The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Carbondale, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Carbondale, Illinois.
Arts and culture
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Agnes Ayres |
![](../I/m/Agnesayres.jpg) |
Apr 4, 1898 |
Dec 25, 1940 |
Actor (The Sheik) |
Born in Carbondale |
|
Shawn Colvin |
![](../I/m/ShawnColvinJune08.jpg) |
Jan 10, 1956 |
|
Grammy Award-winning singer and musician |
Grew up in Carbondale |
|
Darva Conger |
![](../I/m/Suzanne_Stokes_and_Darva_Conger.jpg) |
Sep 21, 1965 |
|
Winner of Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire? (2000) |
Born in Carbondale |
|
Ben Falcone |
![](../I/m/Falcone_and_McCarthy_2007.jpg) |
Aug 25, 1973 |
|
Actor (What to Expect When You're Expecting and Enough Said) |
Born in Carbondale |
|
R. Buckminster Fuller |
![](../I/m/BuckminsterFuller1.jpg) |
Jul 12, 1895 |
Jul 1, 1983 |
Architect and futurist; built the geodesic domes found around Carbondale |
Taught at Southern Illinois University Carbondale |
|
John Gardner |
![](../I/m/John_Gardner_author_1979.jpg) |
Jul 21, 1933 |
Sep 14, 1982 |
Novelist and teacher (Grendel) |
|
|
Paul Gilbert |
![](../I/m/Paul_Gilbert_-_1.jpg) |
Nov 6, 1966 |
|
Guitarist (Racer X, Mr. Big) |
Born in Carbondale |
|
Gertrude Hull |
![](../I/m/Gertrude_Hull_1898.jpg) |
Nov 16, 1866 |
Mar 22, 1947 |
Teacher and tutor for Douglas MacArthur |
Attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale for two years - salutatorian |
|
Rodney Jones |
|
1950 |
|
Poet and nominee for the Pulitzer Prize |
Professor of English at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale |
|
Laurie Metcalf |
![](../I/m/LaurieMetcalfFeb08_cropped.jpg) |
Jun 16, 1955 |
|
Actress (Roseanne, 2017 Tony Award winner) |
Born in Carbondale |
|
Dave Soldier |
![](../I/m/DaveSoldierJojo.jpg) |
Nov 6, 1956 |
|
Composer and founder of the Thai Elephant Orchestra |
Born in Carbondale |
|
Frankie Trumbauer |
|
May 30, 1901 |
Jun 11, 1956 |
Saxophonist; contemporary of Bix Beiderbecke |
Born in Carbondale |
|
Crime
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Timothy Wayne Krajcir |
![](../I/m/Timothy_Krajcir.jpg) |
Nov 28, 1944 |
|
Serial killer; murdered two Carbondale women |
|
|
Sports
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Ron Acks |
|
Oct 3, 1944 |
|
Linebacker for the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers |
|
|
Stephen Bardo |
|
Apr 5, 1968 |
|
Shooting guard at U of I; ESPN college basketball analyst |
|
[2] |
Jim Caldwell |
![](../I/m/Jim_Caldwell_(American_football)_2010.jpg) |
Jan 16, 1955 |
|
Head coach of the Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts |
Wide receiver coach at Southern Illinois University |
|
Chris Carr |
|
Mar 12, 1974 |
|
Shooting guard for six different NBA teams |
Attended Southern Illinois University |
|
Troy Hudson |
![](../I/m/Troy_Hudson.jpg) |
Mar 13, 1976 |
|
Point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors |
Born in Carbondale |
|
Brandon Jacobs |
![](../I/m/Brandon_Jacobs_training_camp.jpg) |
Jul 6, 1982 |
|
Running back for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers |
Played football at Southern Illinois University |
|
Jerry Kill |
![](../I/m/2013-0427-JerryKill.jpg) |
Aug 24, 1961 |
|
Head football coach for the University of Minnesota and Southern Illinois University |
|
|
Bart Scott |
![](../I/m/Bart_Scott_2011.JPG) |
Aug 18, 1980 |
|
Linebacker for the New York Jets |
Played football for Southern Illinois University |
|
Steve Waterbury |
|
Apr 6, 1952 |
|
Pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals |
Born in Carbondale |
|
Shawn Watson |
|
Sep 21, 1959 |
|
Quarterbacks coach for the Louisville Cardinals football team |
Born in Carbondale |
|
Jim Hart |
|
April 29, 1944 |
|
James Warren Hart is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1966 through 1983 and the Washington Redskins in 1984. |
Played football for Southern Illinois University. |
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