Richard Pryor
Dec 1 Richard Pryor, American comedian and actor (Lady Sings the Blues, Stir Crazy), born in Pecoria, Illinois (d. 2005)
Richard Pryor
- Dec 4 Freddy Cannon, [Picariello], Lynn Ma, rocker (Palisades Park)
- Dec 6 Steve Alaimo, rocker (Mashed Potatoes), born in Rochester, New York
- Dec 9 Sammy Strain, US singer (Imperials-Hurt So Bad)
- Dec 12 Dionne Warwick, singer (Solid Gold, Way to San Jose), born in East Orange, New Jersey
- Dec 16 Dimitri van Toren, Dutch vocalist/composer
- Dec 19 Phil Ochs, anti-war folk singer (Joe Hill, War is Over), born in El Paso, Texas
- Dec 20 Larry Willis, rock keyboardist (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
- Dec 21 Frank Zappa, American rocker, composer, activist and filmmaker (Mothers of Invention, Catholic Girls), born in Baltimore, Maryland (d. 1993)
- Dec 21 Paul, [Ray Hildebrand], Tx, singer (Hey Paula)
- Dec 23 Eugene Record, US singer (Chi Lites-Give it Away)
- Dec 23 Jorma Kaukonen, rock guitarist (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna), born in Washington, D.C.
- Dec 25 Peter Brown, rocker, born in Chicago, Illinois
- Dec 25 Pete Brown, English musician and songwriter (Cream), born in Ashtead, Surrey
- Dec 28 Alvin Singleton, American composer, born in New York City
- Dec 28 Lonnie Liston Smith, US jazz performer (Cosmic Echoes, Magic Lady)
- Dec 29 Peter Koelewijn, Dutch writer/vocalist (Come off that Roof)
- Dec 31 Mani Neumeier, German musician (Guru Guru), born in Munich, Germany