| 100% | SOUSA | 5 | Composer who led the U.S. Marine Band |
| 50% | BOBKNIGHT | 9 | Indiana University coach who led the US men's basketball team to Olympic gold in 1984: 2 wds. |
| 49% | PAUL | 4 | McCartney who led the band Wings |
| 49% | MARTIN | 6 | Chris who leads the band Coldplay |
| 49% | LES | 3 | Claypool who leads the rock band Primus |
| 48% | DEANSMITH | 9 | University of North Carolina basketball coach who led the US men's basketball team to Olympic gold in 1976: 2 wds. |
| 48% | MIKEKRZYZEWSKI | 14 | Duke University basketball coach who led the US men's basketball team to Olympic gold in 2008, 2012, and 2016: 2 wds. |
| 45% | BRANFORD | 8 | With 53-Across, saxophonist who led the Tonight Show Band from 1992-1995 |
| 43% | BATISTE | 7 | Musician Jon who led the house band on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" until 2022 |
| 43% | MOTTO | 5 | "Semper Fidelis," for the U.S. Marines |
| 43% | WARREN | 6 | Earl, US Chief Justice who led the commission that investigated JFK's assassination |
| 43% | HERMAN | 6 | Woody —, Milwaukee-born jazz clarinettist who led various bands called The Herd |
| 42% | MORRISON | 8 | Jim __, lead singer of US band The Doors |
| 42% | DEEPPURPLE | 10 | English rock band formed in 1968 and led by Ian Gillan, who gave us hits like "Soldier of Fortune" and "Smoke on the Water": 2 wds. |
| 42% | FTMYER | 6 | Home of the U.S. Army Band |
| 41% | ELLIOTACKERMAN | 14 | U.S. Marine Corps veteran who wrote the war novels "Green on Blue" and "Dark at the Crossings" (2 wds.) |
| 40% | SIBELIUS | 8 | Composer who's the eponym of a Helsinki park |
| 40% | DALTREY | 7 | The Who's lead singer |
| 40% | HARRY | 5 | Debbie ___, lead singer of "Blondie" who received critical acclaim at the age of 33 with the band's album "Parallel Lines" |
| 40% | TUT | 3 | King who toured the U.S. in 1977 |
| 40% | RITA | 4 | Dove who was the U.S. poet laureate |
| 40% | ELS | 3 | Ernie who won the U.S. Open twice |
| 40% | DUSTINJOHNSON | 13 | 2016 U.S. Open winner who was the PGA Tour leading money winner of 2016 (2 wds.) |
| 39% | MELTORME | 8 | Big band singer and composer nicknamed The Velvet Fog who died in 1999 |
| 39% | COLIN | 5 | ___ Powell, retired general in the U. S. Army who was honored with his second Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993 |
| 39% | NODOUBT | 7 | U.S. rock band with lead vocalist Gwen Stefani |
| 39% | ARAFAT | 6 | Yasser who led the PLO |
| 39% | ROSS | 4 | Diana who led the Supremes |
| 39% | MARTHA | 6 | Reeves who led the Vandellas |
| 39% | ANN | 3 | Lee who led the Shakers |