- 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
John Paul Jones (77 years old)
Jan 3 English rock bassist and songwriter (Led Zeppelin - "Stairway to Heaven"), born in London
- 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 (77 years old)
Jan 5 American actress (Annie Hall, Little Drummer Girl), born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 6 Harold Jackson, NFL wide receiver (LA, New Engl), born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Syd Barrett (1946-2006)
Jan 6 British guitarist and singer-songwriter (Pink Floyd, 1964-68 - "See Emily Play"; solo -"The Madcap Laughs"), born in Cambridge, England
- Jan 7 Andy Brown, British rock drummer (The Fortunes, 1963-77 - "You've Got Your Troubles"; "Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again"), born in Birmingham, England
- Jan 7 Jann S. Wenner, American publisher (Rolling Stone), born in NYC, New York
- Jan 7 John Tropea, American session and smooth jazz guitarist, born in New York City
- Jan 8 Elaine Cheris, American Olympic fencer (Olympics 1996), born in Dothan, Alabama
- Jan 8 Fritz Künzli, Swiss soccer striker (44 caps; FC Zürich, FC Winterthur, FC Lausanne-Sport), born in Glarus, Switzerland (d. 2019)
- Jan 8 Kathleen Noone [O'Meara], American actress (All My Children, Party of 5, Knots Landing), born in Hillsdale, New Jersey
- Jan 8 Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo, Mexican drug lord (Guadalajara Cartel), born in Culiacán, Mexico
- Jan 8 Robby Krieger, American guitarist (The Doors - "Light My Fire"; "Hello, I Love You"), born in Los Angeles, California
- 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 9 Leo Gullotta, Italian actor (Sinbad of the 7 Seas), born in Catania, Italy
- 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 (Diana) "Naomi" Judd, American Grammy Award-winning country singer (The Judds - "Why Not Me"), born in Ashland, Kentucky (d. 2022)
- Jan 11 John Piper, American theologian
- Jan 11 Ludmila Poradnik, Ukrainian handball player (Olympic gold USSR 1976, 80), born in Kiev, Ukraine
- Jan 11 Tony Kaye [Anthony John Selvidge], British progressive rock piano and organ player (Yes, 1968-71; 1983-94; 2018–19), born in Leicester, England
- Jan 11 Vladimír Bokes, Slovak cellist, composer (Good Day, Mr. Fibonacci), and pedagogue, born in Bratislava, Czechoslovak Republic (now Slovakia)
- 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 jazz saxophonist, arranger, and composer, born in Helsinki, Finland
- Jan 14 Harold Shipman, British serial killer, born in Bestwood Estate, Nottingham (d. 2004)
- Jan 15 Bobby Bloom, American singer-songwriter ("Montego Bay"), born in Brooklyn, NYC (d. 1974)
- Jan 16 Katia Ricclarelli, Italian soprano and actress (Falstaff, Otello, Turandot), born in Rovigo, Italy
- Jan 16 Michael L. Coats, Capt USN/astr (STS 41-D, 29, 39), born in Sacramento, California
- Jan 17 Frank Bey [Bass], American blues singer-songwriter (All My Dues Are Paid), born in Millen, Georgia (d. 2020)
- Jan 17 Michèle Deslauriers, French-Canadian actress, and the voice of the Montreal Metro system, born in Quebec
- Jan 18 Joseph Deiss, Swiss economist & politician, born in Fribourg, Switzerland
- Jan 19 Alexandr Vladimirovich Shchukin, Russian cosmonaut
Dolly Parton (77 years old)
Jan 19 American country singer-songwriter ("Jolene"; ""I Will Always Love You", "9 to 5"), actress, and literacy advocate, born in Sevierville, Tennessee
- Jan 19 John David [Williams], Welsh bassist, songwriter, and producer (Dave Edmunds; Shakin' Stevens), born in Cardiff, South Wales
- Jan 19 Julian Barnes, English writer (Before She Met Me, The Sense of an Ending), born in Leicester, England
David Lynch (77 years old)
Jan 20 American actor & director (Dune; Eraserhead), born in Missoula, Montana
- 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 (d. 2004)
- Jan 20 Susan Vreeland, American author (The Passion of Artemisia), born in Racine, Wisconsin (d. 2017)
- Jan 21 Vincent Placoly, Martinique, writer (L'eau-de-mort guildive)
- Jan 22 Andrew Rubin, actor (Hometown, Joe Bash) [or Jun 22], born in New Bedford, Massachusetts
Malcolm McLaren (1946-2010)
Jan 22 British band manager (New York Dolls; Sex Pistols; Bow Wow Wow) and musician, born in London
Arnoldo Aleman (77 years old)
Jan 23 81st President of Nicaragua (1997-2002), born in Managua, Nicaragua
- 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
- Jan 24 John Harrison, South Africa correspondent (BBC), born in Aldershot, England (d. 1994)
- Jan 24 Michael Ontkean, Canadian actor (The 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 Gailene Stock, Australian ballerina, teacher, and dance school director, born in Ballarat, Victoria (d. 2014)
- 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 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, and vocalist (Chicago - "Make Me Smile"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1978)
About January 1946
How Old? 77 years old
Generation: Baby Boomer
Leap Year: No