Giants
- Jimmy Johnson, NCAA and NFL head coach for Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins, TV personality
- Lane Johnson, offensive tackle for Philadelphia Eagles
- Manuel Johnson, wide receiver for Dallas Cowboys
- Michael Johnson, safety for New York Giants
- Johnny Jolly, defensive end for Green Bay Packers
- Colin Jones, safety for Carolina Panthers
- Darlene Jones, commissioner of Lone Star Football League
- Case Keenum, quarterback for Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans and St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams
- Sergio Kindle, linebacker for Baltimore Ravens
- David King, defensive end for Kansas City Chiefs
- Johnny Knox, wide receiver for Chicago Bears
- Kevin Kolb, quarterback for Arizona Cardinals
- Gary Kubiak, quarterback and head coach for Denver Broncos
- Jacob Lacey, cornerback for Indianapolis Colts
- Ernie Ladd, college and pro football player, professional wrestler
- Brandon LaFell, wide receiver for New England Patriots
- Tom Landry, Hall of Fame head coach, Dallas Cowboys
- Dick "Night Train" Lane, Pro Football Hall of Fame cornerback
- Jeremy Lane, cornerback for Seattle Seahawks
- Yale Lary, NFL Hall of Fame defensive back, punter for Detroit Lions; politician
- Shane Lechler, punter for Oakland Raiders
- Bob Lilly, Hall of Fame defensive tackle for Dallas Cowboys
- Carl "Spider" Lockhart, defensive back for New York Giants
- Andrew Luck, quarterback for Indianapolis Colts
- Ryan Mallett, quarterback for Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots
- Danieal Manning, free safety for Chicago Bears
- Bradley Marquez, wide receiver for St. Louis Rams
- Jake Matthews, offensive tackle for Atlanta Falcons
- Brett Maxie, defensive back, secondary coach for Dallas Cowboys
- Taylor Mays, safety
- Trumaine McBride, cornerback for New York Giants
- Brice McCain, cornerback for Miami Dolphins
- Luke McCown, quarterback for Atlanta Falcons
- Colt McCoy, quarterback for Washington Redskins, Cleveland Browns
- Danny McCray, defensive back, special teamer for Dallas Cowboys
- Vance McDonald, tight end for San Francisco 49ers
- Stephen McGee, quarterback for Dallas Cowboys
- Bo McMillin, NFL quarterback, head coach and College Football Hall of Famer
- Henry Melton, defensive tackle for Dallas Cowboys
- "Dandy" Don Meredith, quarterback for Dallas Cowboys; actor and TV personality
- Christine Michael, running back for Dallas Cowboys
- Roy Miller, defensive tackle for Jacksonville Jaguars
- Von Miller, outside linebacker for Denver Broncos
- Keavon Milton, offensive lineman for Seattle Seahawks
- Earl Mitchell, defensive tackle for Miami Dolphins
- Damontre Moore, defensive end for New York Giants
- Denarius Moore, wide receiver for Oakland Raiders
- Mike Morgan, linebacker for Seattle Seahawks
- Sammy Morris, running back for New England Patriots
- Mitch Morse, center for Kansas City Chiefs
- Thomas Morstead, punter for New Orleans Saints
- Marcus Murphy, running back for New Orleans Saints
- Dimitri Nance, running back for Green Bay Packers
- Corey Nelson, linebacker for Denver Broncos
- David Nelson, wide receiver for Buffalo Bills
- Marshall Newhouse, offensive tackle for New England Patriots
- Robert Newhouse, fullback for Dallas Cowboys
- Tommy Nobis, linebacker for Atlanta Falcons and College Football Hall of Famer
- Moran Norris, fullback for San Francisco 49ers
- Cyril Obiozor, linebacker for San Diego Chargers
- Alex Okafor, linebacker for Arizona Cardinals
- Frank Okam, defensive tackle for Houston Texans
- Russell Okung, offensive tackle for Seattle Seahawks
- Igor Olshansky, National Football League player
- Brian Orakpo, linebacker for Washington Redskins
- Zach Orr, linebacker for Baltimore Ravens
- Kelechi Osemele, offensive lineman for Baltimore Ravens
- Juqua Parker, defensive end for Philadelphia Eagles
- Tyler Patmon, cornerback for Dallas Cowboys
- Elvis Patterson, NFL defensive back
- Charlie Peprah, safety for Green Bay Packers
- Mac Percival, placekicker for Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears
- Jason Peters, offensive tackle for Philadelphia Eagles
- Adrian Peterson, NFL running back for Minnesota Vikings, currently Washington Football Team
- Brandon Pettigrew, tight end for Detroit Lions
- Bum Phillips, NFL head coach of Houston Oilers, New Orleans Saints
- Wade Phillips, defensive coordinator of Los Angeles Rams, head coach of Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys
- Christian Ponder, quarterback for Minnesota Vikings
- Manny Ramirez, guard/center for Denver Broncos
- Gary Reasons, linebacker, primarily for New York Giants
- Cory Redding, defensive end for Indianapolis Colts
- Weston Richburg, offensive lineman for New York Giants
- Elandon Roberts, linebacker for New England Patriots
- Aldrick Robinson, wide receiver for Atlanta Falcons
- Khiry Robinson, running back for New Orleans Saints
- Bradley Roby, cornerback for Denver Broncos
- Jacquizz Rodgers, running back for Atlanta Falcons
- Shaun Rogers, defensive tackle for New Orleans Saints
- Aaron Ross, cornerback for Jacksonville Jaguars
- Kyle Rote, All-American running back at SMU, NFL New York Giants wide receiver
- Stanford Routt, NFL cornerback
- Eric Rowe, cornerback for New England Patriots
- Ryan Russell, defensive end for Dallas Cowboys
- Emmanuel Sanders, wide receiver for Denver Broncos
- Josh Scobee, placekicker for Jacksonville Jaguars
- Jonathan Scott, offensive tackle for Pittsburgh Steelers
- Derrick Shelby, defensive end for Miami Dolphins
- Del Shofner, wide receiver for New York Giants, Los Angeles Rams; MVP of 1957 Sugar Bowl
- Ozzie Simmons, one of first black All-American players in 1930s
- John Skelton, quarterback for Arizona Cardinals
- Bubba Smith, defensive end with Baltimore Colts, Oakland Raiders, Houston Oilers and actor
- Hunter Smith, punter for Washington Redskins
- Kevin Smith, cornerback for Dallas Cowboys
- Lovie Smith, head coach for Chicago Bears, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, University of Illinois
- Wade Smith, guard and center for Houston Texans
- Justin Snow, long snapper for Indianapolis Colts
- Matthew Stafford, quarterback for Detroit Lions
- Jarrett Stidham, quarterback for New England Patriots
- Matt Stover, placekicker for Indianapolis Colts
- Michael Strahan, Hall of Fame defensive end for New York Giants; TV personality, Good Morning America, NFL on FOX, The $100,000 Pyramid
- Travis Swanson, center for Detroit Lions
- Aqib Talib, cornerback for Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Ryan Tannehill, quarterback for Miami Dolphins
- Phillip Tanner, running back for Dallas Cowboys
- Stepfan Taylor, running back for Arizona Cardinals
- David Thomas, tight end for New Orleans Saints
- Earl Thomas, safety for Seattle Seahawks
- Michael Thomas, safety for Miami Dolphins
- Mike Thomas, wide receiver for Jacksonville Jaguars
- Ted Thompson, general manager of Green Bay Packers
- Y. A. Tittle, Hall of Fame quarterback, primarily with San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants
- LaDainian Tomlinson, NFL running back and College Football Hall of Famer
- Michael Toudouze, offensive tackle for Indianapolis Colts
- Jeremiah Trotter, linebacker for Philadelphia Eagles
- Justin Tucker, placekicker for Baltimore Ravens
- Bulldog Turner, Hall of Fame center and linebacker for Chicago Bears
- Rob Turner, former NFL player
- Tony Ugoh, offensive tackle for Indianapolis Colts
- Gene Upshaw, Hall of Fame guard for Oakland Raiders
- Kenny Vaccaro, safety for New Orleans Saints
- Louis Vasquez, offensive guard for Denver Broncos
- Dustin Vaughan, quarterback for Dallas Cowboys
- Lawrence Vickers, fullback for Dallas Cowboys
- Trevin Wade, cornerback for New York Giants
- LaAdrian Waddle, offensive tackle for New England Patriots
- Doak Walker, College and Hall of Fame player for SMU and Detroit Lions, winner of Heisman Trophy
- Jamar Wall, cornerback for Philadelphia Eagles
- J. D. Walton, center for New York Giants
- John Washington, defensive end for New York Giants
- Brian Waters, offensive guard for New England Patriots
- J'Marcus Webb, offensive tackle for Chicago Bears
- Sean Weatherspoon, linebacker for Arizona Cardinals
- Scott Wells, center for St. Louis Rams
- DeAndrew White, wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers
- Melvin White, cornerback for Carolina Panthers
- Nikita Whitlock, fullback for New York Giants
- Fozzy Whittaker, running back, kick returner, Carolina Panthers
- Aaron Williams, safety for Buffalo Bills
- Bobbie Williams, guard for Baltimore Ravens
- Brandon Williams, linebacker for Dallas Cowboys
- Brian Williams, NFL linebacker
- Byron Williams, NFL and WLAF wide receiver
- Connor Williams, offensive guard for the Dallas Cowboys
- Daryl Williams, offensive tackle for Carolina Panthers
- D. J. Williams, tight end for Green Bay Packers
- Malcolm Williams, defensive back for New England Patriots
- Roy Williams, wide receiver for Dallas Cowboys
- Teddy Williams, cornerback for Carolina Panthers
- Terrance Williams, wide receiver for Dallas Cowboys
- Trent Williams, offensive tackle for Washington Redskins
- Josh Wilson, cornerback for Atlanta Falcons
- Wade Wilson, quarterback for Minnesota Vikings; quarterbacks coach for Dallas Cowboys
- Eric Winston, offensive tackle for Houston Texans
- Will Witherspoon, linebacker for Tennessee Titans
- Kendall Wright, wide receiver for the Chicago Bears
- Vince Young, quarterback for Texas Longhorns and Philadelphia Eagles, MVP of 2005 and 2006 Rose Bowl
Golf
- Rich Beem, professional golfer
- Harry Cooper, professional golfer
- Bettye Danoff, golfer, one of founding members of LPGA
- Lee Elder, golfer, first African American to play in the Masters Tournament
- Ben Hogan, golfer
- Tom Kite, golfer
- Byron Nelson, professional golfer
- Corey Pavin, professional golfer
- Harvey Penick, golfer, golf coach, elected to World Golf Hall of Fame
- Jordan Spieth, golfer, achieved #1 world ranking at age 22
- Lee Trevino, golfer
- Kathy Whitworth, golfer in World Golf Hall of Fame
- Babe Didrikson Zaharias, athlete, won 82 amateur and professional golf tournaments, including five major professional championships
Motorsports
- Brandon Bernstein drag racer, NHRA top fuel driver, son of Kenny Bernstein
- Kenny Bernstein, drag racer, six-time NHRA champion, father of Brandon Bernstein
- Colin Braun, NASCAR driver for Roush Fenway Racing
- Joie Chitwood, professional race car driver
- Brad Coleman, NASCAR driver for Joe Gibbs Racing
- A. J. Foyt, race car driver
- Bobby Labonte, NASCAR driver, 2000 Winston Cup Champion, younger brother of Terry Labonte
- Terry Labonte, NASCAR driver, NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, 1996 Winston Cup Champion
- Carroll Shelby, race car driver and designer of the Shelby Cobra and other automobiles
Professional wrestling
- Toni Adams, wrestling manager and valet
- Stone Cold Steve Austin, WWE wrestler and actor
- Texas Tank Bernard
- Tully Blanchard, NWA wrestler, original Four Horsemen member
- Celeste Bonin, WWE wrestler known as Kaitlyn
- Mark Calaway, WWE wrestler known as The Undertaker
- Dixie Carter, President of TNA Wrestling
- Bobby Duncum, Jr., former WCW wrestler
- Dory Funk Sr., wrestler, trainer, and promoter
- Dory Funk Jr., NWA wrestler and trainer
- Terry Funk NWA and ECW champion, one of the first hardcore wrestlers
- Nidia Guenard, former WWE wrestler and 2001 WWE Tough Enough Co-winner
- Eddie Guerrero, WWE champion
- Chavo Guerrero Sr., former NWA champion
- Chavo Guerrero Jr., WCW and WWE wrestler
- Vickie Guerrero, WWE personality
- Stan Hansen, AJPW wrestler
- Mark Henry, WWE wrestler
- Shawn Hernandez, TNA wrestler
- Lance Hoyt, TNA wrestler
- Booker Huffman, WCW and WWE wrestler known as Booker T
- Lash Huffman, WCW wrestler
- John Layfield, former WWE champion JBL/Bradshaw
- Shawn Michaels, former WWE wrestler and champion
- Jacqueline Moore, former WWE women's champion
- Blackjack Mulligan, former NWA wrestler
- Dick Murdoch, former NWA wrestler
- Bruce Prichard, Brother Love in the WWE
- Tom Prichard, WWE wrestler
- Scott Putski, former WCW and WWE wrestler
- Dustin Rhodes, WWE wrestler Goldust
- Dusty Rhodes, WWE wrestler
- Wendi Richter, WWE wrestler
- Jake "The Snake" Roberts, former WWE wrestler
- Tito Santana, former WWE wrestler
- Jesse Sorensen, TNA wrestler
- Robert Swenson, former WCW wrestler and actor
- Von Erich Family, wrestling family which competed in various Texas and southern promotions
- Erik Watts, former WCW wrestler
- Alicia Webb, former WWE star Ryan Shamrock
- Barry Windham, former NWA and WCW wrestler
- Kendall Windham, former NWA and WCW wrestler
Soccer
- Jeff Agoos, Swiss-born American soccer defender, Hall of Fame
- Clint Dempsey, soccer player, plays for Fulham FC and United States Men's National Soccer Team
- Nick Garcia, soccer player
- Omar Gonzalez, soccer player
- Weston McKennie, soccer player, plays for Schalke 04 and United States Men's National Soccer Team
- Hassan Nazari, soccer player, coach, youth club founder
- Lee Nguyen, soccer player
Tennis
- Zina Garrison, tennis player
- Karl Kamrath, tennis player, architect
- Cliff Richey, tennis player, achieved world number-six ranking
- Nancy Richey, tennis player, won six major championships in singles and doubles, achieved world number-two ranking
- Michael Russell, tennis player
- Dick Savitt, tennis player ranked number two in the world
- Anne Smith, tennis player, ten major championships in doubles, ranked world number one in doubles
Mind sports
- Amarillo Slim , poker champion
- Doyle Brunson, professional poker player
- Johnny Chan, professional poker player
- Bobby Goldman, bridge player
- Bob Hamman, bridge player
- James Jacoby, bridge player
- Oswald Jacoby, bridge player
- Johnny Moss, professional poker player
- Robert Salaburu, poker player
- Trey Wright, U.S. national Scrabble champion, classical concert pianist
Other
- Terence Anderson, sport shooter
- Alex Andrade, mixed martial artist
- Lance Armstrong, cyclist, disqualified champion of Tour de France
- Del Ballard, Jr., professional bowler
- Brigetta Barrett, high jumper
- Richard Bass, mountaineer, first person to climb the "Seven Summits"; business owner
- Kyle Bennett, bicycle motocross racer
- Evan Bernstein, Israeli Olympic wrestler
- Simone Biles, world- and Olympic-champion gymnast
- Aimee Boorman, gymnastics coach
- Matthew S. Brown, track and field champion at 2007 Parapan American Games in Rio de Janeiro
- Aimee Buchanan, American-born Olympic figure skater for Israel
- Dave Clark, Olympic pole vaulter
- Josh Davis, Olympic gold and silver medalist in freestyle swimming
- Cowboy Morgan Evans, rodeo, steer wrestling champion 1928
- Jennifer Gutierrez, triathlete
- Heath Herring, mixed martial artist
- Michael Johnson, sprinter, Olympic gold medalist, world record holder
- Seth Jones, ice hockey player for the Columbus Blue Jackets
- Courtney Kupets, world and U.S. champion gymnast, silver medalist in 2004 Summer Olympics
- Rafael A. Lecuona, Cuban-American gymnast, 1948–1956
- Brian Leetch, Hall of Fame hockey defenseman, primarily with the New York Rangers
- Tara Lipinski, figure skater, Olympic gold medalist
- Nastia Liukin, 2008 Olympic gymnastics all-around gold medalist
- Patricia McCormick, bullfighter
- Bubba McDaniel, mixed martial artist
- Delaney Miller, rock climber
- Robert Mosbacher, yacht racer, businessman, politician
- Carly Patterson, 2004 Olympic gymnastics all-around gold medalist
- Bill Pickett, cowboy and rodeo performer
- Todd Pletcher, horse trainer
- Alex Puccio, climber
- Tex Rickard, sports promoter
- Louise Ritter, Olympic gold medalist in high jump
- Willie Shoemaker,
- Tom Tellez, collegiate track and field coach
- Hollie Vise, world-champion gymnast
- Dana Vollmer, swimmer, gold medalist at 2004 Olympics
- Jeremy Wariner, track & field Olympic gold medalist
- Walel Watson, mixed martial artist
- Kaitlyn Weaver, ice dancer, competes for Canada
- Mal Whitfield, Olympic gold medalist in the 800-meter run
- Darold Williamson, Olympic gold medalist in track & field
- Chip Woolley, racehorse trainer
- Babe Didrikson Zaharias, track & field gold medalist 1932 Olympics, golfer in World Golf Hall of Fame
Business
- Nahim Abraham, businessman and philanthropist in Canadian; native of Lebanon
- Tom Abraham, businessman and philanthropist in Canadian, Texas; native of Lebanon
- Red Adair, offshore oil field firefighter
- Joe Allbritton, banker, publisher, philanthropist
- Peter Arguindegui, petroleum industrialist and member of the Laredo City Council
- John S. Armstrong, Dallas-area real estate developer, founded Oak Cliff, Highland Park, the State Fair of Texas
- Mary Kay Ash, businesswoman and founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics
- George Ballas, entrepreneur, invented Weed Eater
- Ed Bass, businessman, financier, philanthropist, environmentalist
- Harry W. Bass Jr., oil business, philanthropist
- Harry W. Bass Sr., oil business
- Richard Bass, owner of Snowbird Ski Resort; pioneering mountaineer
- Robert Bass, billionaire philanthropist, chairman of Oak Hill Capital, conservationist
- Sid Bass, billionaire investor and oil magnate from Fort Worth
- Andrew Beal, banker, businessman, investor, poker player, mathematician; billionaire
- Benny Binion, Las Vegas casino owner; previously an organized-crime boss
- Jack Binion, businessman
- Jack S. Blanton, oil industry executive, civic leader, philanthropist
- George Washington Brackenridge, banker, business executive, philanthropist, social activist, university regent
- Nancy Brinker, business executive, ambassador
- Norman Brinker, restaurateur
- George R. Brown, construction company founder, entrepreneur, philanthropist
- Samuel Burk Burnett, cattleman, rancher
- Charles Butt, CEO of H-E-B supermarket chain, billionaire
- Howard Edward Butt Sr., businessman, philanthropist; founded H-E-B grocery store chain
- David Harold Byrd, oilman, founder of Civil Air Patrol
- Frank Kell Cahoon, oilman, natural gas entrepreneur, state representative
- Joseph Campisi, restaurateur
- Eddie Chiles, oil business founder and executive; major-league baseball team owner
- Sarah Horton Cockrell, businesswoman, millionaire
- Carr Collins Sr., insurance magnate, philanthropist
- Brad Corbett, oil business, owned the Texas Rangers baseball team
- Helen Corbitt, chef, cookbook author
- Carl G. Cromwell, oil driller and aviation pioneer
- Harlan Crow, real estate developer
- Trammell Crow, commercial real estate developer
- Sherwood Cryer, entrepreneur, co-owned and operated Gilley's honky-tonk nightclub
- Mark Cuban, billionaire entrepreneur, owner of Dallas Mavericks basketball team
- Joseph S. Cullinan, oil industrialist, founder of Texaco
- Robert B. Cullum, founder of Tom Thumb supermarket chain
- Ray Davis, business executive, baseball team owner
- Robert Decherd, businessman; Chairman, President, and CEO of A. H. Belo
- Michael Dell, founder of Dell Inc.
- Clara Driscoll, businesswoman, philanthropist, historic preservationist
- Angelo Drossos, stockbroker, owner of San Antonio Spurs
- Thomas Dundon, financial businessman
- William Stamps Farish II, president of Standard Oil, founder and president of American Petroleum Institute
- Dean Fearing, chef, restaurateur
- Tilman J. Fertitta, CEO of Landry's Restaurants, billionaire
- Carly Fiorina, CEO of Hewlett-Packard, senior vice president at AT&T, and Ted Cruz's running mate in the 2016 election
- Don Flynn, oil and gas industry executive, professional football player
- Buddy Fogelson, oilman, lawyer, horse breeder, philanthropist; husband of Greer Garson
- Robert Folsom, real estate investor and developer; mayor of Dallas
- Walter Fondren, Sr., oilman, co-founder of Humble Oil, philanthropist
- Gerald J. Ford, business executive, banker, billionaire, philanthropist
- Joe B. Foster, oil business, philanthropist
- Andrew Friedman, banker, Major League Baseball executive
- William Delbert Gann, finance trader, analyst
- William H. Gaston, co-founder, with Aaron C. Camp, of the first banking house in Dallas
- Jim Goode, restaurateur
- Charles Goodnight, legendary Texas cattleman
- Bette Nesmith Graham, inventor, founder of Liquid Paper Corporation, mother of The Monkees' Mike Nesmith
- Eunice Gray, hotel and brothel owner
- Bennett Greenspan, entrepreneur, founder of Family Tree DNA
- Carl Hilmar Guenther, miller
- Patrick E. Haggerty, co-founder, president, and chairman of Texas Instruments
- Najeeb Halaby, FAA administrator, chairman and CEO of Pan Am, father of Queen Noor of Jordan
- Ebby Halliday, Realtor, entrepreneur
- Thomas Britton Harris IV, investment officer
- Jim Hasslocher, restaurateur
- William R. Hawn, businessman, philanthropist, racehorse breeder
- Pattillo Higgins, oil pioneer and businessman, known as the "Prophet of Spindletop"
- Barron Hilton, billionaire socialite, businessman, heir to Hilton Hotels fortune
- Conrad Hilton, hotel-chain founder
- Conrad Hilton Jr., socialite, businessman, heir to Hilton Hotels fortune
- Eric Hilton, hotelier, philanthropist
- Timothy Dwight Hobart, landowner, surveyor, rancher, mayor of Pampa
- Roger Horchow, catalog entrepreneur, Broadway producer
- Thomas William House, Sr., early Houston cotton shipper, founder of Houston's first private bank and first public utility
- Howard Hughes, aviator, filmmaker, eccentric billionaire
- Howard R. Hughes, Sr., entrepreneur, oilman; father of Howard Hughes
- Earl H. Hulsey, businessman, movie-theatre operator
- Caroline Rose Hunt, hotelier, author, philanthropist, heiress
- Clark Hunt, Chairman and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs
- H. L. Hunt, oil tycoon, patriarch of Dallas family of legendary wealth and power
- Lamar Hunt, founder of American Football League, Major League Soccer, North American Soccer League
- Nelson Bunker Hunt, oilman, investor, horse breeder
- Ray Lee Hunt, oilman
- Columbus Marion "Dad" Joiner, oilman
- Jerry Jones, billionaire entrepreneur, oilman, owner of Dallas Cowboys football team
- Jerry Jones, Jr., Dallas Cowboys executive
- Stephen Jones, Dallas Cowboys executive
- J. Erik Jonsson, co-founder and president of Texas Instruments, mayor of Dallas
- Herb Kelleher, founder and CEO of Southwest Airlines
- Gary C. Kelly, CEO, Southwest Airlines
- Isaac Herbert Kempner, founder of Imperial Sugar, mayor of Galveston
- Kay Kimbell, entrepreneur, philanthropist; endowed Kimbell Art Museum
- Richard King, entrepreneur, founder of the legendary King Ranch
- Rollin King, businessman, investment consultant, co-founder of Southwest Airlines
- John Henry Kirby, businessman, founder of the Kirby Petroleum Company
- Robert J. Kleberg, Jr., managed the King Ranch
- Fred C. Koch, chemical engineer and entrepreneur who founded the oil refinery firm that later became Koch Industries
- Harry Koch, railroad founder, newspaper founder
- Eugene Lacritz, retail executive, classical musician
- Ninfa Laurenzo, restaurateur
- Rodney Lewis, oil and natural gas industrialist and rancher; second wealthiest individual in San Antonio
- David Litman, founder of hotels.com and getaroom.com
- James Ling, founder of business conglomerate Ling-Temco-Vought
- Tim Love, chef, restaurateur
- Sam Lucchese, businessman, bootmaker, theater impresario
- Gerald Lyda, construction CEO, owner of La Escalera Ranch in Sierra County, New Mexico
- James E. Lyon, real estate developer, banker, and Republican politician in Houston
- John Mackey, CEO, Whole Foods Market
- Herbert Marcus, co-founder and CEO of Neiman Marcus
- Minnie Lichtenstein Marcus, vice president of Neiman Marcus, horticulturist
- Stanley Marcus, president and CEO of Neiman Marcus
- Thomas Marsalis, Dallas-area developer
- Irving Allen Mathews, retail executive, Federal Reserve Bank board chairman
- Glenn McCarthy, oil tycoon, entrepreneur; inspired the character Jett Rink in Giant
- Red McCombs, businessman, has owned several professional sports franchises
- Eugene McDermott, founder of Texas Instruments, geophysicist, philanthropist
- William Johnson McDonald, banker, philanthropist
- Jim McIngvale, businessman, owns furniture-store chain
- Algur H. Meadows, oilman, philanthropist
- John W. Mecom, Sr., oilman
- George P. Mitchell, billionaire oilman, real estate developer, philanthropist
- Mohamed Elhassan Mohamed, entrepreneur; political, religious, cultural activist; father of Ahmed Mohamed
- John T. Montford, businessman in San Antonio, former chancellor of the Texas Tech University System, former state senator and district attorney from Lubbock
- Shearn Moody, Jr., financier, entrepreneur, philanthropist
- William Lewis Moody, Jr., financier, entrepreneur
- John Moores, entrepreneur, philanthropist; owner of professional sports teams
- Robert Mosbacher, businessman, yacht racer, politician
- Barry Munitz, corporation and foundation executive, university administrator
- Clint Murchison, Jr., oil businessman; founder/owner of Dallas Cowboys football team
- Clint Murchison, Sr., oil magnate
- Raymond Nasher, real estate developer, art collector
- Abraham Lincoln Neiman, co-founder of Neiman Marcus
- Carrie Marcus Neiman, co-founder and CEO of Neiman Marcus
- Bill Noël, oil industrialist and philanthropist from Odessa
- Mary Moody Northen, financier, philanthropist
- Jim Novy, businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist, supported career of Lyndon B. Johnson; nicknamed "First Jew of Texas"
- Peter O'Donnell, investor, philanthropist, Republican state party chairman, 1962–1969; leader of the Draft Goldwater Committee in 1963–1964
- R.J. O'Donnell, businessman, theatre-chain manager, philanthropist
- William O'Neil, entrepreneur, stockbroker, writer, founded Investor's Business Daily
- Marc Ostrofsky, venture capitalist, entrepreneur, investor, author
- Ross Perot, entrepreneur; founder of EDS and Perot Systems; 1992 U.S. presidential candidate
- Bob J. Perry, homebuilder, political supporter
- Stephen Samuel Perry, manager of Peach Point Plantation, preserved historical manuscripts
- T. Boone Pickens, energy entrepreneur, philanthropist
- Lonnie "Bo" Pilgrim, founder, chairman, and principal owner of Pilgrim's Pride
- Bernard Rapoport, entrepreneur, philanthropist, author, business executive
- Kent Rathbun, chef, restaurateur
- William Marsh Rice, merchant, investor, multimillionaire, philanthropist; namesake of Rice University
- Sid W. Richardson, oilman, cattleman, philanthropist
- Rich Riley, Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Yahoo! EMEA
- Phil Romano, restaurateur
- Willy O. Rossel, chef
- Marvin Travis Runyon, business executive, U.S. Postmaster General
- Reid Ryan, Major League Baseball executive, former player
- Fayez Sarofim, stock-fund manager, part owner of Houston Texans, philanthropist, billionaire
- Tom Scaperlanda, jeweler, circus historian and collector of circusana
- Julius Schepps, business owner, civic leader and philanthropist
- Daniel R. Scoggin, founder of TGI Friday's, Inc., restaurateur
- Frank Sharp, land developer
- Walter Benona Sharp, oilman, innovator, philanthropist
- Anna Shelton, real-estate developer, founder of women's clubs
- Harold Simmons, billionaire businessman, banker, philanthropist; developed concept of leveraged buyout
- Bob R. Simpson, business executive, baseball team owner
- Henry Singleton, electrical engineer, co-founder of Teledyne Technologies
- Bill Sinkin, banker, community activist
- Tom Slick, inventor, businessman, adventurer, entrepreneur, philanthropist
- Merrie Spaeth, business public relations consultant, political consultant, educator, former actress
- John Sparks, cattle rancher, Texas Ranger, became governor of Nevada
- A. Latham Staples, CEO of EXUSMED, Inc., civil rights activist, and founder/Chairman of Empowering Spirits Foundation
- Felix Stehling, businessman, restaurateur, founded Taco Cabana
- John M. Stemmons, real estate developer, civic leader
- Leslie Stemmons, businessman
- Frank Sterling, oil business
- Ross S. Sterling, founder of Humble Oil, Governor of Texas
- David Tallichet, developed the theme restaurant concept
- Anne Valliant Burnett Tandy, rancher, horsebreeder, philanthropist, art collector
- Charles D. Tandy, chairman, president, and CEO of Tandy Corporation
- Ben Taub, businessman, philanthropist
- Rich Templeton, president, chairman, and CEO of Texas Instruments
- Robert L. Thornton, founder and president of Mercantile Bank in Dallas, mayor and civic leader of Dallas
- Tex Thornton, founder of Litton Industries
- Felix Tijerina, restaurateur
- Rex Tillerson, chairman, president and CEO of ExxonMobil
- Kenny Troutt, telecommunications company founder, racehorse owner, billionaire
- Daniel Waggoner, rancher, businessman, banker
- E. Paul Waggoner, rancher, horsebreeder
- Guy Waggoner, rancher, business executive
- William Thomas Waggoner, rancher, oilman, banker, horsebreeder, philanthropist
- Kelcy Warren, chairman and CEO of Energy Transfer Partners
- Sherron Watkins, Vice President at the Enron Corporation, whistleblower who helped uncover the Enron scandal
- James Marion West, Jr., oilman
- James Marion West, Sr., business tycoon
- Edward Whitacre, Jr., chairman of the board and CEO of General Motors, chairman of the board and CEO of AT&T Inc.
- Clayton Wheat Williams, Jr., oilman; Republican gubernatorial nominee, 1990
- Gus Sessions Wortham, businessman, philanthropist
- Charles Wyly, entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist, civic leader
- Sam Wyly, entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist
- Angus G. Wynne, founder of Six Flags Over Texas and subsequent corporate theme parks
- Benjamin Franklin Yoakum, railroad executive
- H.B. Zachry, construction business executive
- Zig Ziglar, salesman, motivational speaker, author
- Andrew Jackson Zilker, businessman, civic leader, philanthropist in Austin
Law and jurisprudence
- James A. Baker, Jr., attorney
- Captain James A. Baker, attorney for William Marsh Rice, banker
- Judge James A. Baker, jurist, politician
- Roy Bean, Justice of the Peace, called himself "The Law West of the Pecos"
- Nandita Berry, Secretary of State of Texas ; Houston lawyer
- Robert Lee Bobbitt, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, state attorney general
- Ruth Virginia Brazzil, lawyer
- Tony Buzbee, trial lawyer
- Norma V. Cantu, civil rights lawyer, educator
- Ronald H. Clark, judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, based in Beaumont; former member of the Texas House of Representatives from Sherman
- Tom C. Clark, United States Attorney General and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
- Linda Coffee, attorney for Norma McCorvey in Roe v. Wade
- Elma Salinas Ender, first Hispanic female to serve on a state district court in Texas; judge of the 341st Judicial District, based in Laredo, 1983–2012
- Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen Gammel, editor and publisher of The Laws of Texas 1822–1897
- Mike Godwin, attorney, author
- Alberto Gonzales, United States Attorney General
- Richard "Racehorse" Haynes, defense attorney, author
- Randy Hendricks, sports lawyer, author
- Hattie Leah Henenberg, lawyer
- Harry Hertzberg, attorney, Texas state senator, civic leader
- Barbara Hines, immigration rights attorney
- Joe Jamail, attorney, billionaire
- Leon Jaworski, attorney, was special prosecutor during the Watergate scandal hearings
- Jim Mattox, U.S. representative and attorney general of Texas
- Harry McPherson, special counsel to President Lyndon Johnson, lawyer, lobbyist
- William C. Meier, state senator, holds world filibuster record; lost race for attorney general to Jim Mattox in 1982
- Lawrence E. Meyers, judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals since 1993, based in Fort Worth
- Harriet Miers, attorney, White House Counsel, nominated for U.S. Supreme Court
- Sandra Day O'Connor, former associate justice of the United States Supreme Court; first woman on the high court
- John O'Quinn, attorney
- Jack Pope, Chief Justice of Texas Supreme Court
- Louise Raggio, attorney, first female prosecutor in Texas
- Nellie Gray Robertson, lawyer
- David McAdams Sibley, attorney-lobbyist, former Texas state senator and mayor of Waco
- Ken Starr, attorney, federal judge, Solicitor General, and Independent Counsel during the Clinton Administration
- Stephen Susman, plaintiffs attorney and a founding partner of Susman Godfrey
- Carol Vance, district attorney, head of Texas Board of Criminal Justice
- Dale Wainwright, Justice, Texas Supreme Court
- Hortense Sparks Ward, lawyer, women's rights activist
- Craig Watkins, first African-American district attorney in Texas, Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year 2008
- Edith Wilmans, lawyer, state legislator
- Jared Woodfill, attorney, political activist
- Mark Yudof, law professor, university chancellor
- Kathleen Zellner, attorney
Law enforcement
- David Brown, chief of Dallas Police Department
- James B. Gillett, lawman, member of Texas Ranger Hall of Fame
- TJ Goree, superintendent of penitentiaries in Texas, namesake of the Goree Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; Confederate Army captain, attorney
- Frank Hamer, Texas Ranger, led raid in which Bonnie and Clyde were killed
- Roy Hazelwood, FBI profiler
- Ted Hinton, deputy sheriff involved in raid in which Bonnie and Clyde were killed
- Joaquin Jackson, Texas Ranger, author, actor
- John B. Jones, captain of Texas Rangers Frontier Battalion
- Jim Leavelle, Dallas Police detective who was escorting Lee Harvey Oswald when Oswald was shot
- Darrell Lunsford, was murdered while arresting drug suspects
- Ramiro Martinez, police officer involved in killing of sniper Charles Whitman
- David Atlee Phillips, officer for the CIA, recipient of the Career Intelligence Medal
- Phil Ryan, Texas Ranger who arrested serial killer Henry Lee Lucas
- Charlie Siringo, Wild West lawman
- Ben Thompson, Old West lawman, gunman, gambler
- J. D. Tippit, Dallas police officer who questioned Lee Harvey Oswald following the assassination of John F. Kennedy and was subsequently killed by Oswald
- Charles Winstead, FBI Agent in the 1930s–1940s; one of the agents who shot and killed John Dillinger
Art, photography, architecture
- Walter W. Ahlschlager, architect
- Larry D. Alexander, visual artist
- Natalia Anciso, visual artist
- José Arpa, painter
- Tex Avery, animator, cartoonist, director
- Atlee Ayres, architect
- Robert M. Ayres, architect
- Bill Barminski, artist, designer, filmmaker
- Donald Barthelme, architect
- Arthello Beck, visual artist
- John T. Biggers, muralist, established art department at Texas Southern University
- Electra Waggoner Biggs, sculptor
- Melinda Bordelon, painter, illustrator
- Berkeley Breathed, Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, author/illustrator, director, screenwriter
- Susan Budge, ceramic sculptor
- Harold Dow Bugbee, artist
- John Cassaday, comic book artist
- Keith Carter, photographer, educator, artist
- Mel Chin, conceptual visual artist
- Harold F. Clayton, sculptor
- Nicholas Joseph Clayton, architect
- Matchett Herring Coe, sculptor
- Pompeo Coppini, sculptor, teacher
- George Dahl, architect
- Dawson Dawson-Watson, impressionist painter
- Charles August Albert Dellschau, outsider artist
- Neil Denari, architect
- Richard Dominguez, comic book artist
- Dan Dunn, speed painter, cartoonist, caricaturist
- Emily Edwards, artist, historian, conservationist, teacher, civic leader
- Charles Fincher, cartoonist, lawyer
- Joseph Finger, architect
- Alfred C. Finn, architect
- O'Neil Ford, architect
- Jim Franklin, artist, illustrator, underground cartoonist
- Alfred Giles, architect
- Francois P. Giraud, architect, surveyor, mayor of San Antonio
- Rolando Gomez, photographer
- Xavier Gonzalez, muralist, sculptor, teacher
- Glenna Goodacre, sculptor, designed obverse of Sacagawea dollar
- James Riely Gordon, architect
- Herbert M. Greene, architect
- Priscilla Hamby, illustrator, comic-book artist
- Trenton Doyle Hancock, visual artist
- Wyatt C. Hedrick, architect
- Wolf Hilbertz, architect, inventor, marine scientist, educator
- Barbara Hines, artist
- Armando Hinojosa, sculptor
- Alexandre Hogue, realist painter
- Dorothy Hood, Modernist painter
- Carl Hoppe, painter
- Louis Hoppe, 19th-century folk artist
- Lance Hosey, architect
- Robert H.H. Hugman, architect, designed San Antonio River Walk
- Walter Iooss, photographer
- Natalie Irish, multimedia artist, pioneer of the lip print technique
- James Ivey, artist, painter, carnival surrealism
- Elisa Jimenez, interdisciplinary artist, fashion designer
- Luis Jiménez, sculptor
- Raoul Josset, sculptor
- Donald Judd, sculptor
- Karl Kamrath, architect, tennis player
- Cheryl Kelley, photorealist painter
- George Kessler, landscape architect, city planner
- John F. Knott, political cartoonist, illustrator, art educator
- Thomas C. Lea, III, muralist, illustrator, artist, war correspondent, novelist, historian
- Harold LeDoux, cartoonist, Judge Parker
- Rick Lowe, visual artist, social activist, educator, MacArthur Fellow
- Hermann Lungkwitz, landscape artist, photographer
- Bob Mader, photographer
- Stanley Marsh 3, millionaire artist and philanthropist
- Florence McClung, painter, printmaker, art teacher
- Marion Koogler McNay, artist, teacher, art collector, museum founder, philanthropist
- Michael Mehaffy, architectural theorist
- Jesús Moroles, sculptor
- Elisabet Ney, sculptor
- Lovie Olivia, multidisciplinary visual artist
- Julian Onderdonk, painter
- Robert Jenkins Onderdonk, painter
- Graydon Parrish, realist painter
- Harry D. Payne, architect
- John Picacio, science fiction-fantasy artist, illustrator
- Dan Piraro, painter, illustrator, cartoonist
- Thomas M. Price, architect
- Don Ivan Punchatz, science fiction-fantasy artist, illustrator
- Gregor Punchatz, artist/sculptor for video games
- Robert Rauschenberg, painter, sculptor, graphic artist
- Frank Reaugh, painter
- Ace Reid, cartoonist and humorist
- Lucy Wilson Rice, painter
- Joe Riley, visual and plastic artist
- Dario Robleto, conceptual artist
- Jermaine Rogers, poster artist
- Nancy Rubins, sculptor, installation artist
- Verónica Ruiz de Velasco, painter
- Robh Ruppel, illustrator
- Porfirio Salinas, landscape painter
- Julian Schnabel, artist, film director
- Zachary Selig, artist, painter, writer
- Mark Seliger, photographer
- Gilbert Shelton, cartoonist
- Erwin E. Smith, photographer
- Justin Storms, artist, musician, and creator of coloring book The Whaletopian Coloring Book
- James Surls, modernist sculptor
- Masaru Takiguchi, sculptor, arts educator
- Waldine Tauch, sculptor
- Karen T. Taylor, forensic and portrait artist
- Frank Teich, sculptor
- Wilhelm Thielepape, architect, lithographer, photographer, surveyor, attorney, mayor of San Antonio
- Charles Umlauf, sculptor, art educator
- Vincent Valdez, artist
- Bob Wade, artist, sculptor in "Cosmic Cowboy" genre
- William Ward Watkin, architect, founder of Rice University Department of Architecture
- Mack White, comic book artist
- Verner Moore White, landscape and portrait artist
- Robert Whiteside, jewelry and craft maker and designer, polymath
- George Rodney Willis, architect
- Laura Wilson, photographer
- Robert William Wood, landscape painter
Literature
- Jeff Abbott, mystery novelist
- Susan Wittig Albert, mystery writer
- Karle Wilson Baker, poet, author
- Wendy Barker, poet, educator
- Neal Barrett Jr., science fiction-fantasy writer
- Barbara Barrie, author of children's books
- Rick Bass, writer, environmentalist
- Roy Bedichek, writer, naturalist, educator
- Raymond Benson, novelist
- Sarah Bird, novelist, screenwriter, journalist
- Cheryl Bolen, novelist, journalist
- J. Mason Brewer, folklorist, scholar, writer
- Sandra Brown, novelist
- James Lee Burke, mystery writer
- Harley True Burton, author, The History of the JA Ranch
- Hector Cantú, writer, editor, newspaper comic strip creator
- Kathryn Casey, mystery and true crime author
- Katherine Center, author of chick lit, mommy lit
- Pat Choate, author, economist
- Susan Choi, novelist
- Sandra Cisneros, author and poet
- Tamarie Cooper, playwright, actress
- Bill Crider, mystery writer
- Deborah Crombie, mystery writer
- Justin Cronin, novelist
- Grace Noll Crowell, poet
- James Crumley, crime novelist
- Patrick Dearen, western author
- Jan de Hartog, Nobel Prize-nominated author, Tony Award-winning playwright, social activist, philanthropist
- Jim Dent, author, sportswriter
- Adina Emilia De Zavala, writer, historian, educator
- J. Frank Dobie, folklorist and writer about open-range days
- Carole Nelson Douglas, mystery writer
- Robert M. Edsel, nonfiction writer, oil company founder and innovator
- Kurt Eichenwald, author, journalist
- John R. Erickson, cowboy, author, songwriter, voice actor, wrote Hank the Cowdog series
- Jill Alexander Essbaum, poet, writer, professor
- B. H. Fairchild, poet
- Kitty Ferguson, science writer
- Robert Flynn, novelist
- Horton Foote, author and playwright
- Hans Peter Mareus Neilsen Gammel, editor and publisher of The Laws of Texas 1822–1897
- Julian S. Garcia, writer of Chicano literature
- Bryan A. Garner, lexicographer, grammarian, author, educator
- Fred Gipson, novelist, author of Old Yeller
- John Graves, author
- Jesse Edward Grinstead, author of Western fiction
- Christine Hà, writer, poet, editor; chef who won MasterChef cooking competition in 2012
- Hardy Haberman, author, filmmaker, educator, figure in BDSM culture
- Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey, novelist, journalist, playwright
- J. Evetts Haley, historian and political activist
- Harry H. Halsell, rancher, wrote books about ranching life
- Stephen Harrigan, novelist, journalist
- Stanley Hauerwas, theologian, philosopher
- Bobbie Louise Hawkins, short story writer, monologist, and poet
- Allison Hedge Coke, poet and writer
- Patricia Highsmith, novelist, author of Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley
- Rolando Hinojosa-Smith, novelist, essayist, poet, educator
- Thomas Elisha Hogg, poet, writer, editor
- Mary Austin Holley, wrote first English-language history of Texas
- Robert E. Howard, author of Conan the Barbarian stories and other pulp adventure tales
- William Humphrey, novelist
- Bret Anthony Johnston, author, director of creative writing program at Harvard University
- Mary Karr, poet, essayist, memoirist
- Elmer Kelton, journalist, western novelist
- Larry L. King, playwright, journalist, novelist, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
- Kevin Kwan, novelist
- Joe R. Lansdale, author of crime thrillers, Hap and Leonard novels
- Jenny Lawson, journalist, humorist, blogger
- Kate Lehrer, writer, novelist, reviewer
- Warren Leslie, author, journalist, screenwriter, business executive
- David Liss, writer
- Janette Sebring Lowrey, author of children's books, including The Poky Little Puppy
- Max Lucado, best-selling Christian author
- Cathy Luchetti, author of books about American frontier
- Corey Marks, poet, educator
- Larry McMurtry, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Lonesome Dove
- Alex McVey, illustrator
- Philipp Meyer, novelist
- Michael Moorcock, literary and fantasy novelist, musician, journalist
- Frances Mossiker, author of historical novels
- Naomi Shihab Nye, poet, songwriter, novelist
- Marc Ostrofsky, author, entrepreneur, investor
- William A. Owens, author, folklorist, educator
- Greg Pak, comic-book writer, film director
- Americo Paredes, author of books on life along U.S.–Mexican border
- David M. Parsons, poet, educator, 2011 Texas State Poet Laureate
- Stanley G. Payne, historian of modern Spain and European Fascism
- George Sessions Perry, novelist, correspondent
- Rachel Plummer, wrote a sensational account of her captivity among Comanches
- Julie Powell, author, blogger, subject of film Julie & Julia
- Hugh Prather, writer, minister, counselor
- Deanna Raybourn, author of historical fiction and historical mysteries
- James Reasoner, writer
- Rick Riordan, novelist
- Lou Halsell Rodenberger, author, educator, journalist
- Jane Gilmore Rushing, novelist, journalist
- Dorothy Scarborough, author, folklorist
- Robert Schenkkan, playwright, screenwriter, actor
- Shea Serrano, author, journalist
- Cynthia Leitich Smith, author of fiction for children and young adults
- Terry Southern, author, screenwriter
- Suzy Spencer, true crime author, journalist
- John Steakley, science-fiction and fantasy writer
- Carmen Tafolla, poet, writer
- Lorenzo Thomas, poet, critic, educator
- Jim Thompson, crime novelist
- Thomas Thompson, author, journalist
- Lon Tinkle, author, Texas historian
- Sergio Troncoso, author of The Nature of Truth
- John Varley, science-fiction writer
- Lizzie Velásquez, author, motivational speaker, anti-bullying activist
- Dale L. Walker, writer
- Walter Prescott Webb, author, historian
- Marianne Williamson, author, social activist, 2020 U.S. presidential candidate
- Janice Woods Windle, author of historical novels
- Ruthe Lewin Winegarten, author, editor, historian, social activist
- Kim Wozencraft, writer
- Gwendolyn Zepeda, poet, author
- Joaquin Zihuatanejo , poet
Journalism
- Wick Allison, magazine owner and publisher, author
- Alfred O. Andersson, newspaper publisher
- Jim Angle, Chief Washington Correspondent for Fox News
- Ole Anthony, investigative journalist, magazine editor
- John Ardoin, music critic and author
- Hugh Aynesworth, journalist, investigative reporter, authority on the assassination of John F. Kennedy
- Eddie Barker, television news reporter
- Dave Barnett, sportscaster
- Skip Bayless, sportswriter
- Michelle Beadle, sports reporter for ESPN and NBCUniversal
- Paul Begala, Democratic political consultant, political commentator
- Alfred Horatio Belo, newspaper founder
- Joshua Benton, newspaper reporter and columnist, educator
- Michael Berry, conservative talk-radio host in Houston
- Kevin Blackistone, sportswriter
- Bill Blair, newspaper founder and publisher, Negro league baseball player
- Brandon Boyer, blog editor
- Pat Boyette, radio journalist, comic book artist
- Billy Lee Brammer, journalist, novelist, political staffer
- William Cowper Brann, journalist, iconoclastic writer
- Marie Brenner, investigative journalist, writer
- Joe Bob Briggs , film critic
- Barrett Brown, journalist, essayist, satirist, activist; serving time in federal prison for facilitating email leaks
- John Henry Brown, historian, newspaper founder and editor, politician
- Lance Brown, television sportscaster, NFL football player
- Samantha Brown, television host
- Gail Caldwell, chief book critic for The Boston Globe
- Liz Carpenter, writer, feminist, reporter, media advisor, speechwriter, political humorist, public relations expert
- Al Carrell, home-improvement columnist, radio host
- Al Carter, sports journalist
- Amon G. Carter, newspaper founder and publisher
- Cheryl Casone, Fox Business Network anchor
- Elizabeth Chambers, television host and news reporter for Current TV
- Craig Cohen, broadcast journalist, radio host
- Dan Cook, sportswriter, sportscaster
- Ron Corning, television news anchor
- Tim Cowlishaw, sportswriter
- Candice Crawford, KDAF reporter
- Walter Cronkite, CBS News anchor
- Jim Cummins, NBC News reporter
- Don Dahler, journalist, writer, correspondent for CBS News
- Corby Davidson, sports radio personality
- Mark Davis, conservative talk-show host, newspaper columnist
- Edward Musgrove Dealey, journalist, newspaper publisher
- George B. Dealey, newspaper publisher
- Jody Dean, radio journalist, author
- Pete Delkus, television meteorologist
- Dayna Devon, television journalist
- Sam Donaldson, ABC News reporter
- Troy Dungan, television meteorologist
- George Dunham, radio personality, sportscaster
- Kurt Eichenwald, investigative reporter, author
- Linda Ellerbee, journalist, correspondent, reporter
- Gene Elston, sportscaster
- John Henry Faulk, storyteller and radio broadcaster
- T. R. Fehrenbach, newspaper columnist, historian
- Ashley Feinberg, journalist, humorist
- Shannon Fife, journalist, humorist, screenwriter
- Robert Flores, ESPN Sports anchor
- Ron Franklin, sportscaster
- Kinky Friedman, columnist, singer-songwriter, novelist, candidate for governor of Texas
- Mel Gabler, public school textbook monitor and cofounder of Educational Research Analysts of Longview
- Randy Galloway, radio host, newspaper columnist
- Kyle Gann, music critic, composer, musicologist
- George Gimarc, radio announcer, disc jockey, producer
- Frank Glieber, sportscaster
- Bianna Golodryga, television journalist
- John Howard Griffin, journalist, author
- Oscar Griffin, Jr., newspaper editor, won Pulitzer Prize for uncovering Billie Sol Estes scandal
- Jesse Edward Grinstead, founder of The Kerrville Mountain Sun
- Jenna Bush Hager, television news personality, writer
- Jane Hall, former Fox News pundit, Fox News Watch, The O'Reilly Factor
- Tamron Hall, MSNBC daytime anchor
- Grace Halsell, journalist, writer
- Milo Hamilton, sportscaster
- Dale Hansen, sportscaster
- Stephen Harrigan, journalist, novelist
- Houston Harte, co-founder of Harte-Hanks chain of newspapers
- Christy Haubegger, founder of Latina magazine
- Heloise , syndicated columnist
- Heloise , syndicated columnist
- Kate Heyhoe, food writer
- Dave Hickey, art critic
- Norm Hitzges, sportscaster, reporter
- Skip Hollandsworth, journalist, screenwriter, magazine editor
- Mark Holtz, sportscaster
- Karen Elliott House, journalist, publishing and business executive
- Deborah Howell, newspaper editor
- June Hunt, radio host of religious programs
- Jovita Idár, journalist, civil rights activist
- Molly Ivins, political commentator, liberal journalist, and author
- Robert H. Jackson, newspaper photographer, won Pulitzer Prize
- Dahr Jamail, journalist
- Craig James, sports commentator on ABC and ESPN
- Dan Jenkins, sportswriter and author
- Sally Jenkins, sports columnist and feature writer for The Washington Post
- Iola Johnson, television news anchor, first African-American anchor in the Southwest
- Kenneth P. Johnson, newspaper editor
- Richard Justice, sportswriter
- Todd Kalas, sportscaster
- Gordon Keith, radio personality
- Steven G. Kellman, literary critic, columnist, author, educator
- Hubert Renfro Knickerbocker, journalist, author
- Harry Koch, newspaper founder, railroad founder
- Kidd Kraddick, radio host
- Aaron Latham, journalist, writer
- Jim Lehrer, television journalist, author
- Michael R. Levy, magazine founder and publisher
- Josh Lewin, sportscaster
- Marjorie Herrera Lewis, sports reporter, author
- Verne Lundquist, sportscaster, reporter
- Bill Macatee, sportscaster, reporter
- Debra Maffett, host of TNN Country News, Miss America 1983
- Dan Malone, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter
- Ernie Manouse, television host, radio personality, writer, producer
- Amanda Marcotte, feminist/liberal blogger
- Chris Marrou, television news anchor
- Roland Martin, journalist, syndicated columnist, CNN commentator
- Russ Martin, radio host
- Mary Maverick, memoirist
- John McCaa, television news anchor
- Kevin McCarthy, radio and television announcer
- Joe McLaughlin, sportswriter
- Gordon McLendon, radio pioneer, innovator, entrepreneur
- Howard McNeil, television meteorologist
- Sonny Melendrez, radio personality, voice actor
- Curt Menefee, sportscaster, reporter
- Bill Mercer, sportscaster
- Maxine Mesinger, gossip columnist
- Harry J. Middleton, journalist, Presidential speechwriter, educator
- Dale Milford, television meteorologist, U.S. Representative
- Margaret Moser, journalist, music critic
- Leslie Mouton, news reporter
- Eric Nadel, sportscaster
- James Pearson Newcomb, newspaper journalist, publisher; Secretary of State of Texas
- Chau Nguyen, television news anchor
- Jim O'Brien, reporter, disc jockey
- Norah O'Donnell, commentator on The Today Show and MSNBC correspondent
- Barbara Olson, Fox News and CNN commentator
- Albert Parsons, newspaper editor, socialist, anarchist; was convicted of conspiracy and hanged
- Marjorie Paxson, newspaper journalist, editor, publisher
- Scott Pelley, anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News
- Uma Pemmaraju, anchor for Fox News
- Bob Phillips, creator, producer, and host of Texas Country Reporter
- Michael Phillips, journalist, historian, author, educator
- Stone Phillips, co-anchor of Dateline NBC
- Katherine Anne Porter, journalist, essayist, novelist
- Cactus Pryor, radio personality, actor
- John Quiñones, ABC News correspondent
- Dan Rather, former CBS Evening News anchor
- Julia Scott Reed, newspaper columnist, reporter, editor
- Rex Reed, movie critic
- Dick Risenhoover, sportscaster
- Tracy Rowlett, television news anchor
- John Phillip Santos, journalist, author, filmmaker, producer
- Bob Schieffer, CBS Evening News anchor
- Brad Sham, sportscaster
- Blackie Sherrod, sportswriter
- Bud Shrake, sportswriter, author
- William Dean Singleton, newspaper publishing executive, chairman of the board of Associated Press
- Evan Smith, magazine editor, television, radio, internet journalist
- Liz Smith, syndicated columnist
- Mickey Spagnola, sportswriter
- Joshua Starnes, film critic
- Marc Stein, sports reporter
- Ron Stone, television news reporter
- Linda Stouffer, television news anchor
- Clinton Howard Swindle, investigative newspaper journalist, author
- Harold Taft, television meteorologist
- Thomas Thompson, investigative journalist for Life magazine, author
- Bascom N. Timmons, opened news bureau in Washington; native of Amarillo
- Jack Tinsley, newspaper executive editor
- Frank X. Tolbert, author, historian, journalist, restaurateur
- Karen Tumulty, newspaper correspondent
- Charlie Van Dyke, former radio disc jockey of KLIF, known for the best voice of radio and television stations across America; former frequent guest host of American Top 40, 1983–1988
- Juan M. Vasquez, journalist
- Rob Walker, journalist, author
- Todd Wagner, internet broadcasting pioneer
- Dave Ward, television newscaster
- Greg Williams, sports radio host
- Robert Wilonsky, newspaper columnist, critic
- Carlo Wolff, journalist
- Bill Worrell, sportscaster
- Lawrence Wright, journalist, author of The Looming Tower
- Marvin Zindler, television journalist