These 12 Celebrities Hail From Some Of Georgia's Most Charming Small Towns

We’ve got plenty of famous people from Georgia, including politicians, singers, and actors. It goes without saying that many of them are from the state capital and the surrounding areas. After all, Atlanta is the most populated part of the state! But we’ve got plenty of celebrities from Georgia’s small towns, too. Check out a few of the most famous Georgians born in some of our most charming small towns.

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Jimmy Carter is probably the most famous person from Georgia. He and his wife Rosalynn are both locals of the tiny town of Plains, with a population of around 550. The small town was thrust into the international spotlight when Carter became the country's 39th president in 1977. Though Carter left office over 40 years ago, people still travel to Plains, GA to see the town's many attractions related to the president.

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Cairo is a little bigger than many of the towns on this list, but its population is still only about 10,000. If you're not familiar with this South Georgia town, note that it's pronounced "Kay-row" and not "Ki-row" like the famous city in Egypt. Legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play in the Major Leagues, was born here in 1919.

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Luke Bryan is one of country music's biggest superstars (and currently a host on American Idol). He's a down home Georgia boy, having been born in the small city of Leesburg. He attended college at Georgia Southern University and typically makes sure to schedule at least one Peach State stop on his concert tours.

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Even if you don't know S. Truett Cathy by name, it's likely you've been to one of his restaurants! This Eatonton native founded Chick-fil-A in 1946, and it's become one of the most popular fast food restaurants in the country.

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While Auburn is certainly not the most popular of football teams in Georgia, you do have to admit that they have a pretty successful track record. That record was never more impressive than when they were under the coaching of Pat Dye, the Blythe, GA native who led the team to a successful run in the 1980s.

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"Pretty Boy" Floyd is one of the most notorious bank robbers of all time, thanks to his catchy nickname and good looks. It's alleged that he burned bank documents during his robberies, erasing the debts of many in the pre-computer era. Floyd was born in 1904 in Adairsville, a little city in Bartow County that today has a population of around 5,000.

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Joel Chandler Harris is another celebrity in Georgia whose work is more famous than his name. This native of Eatonton, Georgia wrote the stories of Uncle Remus and Brer Rabbit. There's now a museum in Eatonton where you can learn about Harris's life and works.

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Sugar Ray Robinson is considered one of the greatest boxers of all time. His career ran from 1940 to 1965 and he won a divisional world championship five times. He was born in Ailey, Georgia, a small city outside of Vidalia.

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Blind Willie McTell was a blues musician who never had a major hit, but was extremely influential for later musicians like Bob Dylan. He found success as a singer and songwriter despite being born blind in one eye and later losing vision in his other eye. He was born around 1898 in the small town of Thomson and spent much of his life in Georgia.

DOD photo by U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley/Wikimedia Commons

Trisha Yearwood is an internationally-renowned country singer and actress who has had immense success over the years with songs like "She's in Love with the Boy" and "How Do I Live." She was born in Monticello, Georgia and attended college at Georgia's Young Harris College and the University of Georgia.

Were you familiar with the past of any of these famous people from Georgia? Have you ever been to any of the towns that produced these famous people? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Want more fun facts about our state? Check out this fun tour through one of the most charming towns in Georgia. History buffs will especially love this!