- Jan 1 Carl B. Hamilton, Swedish economist and politician
- Jan 1 Rivellino, Brazilian soccer midfielder and broadcaster (92 caps; 1970 FIFA World Cup; Corinthians; TV Cultura), born in São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Jan 2 Richard Cole, American tour manager (Led Zeppelin)
John Paul Jones
Jan 3 John Paul Jones [John Baldwin], English rock bassist and songwriter (Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven), born in London
John Paul Jones
- Jan 3 Cissy King, American entertainer
- Jan 3 Michalis Kritikopoulos, Greek soccer striker (28 caps; Olympiacos), born in Kaisariani, Greece (d. 2002)
- Jan 4 Arthur Conley, American soul singer ("Sweet Soul Music"), born in McIntosh County, Georgia (d. 2003)
- Jan 4 Susannah McCorkle, American jazz singer, born in Berkeley, California (d. 2001)
Diane Keaton
Jan 5 Diane Keaton, American actress (Annie Hall, Little Drummer Girl), born in Los Angeles, California
Diane Keaton
- Jan 6 Harold Jackson, NFL wide receiver (LA, New Engl), born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Syd Barrett
Jan 6 Syd Barrett, English guitarist and early vocalist of the band Pink Floyd, born in Cambridge, England (d. 2006)
Syd Barrett
- Jan 7 Jann S Wenner, American publisher (Rolling Stone), born in NYC, New York
- Jan 8 Elaine Cheris, American Olympic fencer (Olympics 1996), born in Dothan, Alabama
- Jan 8 Kathleen Noone [O'Meara], American actress (All My Children, Party of 5, Knots Landing), born in Hillsdale, New Jersey
- Jan 8 Robby Krieger, American guitarist (The Doors-Light My Fire), born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 8 Fritz Künzli, Swiss soccer striker (44 caps; FC Zürich, FC Winterthur, FC Lausanne-Sport), born in Glarus, Switzerland (d. 2019)
- Jan 8 Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Mexican drug lord (Guadalajara Cartel), born in Culiacán, Mexico
- Jan 9 Leo Gullotta, Italian actor (Sinbad of the 7 Seas), born in Catania, Italy
- Jan 9 Jean-Pierre Lux, French rugby union centre (42 caps; US Tyrosse, US Dax) and administrator (President European Rugby Cup 1999-2014), born in Saint-Vincent-de-Tyr, France (d. 2020)
- Jan 10 Alexis Nihon Jr, Canadian-born wrestler (Olympics 1968), born in Montreal, Quebec
- Jan 10 Aynsley Dunbar, English drummer (Journey, Jefferson Starship), born in Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Jan 10 Bob Lang, English bassist (Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders), born in Manchester, United Kingdom
- Jan 11 Ludmila Poradnik, USSR, team handball (Olympic gold 1976, 80)
- Jan 11 Naomi Judd [Diana Ellen], American country singer (Judds - Why Not Me), born in Ashland, Kentucky
- Jan 11 Tony Kaye [Anthony John Selvidge], English piano and organ player (Yes, 1968-71; 1983-94; 2018–19), born in Leicester, England
- Jan 11 John Piper, American theologian
- Jan 12 Cynthia Robinson, American musician (Sly & Family Stone - "Everyday People"), born in Sacramento, California (d. 2015)
- Jan 12 George Duke, American Grammy Award-winning jazz and funk keyboard player, and composer, born in San Rafael, California (d. 2013)
- Jan 12 Lady Cosgrove, Scottish lawyer & judge, born in Glasgow, Scotland
- Jan 13 Eero Koivistoinen, Finnish musician
- Jan 14 Harold Shipman, British serial killer, born in Bestwood Estate, Nottingham (d. 2004)
- Jan 16 Michael L. Coats, Capt USN/astr (STS 41-D, 29, 39), born in Sacramento, California
- Jan 16 Katia Ricclarelli, Italian soprano and actress (Falstaff, Otello, Turandot), born in Rovigo, Italy
- Jan 17 Michèle Deslauriers, Quebec actress, born in Quebec, Canada
- Jan 17 Frank Bey [Bass], American blues singer-songwriter (All My Dues Are Paid), born in Millen, Georgia (d. 2020)
- Jan 18 Joseph Deiss, Swiss economist & politician, born in Fribourg, Switzerland
- Jan 19 Alexandr Vladimirovich Shchukin, Russian cosmonaut
Dolly Parton
Jan 19 Dolly Parton, American country singer-songwriter ("Jolene"; ""I Will Always Love You", "9 to 5"), actress, and literacy advocate, born in Sevierville, Tennessee
Dolly Parton
- Jan 19 Julian Barnes, English writer (Before She Met Me, The Sense of an Ending), born in Leicester, England
David Lynch
Jan 20 David Lynch, American actor & director (Dune, Eraserhead), born in Missoula, Montana
David Lynch
- Jan 20 Susan Vreeland, American author (The Passion of Artemisia), born in Racine, Wisconsin (d. 2017)
- Jan 20 Johnny Oates, American MLB baseball catcher, 1970-81 (Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, and 3 other teams), and manager, 1991-2001 (Baltimore Orioles, Texas Rangers), born in Sylva, North Carolina
- Jan 21 Vincent Placoly, Martinique, writer (L'eau-de-mort guildive)
Malcolm McLaren
Jan 22 Malcolm McLaren, British band manager (the Sex Pistols), born in London (d. 2010)
Malcolm McLaren
- Jan 22 Andrew Rubin, actor (Hometown, Joe Bash) [or Jun 22], born in New Bedford, Massachusetts
- Jan 23 Asif Masood, Pakistani cricketer (Pakistani quick with long & erratic run-up), born in Lahore, Pakistan
- Jan 23 Don Whittington, American auto racer (24 Hours of Le Mans 1979), born in Lubbock, Texas
Arnoldo Aleman
Jan 23 Arnoldo Aleman, 81st President of Nicaragua (1997-2002), born in Managua, Nicaragua
Arnoldo Aleman
- Jan 24 John Harrison, South Africa correspondent (BBC), born in Aldershot, England (d. 1994)
- Jan 24 Michael Ontkean, Canadian actor (Rookies, Slap Shot, Twin Peaks), born in Vancouver, British Columbia
- Jan 25 Ronnie Brandon, American rocker (McCoys), born in Union City, Indiana
- Jan 25 Silvio Blatter, Swiss writer, born in Bremgarten, Switzerland
- Jan 26 Christopher Hampton, Portuguese playwright (Oviri, Hotel du Lac), born in Horta, Portugal
- Jan 26 Gene Siskel, American movie critic (Siskel & Ebert), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1999)
- Jan 26 Timothy Clifford, British art historian (National Galleries of Scotland)
- Jan 28 Renne Jarrett, American actress (Nancy), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Jan 28 Rick Allen, American rock bass player and keyboardist (The Box Tops - "Cry Like A Baby"), born in Little Rock, Arkansas
- Jan 28 Gailene Stock, Australian ballerina, teacher, and dance school director, born in Ballarat, Victoria (d. 2014)
- Jan 29 Bettye LaVette [Betty Jo Haskins], American soul singer (I've Got My Own Hell to Raise), born in Muskegon, Michigan
- Jan 30 Lord Mackay of Drumadoon, British QC, born in Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- Jan 31 Glynn Turman, American actor (Lew-Peyton Place, Manimal, Centennial), born in NYC, New York
- Jan 31 Jonathan Banks, actor (Armed & Dangerous, Cold Steel), born in Washington, D.C.
- Jan 31 Subroto Guha, Indian cricketer (right arm swing bowler for India 1967-69), born in India
- Jan 31 Terry Kath, American rock guitarist & songwriter (Chicago), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1976)
About January 1946
How Old? 75 years old
Generation: Baby Boomer
Leap Year: No