Who's old Kentucky Home?

So I tell people all the time when they ask: "So Jay, where are you from." Well I was born and now live in the Bluegrass State, Kentucky. I then get the comment, man you guys make some good chicken. I then feel the need to educate them that Kentucky is more than the Derby and chicken. So I figured today I would give people a run down of what all, and who all, Kentucky has given them.

Abraham Lincoln

The Sixteenth President, and arguably one of the greatest Presidents, Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Kentucky, and not to far from where I currently live. The cabin has been restored and is a popular pit stop for tourists in Kentucky.

Diane Sawyer

Diane Sawyer was born in the town I now live in, Glasgow Kentucky. As an anchor for ABC news and co-host of Good Morning America, Diane sawyer has been bringing the news to people around the world and the US for a long time now. In 2007 she was listed in Forbes as one of the worlds 100 most powerful women. She is slated to take over as anchor for ABC World News when Charles Gibson steps down in 2010.

Johnny Depp

Betcha didn't see this one coming. Yep Johnny Depp is a Kentucky boy. Johnny was born and raised in Owensboro Kentucky. Now do I really even need to dive into history on this one? If you don't Savvy, then crawl out from what ever rock you have been hiding under.

George Clooney

That's right George Clooney is also a Kentucky boy. So for all the ladies out there, now you know we don't just breed great horses. George Clooney was born in Lexington Kentucky and as a lot of you know has a famous aunt which is next up in our list.

Rosemary Clooney

I'm dreamin of a White......Christmas. We all here that song and most have seen the movie with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. It is a seasonal classic. Rosemary Clooney stars as Bing Crosby's love interest in the movie. She was also a an accomplished singer with her own prime time variety show. She has won Grammy's and also an Emmy for her guest appearance on the NBC drama ER, in a episode opposite her nephew George Clooney. Rosemary Clooney was born in Maysville Kentucky.

Muhammad Ali

"I am the greatest!" Remember that! Muhammad Ali born Cassius Clay on January 17, 1942 in Louisville Kentucky! What can anyone say about Muhammad Ali that he hasn't already said himself? Another Kentucky icon!

Loretta Lynn

She was born a coal miners daughter. He actually raised her on hill in Butcher Hollar (Hollow) Kentucky.
Loretta Lynn is and always will be country music icon. One of the most profound and strong women in country music to this day, still rising female artists look to Loretta Lynn's music for inspiration.

Billy Ray Cyrus

Billy Ray and his Achy Breaky heart hail from Flatwoods Kentucky. So in a way we are responsible for Hanna Montana. If you have a little girl, there is no way to escape this, believe me...I've tried. Billy Ray has had hit albums in the country scene, appears opposite his daughter Miley Cyrus on Disney's Hanna Montana, had his own tv show called Doc, and has had numerous movie and tv appearances.

Senate Minority Leader (Rep.) Mitch McConnell Ky

A lot of you know I am no Republican, but Kentucky does have arguably the most powerful Republican in the US Senate.

Rosie the Riveter

An absolute cultural icon to women in the United States. Rosie's "We can do it!" poster was the inspiration for women working in the factories during the World War 2 war effort. With the men off fighting the war, women hit the factories to make tanks, planes, jeeps, you name it.
Rose Will Monroe was born in Pulaski County Kentucky and moved to Michigan in 1920. She worked as a riveter at the Willow Run aircraft factory in Ypsilanti Michigan.

Duncan Hines

You like cupcakes, cupcake? Duncan Hines was born in the town I work in currently. Bowling Green Kentucky. He started off writing restaurant reviews, pretty much before anyone else . He was a traveling salesman for a Chicago printer. During his travels he realized there wasn't really a list of good places to eat while traveling, so, he wrote one. The list became extremely popular he released it as a paperback book entitled "Adventures in Good Eating." He is known as the first modern food critic. He later lent his name to a well respected line of foods, then in 1956 Proctor & Gamble bought the name, Duncan Hines.

Colonel Sanders

Yes his chicken is awesome, and the recipe remains secret, even to people working at KFC. It's a conspiracy!

John Carpenter

This master of horror was raised in Bowling Green Kentucky and attended Western Kentucky University for a time.
Kentucky resonates in the film Halloween where Michael Myers escapes from the Smith's Grove insane asylum. Smith's Grove is a small town in Kentucky, but sorry no asylum there. He was also pursued by police down Chestnut Street, which happens to be the same street in Bowling Green that my wife rented an apartment on when we met.

Ashley Judd

Oh Ashley dear Ashley, for me this is a gem. Ashley grew up in Lexington Kentucky, the best place for this celeb siting is at any University of Kentucky Basketball game. Not that I am a stalker or anything.

Hunter S. Thompson

An accomplished author with a stroke of rebellion against authoritarianism, Mr, Thompson was a native of Louisville Kentucky. He is most known for his book, "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" which was later made into a movie starring fellow Kentuckian Johnny Depp.

Now you know a little more about the history and contributions of our great state. This is just the tip of the ice burg. Kentucky has a lot to offer and I am sure, a lot more to come.