- Jan 14 Grady Tate, American jazz drummer and singer, born in Durham, North Carolina
- Jan 15 Enrique Raxach, composer
- Jan 24 Werner Steger, composer
- Jan 26 Coxsone Dodd, Jamaican record producer
- Jan 31 Rick Hall, country/R&B singer
- Feb 4 Ivan Davis, Electra Texas, pianist/writer (Hunger, Corn is Green)
- Feb 8 John Towner Williams, composer/conductor (Boston Pops), born in Flushing, New York
John Williams
Feb 8 John Williams, American composer responsible for some of the most recognizable film scores (Jaws, Star Wars, Harry Potter, India Jones, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), born in NYC, New York
John Williams
- Feb 10 Rockin Dopsie Sr, [Alton Jay Rubin], Jazz-Fusion singer (Zydeco)
- Feb 11 Jerome Lowenthal, pianist/prof (Jerusalem Academy of Music), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Feb 16 Otis Blackwell, composer/singer
- Feb 17 Buck Trent, Spartanburg SC, banjoist/singer (Hee Haw)
- Feb 19 Jean-Pierre Ponnele, opera director (Carmina Burana), born in Paris, France
- Feb 24 Michel Legrand, composer (Summer of '42, Windmills of Your Mind)
- Feb 25 Faron Young, country singer/actor (Hidden Guns, Daniel Boone)
- Feb 25 Martin William Karlins, composer
Johnny Cash
Feb 26 Johnny Cash, American country singer (I Walk the Line, Ring of Fire, A Boy Named Sue), born in Kingsland, Arkansas (d. 2003)
Johnny Cash
- Feb 29 Reri Grist, African-American coloratura soprano
- Mar 1 Jacques Leduc, Belgian composer, born in Jette (d. 2016)
- Mar 4 Guido Baggiani, composer
- Mar 4 Miriam Makeba, singer (Grammy 1965), born in Johannesburg, South Africa
- Mar 11 Leroy Jenkins, American composer and violinist (d. 2007)
- Mar 15 Arif Melikov, Turkish-American music producer (Queen, Bee Gees, Aretha Franklin, Phil Collins), born in Istanbul, Turkey (d. 2006)
- Mar 17 Dick Curless, singer/songwriter
- Mar 20 Tod Dockstader, composer
- Mar 21 Joseph Silverstein, American violinist, concertmaster and conductor (Boston Symphony Orchestra), born in Detroit, Michigan
- Apr 1 Jiri Smutny, Czech composer, born in Prague
- Apr 4 Clive Davis, American record producer and music industry executive, born in Brooklyn, New York
- Apr 5 Billy Bland, American singer and songwriter, born in Wilmington, North Carolina (d. 2017)
- Apr 7 Louis "Mr Bo" Collins, blues SInger
- Apr 9 Carl Perkins, singer/songwriter (Blue Suede Shoes), born in Jackson, Tennessee
- Apr 9 Armin Jordan, Swiss conductor (d. 2006)
- Apr 10 Nate Nelson, American singer (Flamingos - I Only Have Eyes for You), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1984)
- Apr 10 Kishori Amonkar, Indian classical Hindustani singer, born in Bombay (d. 2017)
- Apr 11 Max Schubel, American composer (Opus One Records), born in New York (d. 2010)
- Apr 12 Henri Lazarof, Bulgarian composer, born in Sofia, Bulgaria (d. 2013)
- Apr 12 Tiny Tim [ Herbert Khaury], American musician (Tip Toe), born in Manhattan, New York (d. 1996)
- Apr 13 Karl Kroeger, composer
Loretta Lynn
Apr 14 Loretta Lynn, American country singer-songwriter (Coal Miner's Daughter), born in Butcher's Hollow Kentucky
Loretta Lynn
- Apr 16 Vince Hill, singer (Roses of Picardy, La Vie en Rose)
- Apr 17 Graziella Sciutti, Italian opera singer
- Apr 22 Michael Colgrass, composer (Best Wishes), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Apr 26 Francis Lai, French film music composer
- Apr 27 Francois Bayle, composer
- Apr 27 Maxine Brown, country music singer (Browns), born in Campti, Louisiana
- Apr 27 Petar Ozgijan, composer
- Apr 28 Marek Kopelent, composer
- Apr 30 Anton Larrauri, composer
- May 2 Malcolm Leyland Lipkin, composer
- May 4 Fausto Razzi, composer
- May 5 Aurel Stroe, Romanian composer, born in Bucharest (d. 2008)
- May 6 Gunther Hauk, composer
- May 7 Derek Taylor, English publicist for the Beatles, born in Liverpool, Merseyside (d. 1997)
- May 16 Isaac "Redd" Holt, US drummer (Young-Holt Unlimited-In Crowd)
- May 19 Alma Cogan, English singer (d. 1966)
- May 21 Robert Sherlaw Johnson, composer
- May 24 Elaine Malbin, opera singer
- May 27 [Herman] Junior Parker, Arkansas, blues vocalist/songwriter (Mystery Train)
- May 27 Jeffrey Bernard, singer
- May 28 Henning Christiansen, composer
- May 30 Pauline Oliveros, composer (Sound Patterns), born in Houston, Texas (d. 2016)
- May 30 Seppo Antero Yrjonpoika Nummi, composer
- Jun 2 Sammy Turner, Patterson, NJ, singer (Lavender Blue Moods)
- Jun 4 Oliver Nelson, American jazz composer and arranger (d. 1975)
- Jun 8 Hans Gunter Helms, composer
- Jun 14 Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, composer
- Jun 19 Ernest Ranglin, Jamaican guitarist (Studio One, Jimmy Cliff), born in Manchester, Jamaica
- Jun 21 Lalo [Boris] Schifrin, composer, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Jun 21 Ocie Lee "OC" Smith, US jazz singer (Little Green Apples) d. 2001
- Jun 22 Michael Horvit, composer
- Jun 27 Hugh Wood, British composer, born in Parbold, Lancashire
- Jun 27 Anna Moffo, US soprano (Adventurers), born in Wayne, Pennsylvania
- Jun 27 Magali Noël [Guiffray], French actress and singer, born in Izmir, Turkey (d. 2015)
- Jun 30 Martin Mailman, composer
- Jul 1 Bobby Day, [Robert Byrd], rock vocalist (Rockin' Robin), born in Fort Worth, Texas
- Jul 2 Sammy Turner, vocalist (Lavender Blue), born in Paterson, New Jersey
- Jul 6 Della Reese [Delloreese Patricia Early], American singer and actress (Della Reese Show, Royal Family), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2017)
- Jul 7 Josef Zawinul, Austrian-American jazz keyboardist, composer and musician (d. 2007)
- Jul 11 Alex Hassilev, actor and musician (Limeliters), born in Paris, France
- Jul 11 Billy Davis, American music producer and songwriter ( I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2004)
- Jul 13 Per Norgard, Danish composer, born in Gentofte
- Jul 16 John Chilton, English jazz trumpeter (Feetwarmers), born in London (d. 2016)
- Jul 17 Niccolo Castiglioni, composer
- Jul 17 Wojciech Kilar, Lwów, Second Polish Republic, composer (The Pianist), (d. 2013)
- Jul 19 Buster Benton, American blues singer and guitarist, born in Texarkana, Arkansas (d. 1996)
- Jul 25 Gibson N Kente, composer
- Jul 31 Morey Carr, American singer (Playmates) (d. 1987)
- Aug 2 Marvin David Levy, composer
- Aug 5 Tera de Marez Oyens, composer
- Aug 8 Mel Tillis [Lonnie Melvin Tillis], American country singer (Who's Julie, M-M-Mel), born in Pahokee, Florida (d. 2017)
- Aug 10 Alexander Goehr, composer
- Aug 12 Sergey Mikhaylovich Slonimsky, composer
- Aug 16 Eydie Gorme [Edithe Gormezano], American singer (Bossa Nova), born in The Bronx, New York (d. 2013)
- Aug 23 Mark Russell, political satirist/pianist (Real People), born in Buffalo, New York
- Aug 24 Richard Graham Meale, Australian composer, born in Sydney
- Aug 27 Francois Glorieux, composer
- Aug 28 Carlene Polite, US dancer/activist/author (Sister X)
- Aug 31 Roy Castle, English dancer and television entertainer (Record Breakers), born in Scholes, Yorkshire (d. 1994)
- Sep 6 Gilles Tremblay, Canadian composer, born in Saguenay, Canada (d. 2017)
Patsy Cline
Sep 8 Patsy Cline, American country singer (Crazy) born in Winchester, Virginia (d. 1963)
Patsy Cline
- Sep 13 Bengt Hallberg, composer
- Sep 21 Don Preston, rock musician (Mothers Of Invention), born in Flint, Michigan
- Sep 24 Svetlana Beriozova, ballerina
- Sep 25 Glenn Herbert Gould, pianist (sued Steinway Piano), born in Toronto, Ontario
- Sep 26 Giuacomo Manzoni, composer
- Sep 27 Mario Bertoncini, composer
- Sep 28 Víctor Jara, Chilean folk singer and activist (d. 1973)
- Sep 29 Jeremy Isaacs, general director (Royal Opera House, Covent Garden)
- Oct 1 Albert Collins, Leona TX, blues guitarist (Frosty, Showdown)
- Oct 4 Dottie West, country singer
- Oct 8 Pete Drake, American pedal steel guitarist and producer, born in Augusta, Georgia (d. 1988)
- Oct 11 Dottie West, country singer (Here Comes My Baby), born in Nashville, Tennessee
- Oct 12 Mayer Joel Mandelbaum, composer
- Oct 14 Enrico di Giuseppe, American tenor (d. 2005)
- Oct 15 Jaan Raats, Estonian composer, born in Tartu
- Oct 16 Henry Jay Lewis, conductor/bass (LA Philharmonic 1955-59), born in Los Angeles, California
- Oct 17 Gundaris Pone, composer
- Nov 6 Stonewall Jackson, American country music musician, born in Tabor City, North Carolina
- Nov 11 Al Levitt, American jazz drummer, born in NYC, New York (d. 1994)
- Nov 14 Ramon Zupko, American composer, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Nov 15 Clyde McPhatter, American R&B singer (Drifters-Treasure My Love), born in Durham, North Carolina (d. 1972)
- Nov 15 Petula Clark, Surrey England, rock vocalist (Downtown, My Love)
- Nov 20 John Barnes Chance, composer
- Nov 21 Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, composer
- Nov 26 Alan Stout, American composer, born in Baltimore, Maryland
- Nov 28 Ethel L Ennis, US orchestra leader/jazz singer (Once Again)
- Nov 28 Gato Barbieri, Latin jazz musician (Last Tango in Paris), born in Rosario, Argentina (d. 2016)
- Nov 29 Antoine Tisne, composer
- Nov 29 John Gary, Watertown, NY, singer
- Dec 1 Matt Monro, English singer (d. 1985)
- Dec 3 Corry Brokken, Dutch singer (1957 Eurovision)
- Dec 4 Edgar Valcarcel, composer
- Dec 5 Little Richard [Wayne Penniman], Macon, Georgia, American singer-songwriter (Tutti Frutti)
- Dec 5 James Cleveland, American gospel singer, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1991)
- Dec 9 Jessie "Ooh Poo Pah Doo" Hill, jazz musician
- Dec 9 Donald Byrd, American jazz trumpeter (Black Byrd), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2013)
- Dec 14 Abbe Lane, singer and wife of Xavier Cugat (Xavier Cugat Show), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Dec 14 Charlie "Silver Fox" Rich, Colt Ark, vocalist (Behind Closed Doors)
- Dec 15 Elaine Barkin, composer
- Dec 15 Igor Stuhec, Slovenian composer, born in Kremberk
- Dec 16 Rodion Konstantinovich Schedrin, composer (Humpback Horse), born in Moscow, Russia
- Dec 21 Ilja Zeljenka, composer
- Dec 28 Dorsey Burnette, rockabilly singer (Tall Oak Tree, Hey Little One), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 1979)
- Dec 28 Nichelle Nichols, American actress and singer (Uhura in Star Trek), born in Robbins, Illinois