Celebrity Parents With Famous Musician Children

June 7, 2019 by Steven M. Peters

It is not uncommon for children to follow in their parents’ footsteps with regards to work. A person who grows up in close proximity to a certain profession may develop a special interest in it, gain inside knowledge, and even be privy to career-centered opportunities that others may not have access to. The entertainment industry is no different.

Many celebrities who work in entertainment have children who also become entertainers, many musicians. While many of them fail to match their parents’ levels of success, some do quite well — in certain cases eclipsing the work of their family members.

Country singer Billy Ray Cyrus became a part of pop culture history with the release of “Achy Breaky Heart” in 1992. Cyrus recently made headlines once again with his bizarre musical collaboration with rapper Lil Nas X on a remix of the single “Old Town Road.” In between these two releases, his daughter Miley Cyrus established herself as a hugely successful pop star and one of the most powerful women in entertainment. Beginning her career as an actor on the Disney Channel series “Hannah Montana,” Miley has released 46 songs that have charted on the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart. She also just released a new six-song EP on May 31 titled “She Is Coming.”

24/7 Tempo has identified 20 celebrities with famous musician children. While not all of these offspring have surpassed their parents’ careers, some have and others may be well on their way.

Click here to see the celebrity parents with famous musician children.

1. Alan Thicke
> Child: Robin Thicke
> Child’s age: 42

Canadian actor Alan Thicke, who passed away in 2016, is the father of singer and record producer Robin Thicke. While Alan is best known for his work on the television series “Growing Pains,” his son has had success with eight songs reaching the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart, including the No. 1 hit “Blurred Lines.”

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2. Billy Ray Cyrus
> Child: Miley Cyrus
> Child’s age: 26

Billy Ray Cyrus — the country singer behind “Achy Breaky Heart” — is the father of actor and pop star Miley Cyrus. While Billy Ray told GQ magazine back in 2011 that his daughter’s Disney Channel series “Hannah Montana” “destroyed” his family, he would later voice his approval of her musical career.

3. Bob Dylan
> Child: Jakob Dylan
> Child’s age: 49

Music legend Bob Dylan has six children, among them Jakob, best known as the singer and primary songwriter for the band the Wallflowers. Jakob has largely avoided invoking his famous father’s name in relation to his own work, omitting it from press releases and promotional materials, although he has opened up about the two having a good relationship.

4. Bob Marley
> Child: Ziggy Marley
> Child’s age: 50

Reggae icon Bob Marley fathered at least 12 children. The most famous is his firstborn son, who goes by Ziggy. Ziggy Marley has released 17 studio albums, including those recorded with his siblings as Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. Ziggy also performs the theme song from the “Arthur” TV series.

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5. Brian Wilson
> Child: Wendy Wilson, Carnie Wilson
> Child’s age: 49, 51

The great Beach Boy Brian Wilson is the father of two successful musician daughters: Wendy and Carnie. The sisters — along with Chynna Phillips, daughter of John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas — formed the group Wilson Phillips, which sold 10 million copies of their self-titled debut album and scored three No. 1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100.

6. Frank Sinatra
> Child: Nancy Sinatra
> Child’s age: 78

Frank Sinatra passed his knack for pop music on to his daughter Nancy, who scored numerous hits during the 1960s with songs such as “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” and “Sugar Town.” The father-daughter duo even recorded a love song duet titled “Somethin’ Stupid,” that reached No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart.

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7. Hank Williams
> Child: Hank Williams Jr.
> Child’s age: 70

“Are you ready for some football!?” Hank Williams Jr. sings in the theme song for “Monday Night Football.” Throughout his career, the singer — sometimes referred to as Bocephus — has scored 42 top 10 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart and 10 No. 1s. His father, Hank Williams Sr., despite an early death at age 29, is considered one of the best country singers ever. Bocephus’ son, Hank Williams III, has also had success in music.

8. Johnny Cash
> Child: Rosanne Cash
> Child’s age: 64

Rosanne Cash was Johnny “Man in Black” Cash’s first born child. Rosanne has released 15 albums throughout her career, won four Grammy Awards, and was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 2015. The father and daughter collaborated multiple times, such as on the song “September When It Comes” in 2003.

9. Judy Garland
> Child: Liza Minelli
> Child’s age: 73

Judy Garland was a top Hollywood actress, starring in classic films such as “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), “Meet Me in St. Louis” (1944), and “A Star Is Born” (1954), before passing away in 1969 at the age of 47. Her daughter, Liza Minelli, has also proven adept at acting and singing. Her most well known role is that of nightclub singer Sally Bowles in “Cabaret” (1972), for which she won an Oscar for Best Actress.

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10. Julio Iglesias
> Child: Enrique Iglesias
> Child’s age: 44

The nickname of Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias is “The King of Latin Pop.” The singer has had an impressive 27 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart. His father, Julio Iglesias, is also a successful Latin and pop singer, with his career peaking during the 1970s and ’80s. Julio sold more than 300 million albums worldwide.

11. Keith Allen
> Child: Lily Allen
> Child’s age: 34

Famously impish English actor Keith Allen has worked in music but is best known for appearing in films such as “Trainspotting” (1996) and “The Others” (2001). His daughter, Lily Allen, chose the pop music route, where she’s done quite well, especially in England. She’s also had five songs chart on the U.S. pop charts.

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12. Lenny Kravitz
> Child: Zoë Kravitz
> Child’s age: 30

Lenny Kravitz’s daughter Zoë is perhaps best known for her acting, having appeared in such films as “X-Men: First Class” (2011) and “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015). She is also a musician, and is one half of the group LOLAWOLF, which has collaborated with Miley Cyrus among others. Lenny was born into the entertainment world himself — his parents are actress Roxie Roker and filmmaker Sy Kravitz.

13. Master P
> Child: Romeo Miller
> Child’s age: 29

Rapper and businessman Master P was among the highest-grossing entertainers of the 1990s thanks to his entertainment empire. His son, Romeo Miller — formerly known as Lil’ Romeo — tried his hand at hip hop and was in fact signed to his father’s label, No Limit Records. He landed a No. 3 hit on the Hot 100 at age 12 with “My Baby,” and while he hasn’t recreated that success since, he has continued releasing music under various stage names.

14. Ravi Shankar
> Child: Norah Jones
> Child’s age: 40

Jazz and pop pianist Norah Jones has had a highly successful career as a recording artist, sending 13 albums to the Billboard 200 chart, three of which hit No. 1. Her father was the Grammy Award-winning Indian composer Ravi Shankar, who founded the National Orchestra of India and introduced many people in the West to Indian music.

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15. Rhett Akins
> Child: Thomas Rhett
> Child’s age: 29

Country musician Rhett Akins has had a successful career not only as a solo artist but also as a writer of hit songs for performers such as Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton. His son, Thomas Rhett, has followed in his footsteps as a singer-songwriter, releasing 13 top 10 hits to the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Rhett has written numerous songs for his son, including “It Goes Like This,” “Get Me Some of That” and “Star of the Show.” He’s also currently opening for the younger star on tour.

16. Rob Schneider
> Child: Elle King
> Child’s age: 29

Comedian Rob Schneider has had a long career in television and movies, starring on “Saturday Night Live” and in movies like “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo” (1999) and “Grown Ups” (2010). His daughter is singer-songwriter Elle King, best known for her hit single “Ex’s & Oh’s.” While the two have reportedly had a complicated relationship in the past, they’ve since grown close.

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17. Steve Earle
> Child: Justin Townes Earle
> Child’s age: 37

Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Steve Earle has had a storied career, releasing numerous country hits such as “Guitar Town,” “Goodbye’s All We’ve Got Left,” and “Nowhere Road.” His son has similarly dedicated himself to writing and performing songs based in American roots music. While he hasn’t yet reached the same levels of commercial success, the younger Earle has released four albums that have charted on the Billboard 200.

18. Waylon Jennings
> Child: Shooter Jennings
> Child’s age: 40

Outlaw country legend Waylon Jennings is one of the most beloved figures in American music history. Along with fellow country music star Jessi Colter, it is unsurprising that their son, Shooter Jennings, who grew up around country music, has released a slew of popular country records himself. Shooter has contributed to multiple releases of his father’s music, including working as a producer on “The Essential Waylon Jennings” compilation.

19. Will Smith
> Child: Jaden Smith, Willow
> Child’s age: 20, 18

Rapper and moviestar Will Smith is among the nation’s most popular entertainers — he has a reported net worth of $350 million. His children, Jaden and Willow, have both released music, with the latter’s biggest hit — 2010’s “Whip My Hair” — reaching No. 11 on the Hot 100.

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20. Willie Nelson
> Child: Lukas Nelson
> Child’s age: 30

Another country legend, Willie Nelson, has been releasing music since the early 1960s. While his son Lukas has only been alive for 30 years, he’s built a solid career as a musician himself. He’s performed not only alongside his father, but also has backed rock and roller Neil Young with his band Promise of the Real and recorded songs with Lady Gaga. Another of Willie’s sons, J. Micah Nelson, is also a musician.

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