List of people from San Antonio
Appearance
Below follows a comprehensive list of notables of San Antonio, Texas.
Politics
- Claude W. Black, Jr., Baptist minister, civil rights leader, former City Councilman and Mayor Pro Tempore
- Julian Castro, a former city councilman who garnered national attention for campaign stunts involving his identical twin brother, Joaquín, a state legislator, in his 2005 mayoral bid
- Henry Cisneros, mayor of San Antonio, 1981-1989, and Secretary of HUD under President of the United States Bill Clinton.
- John Cornyn, United States Senator, who attended Trinity University and St. Mary's University Law School
- Alberto Gonzales, former United States Attorney General under President of the United States George W. Bush
- Henry B. Gonzalez, late United States Congressman, honored by City of San Antonio with Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio
- Rita Jenrette, former wife of United States Congressman John W. Jenrette, Jr., of South Carolina, posed for Playboy magazine in 1981, dated country singer Mickey Gilley.
- Joe Rollins (1918-2008), prominent Houston attorney, graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio in 1934
- Sally Shelton-Colby, Ambassador of the United States to Barbados, Grenada and Dominica as well as Minister to St Lucia, and Special Representative to Antigua, St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla, and St. Vincent from 1979 to 1981, under Jimmy Carter.
- G. J. Sutton, late Texas State Representative, first black elected official in Texas
- Lou Nelle Sutton, late wife of G. J. Sutton, who succeeded her husband in the Texas House of Representatives
- Percy Sutton, former Manhattan borough president, civil rights attorney with such high profile clients as Malcolm X, owner of Apollo Theater in Harlem and several radio stations
- Lawson Swearingen, born in San Antonio in 1944 but reared in Ruston, Louisiana, is a former member of the Louisiana State Senate and a former president of his alma mater, the University of Louisiana at Monroe.
- John H. Wood, Jr. served as a federal judge in San Antonio until 1979, when he was assassinated by convicted murderer-for-hire Charles Harrelson, father of actor Woody Harrelson.
- John C. Woods executioner of the Nuremberg Trials. Also a Master Sergeant in the Army.
Notable mayors
- Julian Castro, 2009-
- Phil Hardberger, 2005-2009
- Howard Peak, 1997-2001
- Nelson Wolff, 1991-1995
- Henry Cisneros, 1981-1989
- Lila Cockrell, 1976-1981, 1989-1991
- Walter McAllister, 1961-1971
- Sam Bell Steves, Sr., 1952-1953
- Maury Maverick, Sr., 1939-1941
- Juan Seguin, 1841-1842
- Sam Maverick, 1839-1840
Artists
Architects
Fashion
- Marisol Deluna, fashion designer, founder of Deluna By Design, Inc.- sold under the label Marisol Deluna New York, grew up in Alamo Heights
- Suzy Parker, actress, supermodel favorite of Coco Chanel and photographer Richard Avedon.
Motion pictures & television
- Taylor Ball, actor, Still Standing
- Gil Birmingham (b. 1966), Comanche actor Twilight movie series
- Pat Boyette, KENS-TV news anchor, comic book artist, actor, composer, director of horror movies
- Lara Flynn Boyle, actress Twin Peaks, The Practice, Wayne's World and Men in Black, married San Antonio businessman Donald Ray Thomas on December 18, 2006.
- Carol Burnett, Emmy Award-winning actress-comedienne, CBS-TV's The Carol Burnett Show
- Wendell Burton, film actor The Sterile Cuckoo, also numerous television roles.
- Arch Campbell, nationally-recognized entertainment critic from the Washington, D.C. area; 8-time Emmy Award winner; voted "Best Local Movie Reviewer" and "Best Feature Reporter" by Washingtonian magazine; raised in San Antonio; graduated from San Antonio's Thomas Jefferson High School in 1964; earned both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin; He began his broadcasting career as a radio announcer in San Antonio and Austin. Campbell started his television news career at WFAA-TV in Dallas.
- Cass Ole, Arabian stallion who starred in the films The Black Stallion and The Black Stallion Returns, performed at personal appearances throughout United States, died and was buried at his owner's home in San Antonio on June 29, 1993.
- Ricardo Antonio Chavira, actor, ABC-TV's Desperate Housewives in which he plays husband of Eva Longoria's character.
- Jessica Collins, actress, played the mysterious Sophie on NBC-TV's Heroes; played social worker Lizzie Miller on the ABC-TV's The Nine. born and raised in San Antonio; graduated from San Antonio's Tom C. Clark High School in 2001. graduated from Juilliard School in 2005.
- Joan Crawford, Academy Award-winning actress, Mildred Pierce, after retirement from film, was business executive with PepsiCo
- Olivia de Havilland, Academy Award-winning actress who portrayed kind-hearted Melanie in Gone With the Wind, also starred in The Sea Hawk, Dodge City, They Died With Their Boots On and many other Warner Brothers films; in 1940s, the actress owned a Texas home in the San Antonio area; Ms. de Havilland's residence (now a restaurant) is part of a corporate meeting complex known as Guadalupe River Ranch.
- Dayna Devon, host of syndicated TV series, Extra
- Jade Esteban Estrada, actor, comedian
- Al Freeman, Jr., Emmy Award-nominated actor, One Life to Live, Malcolm X
- Summer Glau, actress, Firefly, Serenity, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
- Emilio Rivera, actor, Lie to Me, Ali G Indahouse, Harsh Times
- Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez, character actor best known for his appearances in Rio Bravo and The High and the Mighty, contract actor for John Wayne's Batjac Productions.
- Jackie Earle Haley, Academy Award-nominated actor, Breaking Away, All the King's Men, Little Children, The Bad News Bears and Watchmen
- "Big" John Hamilton, supporting actor, friend of John Wayne, owned and operated Big John's Steakhouse in San Antonio, appeared in The Alamo (1960 film), The Deadly Companions, Two Rode Together, McLintock!, Bandolero!, Hellfighters, The Undefeated, and The Sugarland Express.
- Daisy and Violet Hilton, British-born conjoined twins who toured in the U.S. sideshow and vaudeville circuit in the 1930s; lived in mansion in San Antonio in the 1930s; appeared in MGM's Freaks (1932) and the 1950 exploitation film Chained for Life.
- Tommy Lee Jones, Academy Award-winning actor. Coal Miner's Daughter, Men in Black, Space Cowboys, The Missing, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, In the Valley of Elah and No Country for Old Men, as well as CBS-TV mini-series, Lonesome Dove. Makes his home in the Terrell Hills section of town. Mr. Jones' ex-wife and the mother of his children, Kimberlea Moser, is the daughter of San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger and his wife, the former Linda Morgan, who is an SS Andrea Doria survivor.
- Jana Jordan, adult film star, former Penthouse Pet of the Month (August 2007)
- Callie Khouri, Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Thelma and Louise
- Hal LeSueur, brother of Joan Crawford, actor with uncredited appearances in MGM films including: Mutiny on the Bounty, Madame X, The Girl of the Golden West, Flight Command, Shadow of the Thin Man and The Big Store.
- Kali Littlefield actress "Bait Shop", "Sydney White", "Blind Ambition", "Banking on Love", "Kali Kronic Mystery Girl", "Entourage"
- Bruce McGill, actor, Animal House, The Lookout, Cinderella Man, Matchstick Men Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, The Legend of Bagger Vance, My Cousin Vinny, Silkwood, best known for portraying Jack Dalton on the television series MacGyver.
- Pola Negri, a major motion picture actress of the 1920s, 1930s and early 1940s. Miss Negri was one of the silent screen's greatest vamps.
- John Allen Nelson, actor in television series, 24
- Oliver North, host of Fox News series, War Stories, Fox News commentator, as United States Marine Corps colonel assisted the opponents of Nicaragua's Sandinista government (known as Contras), served as member of National Security Council in the President of the United States Ronald Reagan's cabinet.
- Pola Negri, silent movie actress, Cleopatra
- Derek Lee Nixon, actor, When in Rome, Hallettsville, The Jerk Theory (2010)
- Norah O'Donnell, NBC News correspondent, frequent guest on MSNBC's political talk show, Hard Ball with Chris Matthews
- Jared Padalecki, actor, Gilmore Girls, Supernatural (TV series)
- Ann Prentiss, TV supporting actress, Starsky and Hutch, Emergency!, Love, American Style Bonanza, McCloud, Baretta, Switch. Gained notoriety in 1997 after being sent to prison for terrorizing members of her family
- Ann B. Davis, TV series actress, The Bob Cummings Show, The Brady Bunch
- Paula Prentiss, Emmy Award-nominated actress, wife of actor/director Richard Benjamin and sister of Ann Prentiss, Where the Boys Are, In Harm's Way, Catch-22 The Black Marble, The Parallax View, The Stepford Wives, Man's Favorite Sport? and CBS-TV series, He & She with actor husband Dick Benjamin.
- Kevin Reynolds, film director & screenwriter of Fandango, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Waterworld and The Count of Monte Cristo
- James Roday, actor, Miss Match, Psych
- Michelle Rodriguez, actress, The Fast and the Furious, Resident Evil, Lost
- Robert Rodríguez, director, El Mariachi, Desperado, From Dusk Till Dawn, Spy Kids, Grindhouse, Once Upon a Time in Mexico and Sin City.
- Ginny Sims, MGM contract actress in the 1940s
- Andy Stahl (b. 1952), actor
- Henry Thomas, actor, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Legends of the Fall, Gangs of New York, All the Pretty Horses, Moby Dick (made for cable), Riders of the Purple Sage (made for cable), Cloak and Dagger and Misunderstood and Raggedy Man.
- Peter Weller, actor,, The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai, RoboCop, First Born, Leviathan
- Eva Longoria, actress Desperate Housewives. Married to Spurs player Tony Parker. They own a home in the Stone Oak area.
- Dustin Lance Black, screenwriter. Won an Academy Award in 2009 for Milk
- Sendhil Ramamurthy, actor. Currently plays Mohinder Suresh in the television show Heroes.
- Violet Luv, pornographic actress
Other San Antonio celebrities
- Blanquita Cullum, former San Antonio talkshow host, national conservative talkshow host; currently serves as the President of the National Association of Radio Talk Show Hosts; President and Founder of the Young American Broadcasters Program, an educational training program directed to college students interested in the field of Broadcasting; former wife of National Public Radio jazz musician Jim Cullum of San Antonio.
- Jimmy James (performance artist), vocal impressionist, former drag artist.
- Richard Johnson Skeet Shooting Junior World Champion 2008.
- Rebecca Ramos, model, Playmate of the Month (January 2003), granddaughter of former U. S. Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez of San Antonio.
- Vivian Liberto, former wife of country music legend Johnny Cash, mother of Rosanne Cash.
- Julian Onderdonk, landscape painter
- Mitch Clem, cartoonist and writer, lives outside of San Antonio, in Kirby Texas.
- Teresa Champion-First Lady of Flamenco in San Antonio, TX, featured in the film The Alamo starring John Wayne, still resides in South San Antonio where she runs Teresa Champion Dance Academy, home of The Flamenco's De San Antonio and award winning Viva Dance Troupe.
- El Curro Champion, World renowned flameco guitarist, first Mexican American to play at carnegie hall, featured on the soundtrack The Alamo starring John Wayne still resides in South Side San Antonio and can be seen at the beautiful La Mansion Del Rio Las Canarias restaurant.
- Joseph Gottschalk, internationally known and mourned "Thong Man."
Scientists
- Robert Cade Medical doctor and inventor of Gatorade.
- William H. Cade noted insect behaviorist/cricket expert
- Elsa Salazar Cade science educator/entomologist
Sports
Basketball
San Antonio Spurs
- Tim Duncan, 2 Time NBA MVP, Rookie of the Year, All-Star MVP, 3 Time Finals MVP
- Devin Brown, currently with New Orleans Hornets, who attended South San Antonio High School West Campus and UTSA.
- Antonio Daniels, currently with New Orleans
- Sean Elliott, retired and former Spurs player.
- George Gervin, ("The Ice Man"), retired basketball player and member of the NBA 50 Greatest Players
- Steve Kerr, won 2 championships with the Spurs in 1999 and 2003
- Johnny Moore
- Tony Parker - current guard, married to actress Eva Longoria of ABC-TV's Desperate Housewives
- David Robinson, retired, actively involved in Max Lucado's Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. Lives in the Dominion.
- Malik Rose, currently with New York
- Greg Popovich, current head coach of the San Antonio Spurs
- Avery Johnson, former Spurs player and former head coach of the Dallas Mavericks
Other basketball professionals
- Shaquille O'Neal, center, Cleveland Cavaliers, graduated from Robert G. Cole High School, Fort Sam Houston, after leading his team to a 36-0 record and state championship; four-time NBA world champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat
- Jeff Foster, center, Indiana Pacers, since 1999 and who graduated from James Madison High School
- Bo Outlaw, forward, played for several NBA teams between 1994 and 2006 and graduated from John Jay High School
- Fennis Dembo, forward, played for the NBA world champion Detroit Pistons in 1989 and graduated from Fox Tech High School
- Keith Edmonson, forward, played for several NBA teams in 1982-83 and graduated from Douglas MacArthur High School
- Askia Jones, guard, played for the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1994 and graduated from John Marshall High School
- Artie Griffin, guard, played for the Roanoke Dazzle of the NBA Development League in 2001-02 and graduated from Robert E. Lee High School
- Trent Plaisted, forward, drafted 46th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft and currently plays overseas for K.K. Zadar in Croatia; graduated from Tom Clark High School
- Gilbert Salinas, center, drafted 167th overall in the 1981 NBA Draft, played on Notre Dame's 1978 Final Four team; graduated from Luther Burbank High School
NFL Football Players
- Scott Ankrom (John Jay High School)
- Patrick Bailey (Alamo Heights High School)
- Glenn Blackwood (Churchill)
- Lyle Blackwood (Churchill)
- Chris Bordano (Southwest)
- Eric Brown (American Football) (Judson)
- Cody Carlson (Churchill)
- Keith Cash (Oliver Wendell Holmes High School)
- Kerry Cash (Holmes)
- Bruce Collie (Robert E. Lee)
- Tony Darden (Holmes)
- Trey Darilek (Robert E. Lee)
- Ty Detmer (Southwest)
- Quintin Demps (Roosevelt)
- Ronald Flemons (Marshall)
- Erik Flowers (Roosevelt)
- Louis Garza (Central Catholic)
- Darryl Grant (Highlands)
- Derwin Gray (Judson)
- Gary Green (American football) (Sam Houston)
- Cedric Griffin (Holmes)
- John Hagy (Marshall)
- Weldon Humble (Brackenridge)
- David Hill (tight end) (Highlands)
- James Hill (sportscaster) (Highlands)
- Priest Holmes (Marshall)
- Carlyle Holiday (Roosevelt)
- Sam Hurd (Brackenridge)
- Anthony Hutchinson (Judson)
- A.J. Johnson (Clemens)
- N.D. Kalu (Marshall)
- Wade Key (Edison)
- Tommy Kramer (Robert E. Lee)
- Thomas Lott (Jay)
- Wane McGarity (Clark)
- Warren McVea (Brackenridge)
- Willie Mitchell (football player) (Brackenridge)
- Sammy Morris (Jay)
- Tommy Nobis (Jefferson)
- Mitchell Price (Madison)
- Reggie Rivers (Randolph)
- Aaron Ross (Fox Tech)
- Kyle Rote (Jefferson)
- Tobin Rote (Jefferson)
- Chris Samuels (Judson)
- Greg Schorp (Churchill)
- Corey Sears (Judson)
- Darnell Stephens (Judson)
- Alex Van Pelt (Churchill)
- David Vela (Burbank)
Baseball
- Bob Heise, MLB player for the New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, California Angels, Boston Red Sox, and the Kansas City Royals.
Wrestling
Swimming
- Josh Davis, (Churchill High School), Olympic gold medalist
Track & field
- Darold Williamson (Oliver Wendell Holmes High School), Olympic gold medalist in 4x400-meter relay
- Anjanette Kirkland (Holmes), World Championships gold medalist in 100-meter hurdles
- Reuben Reina (John Jay), Olympic 10,000-meter runner
- Jennifer Gutierrez (Holmes), Olympic triathlete
Professional rodeo
- Mike Bandy, professional bull rider from Live Oak, Texas, member of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, qualified for National Finals Rodeo, brother of country singer Moe Bandy.
- Robert Blandford, professional calf roper, member of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.
- Jack Long, rodeo clown, trick rider, trick & fancy roper, rodeo historian, member of Cowboys Turtle Association, member of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, member of Rodeo Historical Society in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
- Gene Lyda, professional bull rider from Somerset, Texas, National High School Rodeo Association champion bull rider, member of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Top 15 Bull Riders at 1967 National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, current partner/manager of La Escalera Ranch, son of San Antonio general contractor /rancher Gerald Lyda.
- George Paul, born in San Antonio and raised on a ranch near Del Rio, Texas - professional bull rider and member of Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, PRCA World Champion Bull Rider in 1968 and 1968 National Finals Rodeo winner; inducted into PRCA ProRodeo Hall of Champions,
Music industry
- Alvin Bailey, regionally well known morning show d.j. and station operations manager at kbuc radio from 2001 until the station sold in 2005, well known for his daily dose of kc and buck redneck skit, later became afternoon drive and program director for ktko.
- A. V. Bamford, nationally-known country music promoter who promoted Grand Ole Opry artists, as well as other country music artists, in auditoriums and other venues throughout the United States; owned and operated San Antonio country music AM radio station K-BER Radio.
- Moe Bandy, country singer from San Antonio area, Lone Oak, Texas, brother of professional bull rider Mike Bandy, recorded 'Bandy the Rodeo Clown' & many other hits for Columbia Records, regularly performs in Branson, Missouri
- Aaron Barker, a hit songwriter for the likes of country music stars George Strait, Lonestar, Willie Nelson, Clay Walker, Aaron Tippin, Tracy Lawrence, Doug Supernaw.
- Eric Smith[disambiguation needed], Broadcast Music Incorporated (BMI) songwriter & current "Fan Favorite" in the Official MTV SoundTrack community. Eric Smith on MTV SoundTrack
- Donald Braswell II, opera singer and finalist of the 2008 season of America's Got Talent
- Johnny Bush, country singer, performed with Ray Price's Cherokee Cowboys and Willie Nelson's Record Men band, wrote and had a smash RCA Victor single with Whiskey River, lives in San Antonio, wrote autobiography, Whiskey River, Take My Mind.
- Vicki Carr, pop and Latin singer, recorded for Liberty Records, provided background vocals for Bob Wills during Wills' Liberty Records sessions; lives in San Antonio
- Biff Collie, pioneer country disc jockey, show promoter and trade paper reporter, born in Little Rock, Arkansas, but raised in San Antonio, married the former wife of country legend Floyd Tillman in 1953, later married Shirley Simpson, who as Shirley Collie recorded several duets with Willie Nelson and eventually divorced Collie to marry Willie Nelson.
- Christopher Cross, Oscar Award-winning singer/songwriter & four-time Grammy Award winner.
- Jim Cullum, leader of The Happy Jazz Band, host of Public Broadcasting Service weekly radio series, Jazz on the Riverwalk.
- Al Dean, country singer and band leader of "The All-Stars", recorded hugely-popular "National Anthem of Texas", Cotton-Eyed Joe which is played at San Antonio Spurs basketball games.
- Jessy Dixon, black gospel singer born in San Antonio, regular on Gaither Homecoming video series.
- Holly Dunn, country singer/songwriter, radio personality
- Steve Earle, progressive country singer/songwriter, raised in Schertz, Texas, married to singer Allison Moorer, sister of singer Shelby Lynn.
- Robert Fitzpatrick, actor, entertainment lawyer who managed such groups as Bee Gees, The Who, Rolling Stones, Cream, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, The Buckinghams, Dick Dale & the Del-Tones, Dobie Gray, Taj Majal and Peggy Lee.
- Bobby Flores, fiddle player, 2007 Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame inductee, named by Academy of Western Artists as "Western Swing Instrumentalist of 2004", has performed with Ray Price, Willie Nelson and Johnny Bush, lives in San Antonio
- Rosie Flores, rockabilly and country music artist; toured with Wanda Jackson and Asleep at the Wheel.
- Pat Green, singer/songwriter of Texas music
- Gibby Haynes, founding member and lead singer of the Butthole Surfers, a popular rock band formed at Trinity University
- Tish Hinojosa, Tejano singer, recorded for A & M Records and Watermelon Records.
- Adolph Hofner, country singer, toured Texas festivals, fairs and rodeos with his band, The Pearl Wranglers, had daily radio program on KMAC Radio, sponsored by Pearl Beer, recorded for Okeh Records.
- Clifton Jansky, Christian country singer/songwriter, winner of 2004 Entertainer of the Year Award by Country Christian Music Association, 2006 Lifetime Achievement Award from South Texas Gospel Music Association, had regional country hit "Amarillo by Morning" that was later recorded by George Strait, lives in San Antonio
- Flaco Jimenez, Tejano and conjunto musician, accordionist, member of Texas Tornadoes
- Paul Leary, a founding member and guitarist of the Butthole Surfers, a popular rock band formed at Trinity University
- Kali Littlefield, Pop singer, recording artist for Kali Kronic Mystery Girl series, born in San Antonio, TX
- Marshall Dyllon, country vocal group consisting of brothers Paul Martin and Michael Martin, Todd Sansom, Jess Littleton and Daniel Cahoon, charted three Top 50 Billboard country songs, Live It Up (2000), You (2001) and She Ain't Gonna Cry (2000).
- Jordan McCoy, American Juniors runner-up, who has signed with Sean (Puffy) Combs
- Billy Mata, country singer who charted two Top 100 Billboard country songs, Macon, Georgia Love (1988) and Photographic Memory (1989) for BGM Records, lives in San Antonio
- Red River Dave McEnery, hillbilly singer/songwriter, movie, radio & recording star; in the early 1940s, returned to San Antonio and broadcast his songs on XERF Radio located along the Texas/Mexico border, offering copies of his songbooks for sale as well. He also appeared in several B-Western films, including 1944's Swing in the Saddle, which featured cameos by the Hoosier Hotshots and Nat "King" Cole.
- Augie Meyers, Tex-Mex/country/rock musician, member of The Texas Tornadoes, charted Top 100 Billboard solo country hit Kap Pa So (1988) on Atlantic-American Records.
- Michael Morales (musician), Grammy Award-winning pop artist who had two Billboard top-40 hits in the early 1990s. Graduated from San Antonio's Oliver Wendell Holmes High School.
- Emilio Navaira, Grammy Award-winning Tejano music/country music singer.
- Michael Nesmith, singer/songwriter, member of group The Monkees, who had their own NBC-TV musical comedy series, The Monkees, producer of award-winning video, Elephant Parts. Also a member early on in Denny Ezba band "Denny Ezba and the Goldens" along with Keith Allison (Where the Action is" and Paul McCartney look alike bass player in "Paul Revere and the Raiders) Augie Meyers, and Wayne Hensley.
- Keith Allison guitar and bass playing member of Denny Ezba and the Goldens, star of Dick Clark's "Where the Action is" and part of "Paul Revere and the Raiders"
- Denny Ezba local San Antonio singer, featured a band called "Denny Ezba and the Goldens" with future stars Mike Nesmith, Keith Allison, Augie Meyers, and Wayne Hensley. Top hit: "Mary Diane" on Renner Records.
- The Night, 5 piece metal band, highly influenced by 80s heavy and 80s hair metal, composed of former members of San Antonio punk-metal band Out Of Order.
- Chris Pérez, Tejano musician
- Ray Peterson, 1960s pop singer whose major hits included Corrina, Corrina", "Missing You", "The Wonder of You" and "Tell Laura I Love Her" for RCA Victor Records
- Emily Robison, plays banjo, dobro, guitar and vocals in Grammy Award-winning Country music group the Dixie Chicks
- Robert Xavier Rodriguez, classical composer
- Doug Sahm, Tex-Mex/country/rock musician, member of Texas Tornadoes, leader of the Sir Douglas Quintet which recorded such hits as "She's About a Mover" and "Medocino".
- Olga Samaroff, concert pianist and first wife of conductor Leopold Stokowski
- Haley Scarnato a finalist on the 6th season of American Idol
- John Schneider, actor/singer, best known as "Bo Duke" on CBS-TV series The Dukes of Hazzard, had 18 Top 100 Billboard hits on the country chart, appeared as "Curley" in CBS-TV movie, Stagecoach starring Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, San Antonio resident.
- Dan "Bee" Spears, long-time bass guitar player for Willie Nelson.
- George Strait, Grammy Award-winning country music superstar, had more than 50 No. 1 Billboard songs, including The Chair, "All My Exes Live in Texas", starred in Universal Picture's film, Pure Country, lives in San Antonio in the Dominion.
- Texas Top Hands, country music band headquartered in San Antonio, Texas; opening act for Webb Pierce, Tex Ritter, Moe Bandy, Johnny Rodriguez, Jerry Lee Lewis, George Morgan, Jacky Ward, and Mel Tillis. They backed up the legendary Hank Williams during his final appearance in Texas on December 16, 1952 in McDonna, Texas. Movie stars the likes of Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy, Bill Elliott, and Chill Wills appeared on the band's daily San Antonio radio program; former members of Texas Top Hands were Johnny Bush, former drummer with the band, guitarist Charlie Harris and fiddleman Buck Buchannan. All three band members became members of Ray Price's Cherokee Cowboys Band; "Bandera Waltz", which was composed and recorded by "Easy" Adams of the Texas Top Hands. The song was later recorded by such other artists as Slim Whitman, Ernest Tubb, Rex Alien, Jimmy Wakely, Adolph Hofner and David Houston. "Cotton-Eyed Joe", a favorite country instrumental, was recorded by the Texas Top Hands in 1947 while doing studio work in New York City.
- Ernest Tubb, country singer/songwriter, inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame, member of Grand Ole Opry, lived in San Antonio in the 1940s.
- Justin Tubb, country singer/songwriter member of Grand Ole Opry, son of country music legend Ernest Tubb, born in San Antonio
- Molly Burns, pop and occasional coutntry-western diva.
- Charlie Walker (country music), country music singer, longtime member of Grand Ole Opry, recorded Pick Me Up on Your Way Down for Columbia Records, former KMAC Radio & KENS Radio country disc jockey in San Antonio
- Ricci Ware, beloved San Antonio radio personality who started as rock disc jockey with Gordon McLendon's KTSA Radio and eventually shifted to talk radio star with the same station, teamed with Judd Ashmore for successful country music format at K-BUC Radio.
- David Zettner, former bass player for Willie Nelson, also played in the bands of George Chambers, Ferlin Husky and Ray Price.
Writers
- Jacques Barzun, America's leading cultural historian.
- Sandra Cisneros, author, who lives in a purple house in the city's King William District
- Light Townsend Cummins, historian and author
- Heloise, syndicated advice columnist, who lives in the suburb of Helotes
- Naomi Shihab Nye, writer and poet
- Rick Riordan, San Antonio-based novelist, Big Red Tequila, The Last King of Texas, Southtown and Mission Road.
- Whitley Strieber, writer and film producer, Communion (film), The Hunger and Wolfen (film)
- Esther Hicks,San Antonio-based best-selling author & inspirational speaker, Law of Attraction, Ask & It Is Given, The Astonishing Power of Emotions
Religion
- Buckner Fanning, pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in San Antonio
- Patrick Flores (b. 1929), retired Catholic Archbishop of San Antonio (archbishop from 1979-2004)
- José Gomez, Catholic Archbishop of San Antonio
- John Hagee, televangelist and pastor of Cornerstone Church
- Cardinal William H. Keeler, born in San Antonio; Archbishop of Baltimore
- Max Lucado, best-selling Christian author and pastor of the city's Oak Hills Church, where David Robinson is a prominent member. Lives in Crownridge near the Dominion between Boerne and San Antonio. Oak Hills Church is less than 2 minutes from there.
- Samuel M. Stahl - Rabbi Emeritus of Temple Beth-El (San Antonio, Texas).
- Rabbi Allison Bergman Vann - Junior Rabbi of Temple Beth-El (San Antonio, Texas)
- Rabbi Barry Block- Senior Rabbi of Temple Beth-El (San Antonio, Texas).
Billionaires
- Charles Butt, H-E-B
- Christopher (Kit) Goldsbury, Pace Foods, bought out by Campbell's
- James Leininger, Kinetic Concepts
- Lowry Mays, Clear Channel Communications
- B. J. (Red) McCombs, founding partner in Clear Channel, auto dealer, and former owner of the San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Vikings, and Denver Nuggets
- H. Bartell Zachry, Zachry Construction Corporation
Civic leaders
- Abraham Ramirez, Partner of San Antonio Spurs, Born and raised in San Antonio, TX; graduated from South San Antonio High School in San Antonio in 1998
- Tom Benson, Owner of New Orleans Saints and automobile dealer
- Tom Frost, Chairman of Frost Bank
- Bill Greehey, Chairman of NuStar Energy
- Peter Holt, Chairman of Spurs. Partner in Caterpillar, Inc.
- Herb Kelleher, Chairman of Southwest Airlines
- Robert F. McDermott, Chairman Emeritus of USAA
- Linda Pace, Owner of Artpace
- Ed Whitacre, Retired CEO of SBC/AT&T
- Travis Porter. writer of the hit single "All the way turned up", former city council member.
Prominent businessmen
- Elmer Doolin, founder of The Frito Company and Frito Corn Chips; started his San Antonio company by purchasing the rights to then unknown corn chip product from a small San Antonio cafe owner.
- Eugene Omar "E. O." Goldbeck, pioneer photographer who became known for his panoramic photographs, born and lived in San Antonio
- John T. Floore, original owner of John T. Floore's Country Store in Helotes, Texas, booked Ernest Tubb, Ray Price, Buck Owens and Willie Nelson into his outdoor dance hall; legendary manager/showman of Interstate Theatre Circuit's Majestic Theatre in downtown San Antonio; promoted many star-studded Hollywood premieres in San Antonio; Floore is mentioned in Willie Nelson's song, Shotgun Willie.
- Diana Craft, CEO & President of Providence Risk & Insurance Services, Inc. Clients include retailers, food service companies, manufacturers, healthcare providers and nursing homes.
- Sam Lucchese, owner of Lucchese Boots, bootmaker of the Texas Aggies and Hollywood celebrities such John Wayne who wore Lucchese boots exclusively until the day he died.
- Gerald Lyda, founder and president of Lyda Inc. and Lyda Constructors, Inc.; owner of 320,000 acre La Escalera Ranch in Texas; former owner of Ladder Ranch in Sierra County, New Mexico
- Edward Whitacre, Jr., interim CEO of General Motors
- H. B. "Pat" Zachry, founder of San Antonio-based H. B. Zachry Company which grew to be one of nation's largest construction firms.
Hill Country residents
- Brian Benben, star of two HBO series Dream On and The Brian Benben Show, married to actress Madeleine Stowe, lives in Fredericksburg, Texas.
- Thomas Haden Church, Academy Award-nominated actor best known for roles in Wings, Sideways, and Spider-Man 3 lives in Bandera, Texas
- Shelley Duvall, best known for the role of Wendy in Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, as well as Nashville, Popeye, and Annie Hall, lives in Blanco, Texas.
- Olivia de Havilland, Academy Award-winning actress who portrayed kind-hearted Melanie in Gone With the Wind, also starred in Charge of the Light Brigade, Adventures of Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk, Dodge City, They Died with Their Boots On and many other Warner Brothers films; in 1940s, the actress owned a Texas home in the San Antonio area near present day Boerne, Texas; Ms. de Havilland's residence (now a restaurant) is part of a corporate meeting complex known as Guadalupe River Ranch.
- Jimmie Rodgers (country singer), songwriter, ("The Singing Brakeman"), inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame, lived in Kerrville, Texas
- Karl Rove, top adviser to President of the United States George W. Bush
- Madeleine Stowe, actress, The Last of the Mohicans, Stakeout, Blink, Short Cuts, Twelve Monkeys, Bad Girls, and Revenge, married to actor Brian Benben, lives in Fredericksburg, Texas.