- Jan 4 Peter Haycock, rock guitarist (All Along the Watchtower), (d. 2013)
- Jan 6 Kim Wilson, American musician (Fabulous Thunderbirds), born in Detroit, Michigan
- Jan 8 Paul Dresher, American composer, born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 9 Crystal Gayle, American country singer ("Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue"; "One From The Heart"), born in Paintsville, Kentucky
- Jan 12 Chris Bell, American rock guitarist (Big Star), born in Memphis, Tennessee
- Jan 12 Larry Hoppens, American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Orleans - "Still the One"; "Dance With Me"), born in Long Island, New York (d. 2012)
- Jan 15 Peter Collins, British sound engineer and record producer (Rush; October Project; Jermaine Stewart), born in London
- Jan 16 Richard "Rick" Thompson, American funk-disco guitarist (B. T. Express - "Do It ('Til You're Satisfied)")
- Jan 19 Martha Davis, American rock singer-songwriter (Motels-Only the Lonely, Shame), born in Berkeley, California
- Jan 20 Ivan Fischer, Hungarian conductor and composer, born in Budapest, Hungary
- Jan 22 Dick Sims, American Hammond B-3 organist (Bob Seger; Eric Clapton), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma (d. 2011)
- Jan 26 Andy Hummell, American rock bassist (Big Star, 1971-73), born in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania (d. 2010)
- Jan 26 David Briggs, Australian rock guitarist (Little River Band, 1976-81 - "Lonesome Loser"), born in Melbourne, Australia
- Jan 26 Christopher North, American rock keyboardist (Ambrosia - "The Biggest Part Of Me"), born in San Francisco, California
- Jan 27 Brian Downey, Irish rock drummer (Thin Lizzy - "The Boys Are Back in Town"), born in Dublin, Ireland
- Jan 27 Seth Justman, American rock keyboardist (J Geils Band-Centerfold), born in Washington, D.C.
- Jan 28 William Nelson Jr, US bassist (Connections & Disconnections)
- Jan 30 Andy Anderson, English drummer (Cure), born in Essex, England
- Jan 30 Phil Collins, English drummer & singer (Genesis-Against All Odds), born in Chiswick, England
- Jan 31 Harry Wayne Casey [K.C.], American musician (KC & Sunshine Band-Give It), born in Opa-locka, Florida
- Jan 31 Phil Manzanera, English musician & record producer (Roxy Music-Let's Stick Together), born in London, United Kingdom
- Jan 31 Dave Benton, Aruban-born musician, born in Oranjestad, Aruba
About January 1951
How Old? 69 or 70 years old
Generation: Baby Boomer
Leap Year: No