Events in Music
- Jan 2 "Fig Leaves Are Falling" opens at Broadhurst Theater NYC for 4 performances
Event of Interest
Jan 3 John Lennon's "2 Virgins" album declared pornographic in NJ
John Lennon
Album Release
Jan 5 Creedence Clearwater Revival release their second album "Bayou Country", featuring singles "Good Golly, Miss Molly" and "Proud Mary"
Tom Fogerty
Event of Interest
Jan 6 The Supremes release "I'm Livin' In Shame"
Diana Ross
- Jan 11 "Hooked on a Feeling" by BJ Thomas peaks at #5
- Jan 12 "Golden Rainbow" closes at Shubert Theater NYC after 355 performances
- Jan 12 Debut album of Led Zeppelin released first in the US
- Jan 22 "Celebration" opens at Ambassador Theater NYC for 110 performances
- Jan 26 "Red, White, & Maddox" opens at Cort Theater NYC for 41 performances
Event of Interest
Jan 29 Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townshend wage a battle of guitars
Jimi Hendrix
- Jan 30 The Beatles perform their last live gig, a 42 minute concert on the roof of Apple Corps HQ in London
- Feb 3 "Canterbury Tales" opens at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC for 122 performances
- Feb 4 Beatles appoint Eastman & Eastman as general counsel to Apple Records
- Feb 6 Jerry Herman's "Dear World" opens at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC for 132 performances
- Feb 7 British rock band The Who record their song "Pinball Wizard" at Morgan Studio's, London
- Feb 17 "Cloud Nine" 9th studio album by The Temptations is released (Grammy Award Best Rhythm & Blues Performance by a Duo or Group 1969, Billboard Album of the Year 1969)
- Feb 25 Beatles begin recording Abbey Road album
- Mar 1 "Red, White, & Maddox" closes at Cort Theater NYC after 41 performances
- Mar 1 After 88 weeks, the Beatles' album "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" drops off the charts
Event of Interest
Mar 1 Jim Morrison allegedly exposes himself on stage at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Miami, Florida
Jim Morrison
Event of Interest
Mar 2 Dmitri Shostakovich completes his 14th Symphony
Dmitri Shostakovich
Grammy Awards
Mar 12 11th Grammy Awards: "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" by Glen Campbell wins best record
Glen Campbell
- Mar 16 Peter Stone & Sherman Edward's "1776" premieres at 46th St Theater NYC for 1217 performances
- Mar 18 "Come Summer" opens at Lunt Fontanne Theater NYC for 7 performances
- Mar 22 "Come Summer" closes at Lunt Fontanne Theater NYC after 7 performances
- Mar 25 John Lennon and Yoko Ono stage their 1st bed-in for peace (Amsterdam)
- Mar 29 14th Eurovision Song Contest: Salome for Spain ("Vivo cantando"), Lulu of United Kingdom ("Boom Bang-a-Bang"), Lenny Kuhr of Netherlands ("De troubadour"), and Frida Boccara of France ("Un jour, un enfant") all win in Madrid
Event of Interest
Mar 31 George Harrison and Patti Boyd are fined £250 each for illegal drugs
George Harrison
Academy Awards
Apr 14 41st Academy Awards: "Oliver", Cliff Robertson & Katharine Hepburn and Barbra Streisand win (1st ever tie for best actress)
- Apr 17 The Band (formerly The Hawks), perform their 1st concert
Event of Interest
Apr 24 Paul McCartney says there is no truth to rumors he is dead
Paul McCartney
- Apr 26 "Celebration" closes at Ambassador Theater NYC after 110 performances
- Apr 26 "George M!" closes at Palace Theater NYC after 435 performances
- Apr 28 4th Academy of Country Music Awards: Glen Campbell and Cathie Taylor win
- Apr 29 "Trumpets of the Lord" opens at Brooks Atkinson NYC for 7 performances
- May 3 "Trumpets of the Lord" closes at Brooks Atkinson NYC after 7 performances
Event of Interest
May 16 Barbra Streisand appears at a Friars Club Tribute
Barbra Streisand
- May 16 The Who's Pete Townsend and Roger Daltrey charged with assault
- May 17 "My Wife, My Dog, My Cat" by Maskman & The Agents hits #92
- May 18 "Canterbury Tales" closes at Eugene O'Neill Theater NYC after 122 performances
- May 23 The Who release rock opera "Tommy"
- May 24 Beatles' "Get Back" single goes #1 & stays #1 for 5 weeks
- May 24 "Sugar, Sugar" single released by The Archies (Billboard Song of the Year 1969)
- May 26 John Lennon and Yoko Ono begin their 2nd bed-in for peace (Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal)
- May 31 "Dear World" closes at Mark Hellinger Theater NYC after 132 performances
- May 31 "Gitarzan" by Ray Stevens peaks at #8
- May 31 John Lennon and Yoko Ono record "Give Peace a Chance"
Music Single
May 31 Stevie Wonder releases the single "My Cherie Amour" which goes on to become a soul classic
Stevie Wonder
- Jun 4 Beatles release "The Ballad Of John & Yoko" and "Old Brown Shoe" in the US
Television Debut
Jun 7 "Johnny Cash Show" debuts on ABC-TV
Johnny Cash
Music Premiere
Jun 7 Supergroup Blind Faith's debut performance in Hyde Park, London, featuring Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Steve Baler and Rick Grech
Eric Clapton
Event of Interest
Jun 8 Brian Jones is asked to leave The Rolling Stones
Charlie Watts
- Jun 8 Rolling Stones guitarist Mick Taylor replaces Brian Jones
- Jun 9 Brian Jones leaves the Rolling Stones after developing a serious drug problem
- Jun 11 "The Ballad Of John & Yoko" by The Beatles hits #1 in UK
- Jun 13 Mick Taylor leaves John Mayall Band and joins The Rolling Stones
TV Show Appearance
Jun 14 John Lennon and Yoko Ono appear on David Frost's British TV Show
Yoko Ono
John Lennon
- Jun 20 200,000 attend Newport '69', then largest-ever pop concert in Northridge, California. Jimi Hendrix gets $120,000 to appear.
- Jun 21 Dmitri Shostakovich's 14th Symphony premieres in Moscow
- Jun 21 Zager & Evans release "In the Year 2525"
Event of Interest
Jun 22 Aretha Franklin arrested in Detroit for creating a disturbance
Aretha Franklin
- Jun 27 50,000 attend Denver Pop Festival
- Jul 1 John Lennon and Yoko Ono are admitted to hospital after a car crash
- Jul 2 American guitarist Leslie West and producer, bassist Felix Pappalardi form rock group Mountain
- Jul 3 78,000 attend Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island
Event of Interest
Jul 4 140,000 attend Atlanta Pop Festival featuring Led Zep and Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin
- Jul 5 Rolling Stones play a free concert in London's Hyde Park
Event of Interest
Jul 6 Filming begins on "Ned Kelly" starring Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
Music Single
Jul 11 David Bowie releases the single "Space Oddity" 9 days before Apollo 11 lands on the moon
David Bowie
- Jul 11 Rolling Stones release "Honky Tonk Woman"
- Jul 22 Aretha Franklin arrested for disturbing the peace in Detroit
- Jul 25 70,000 attend Seattle Pop Festival
- Jul 30 Barbra Streisand opens for Liberace at International Hotel, Las Vegas
- Aug 1 110,000 attend Atlantic City Pop Festival
- Aug 2 Bob Dylan makes surprise appearance at Hibbing HS Minn 10th reunion
- Aug 8 The Beatles are photographed by Iain MacMillan crossing the street as they walk away from EMI Studios, for the cover of their "Abbey Road" album. [1]
- Aug 9 "Zorba" closes at Imperial Theater NYC after 305 performances
Woodstock Music and Art Fair
Aug 15 Woodstock Music & Art Fair opens in New York State on Max Yasgur's Dairy Farm
Learn More
- Aug 18 Mick Jagger accidentally shot while filming "Ned Kelly"
- Aug 18 Woodstock Music & Art Fair closes with Jimi Hendrix / Band of Gypsys as the final act
- Aug 22 Beatles record a video for "Long & Winding Road"
- Aug 30 120,000 attend Texas International Pop Festival
- Aug 31 25,000 attend New Orleans Pop Festival
- Sep 6 John Kander and Fred Ebb's "Cabaret" closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 1166 performances
- Sep 13 Plastic Ono Band's 1st live performance, featuring John Lennon, Yoko Ono and Eric Clapton
- Sep 18 American singer Tiny Tim (37) & Victoria "Miss Vicki" Budinger(17) get engaged
- Sep 20 Virtual band Archies' single "Sugar Sugar" hits #1
- Sep 22 "Music Scene" debuts on ABC-TV
- Sep 23 Northern Star and Illinois Univ newspaper start rumors that Paul McCartney is dead
- Sep 26 The Beatles release "Abbey Road" album
- Oct 9 The Supremes release "Someday We'll Be Together"
Event of Interest
Oct 10 "Jesus Christ Superstar" soundtrack album by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice is recorded
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Tim Rice
- Oct 10 British progressive rock band King Crimson releases their debut album "In The Court Of The Crimson King"
Event of Interest
Oct 11 Blues artist Muddy Waters involved in a car crash that kills 3
Muddy Waters
Birthdays in Music
Dave Grohl
Jan 14 Dave Grohl, American drummer, singer-songwriter (Nirvana, Foo Fighters), born in Warren, Ohio
Dave Grohl
- Jan 17 Tiësto [Tijs Michiel Verwest], Dutch DJ and record producer considered the "Godfather of EDM", born in Breda, Netherlands
- Jan 18 Jesse L. Martin, American actor and singer (Rent, The Flash), born in Rocky Mount, Virginia
- Jan 20 Nicky Wire [Jones], Welsh rock bassist and lyricist (Manic Street Preachers), born in Llanbadoc, Monmouthshire, Wales
- Jan 25 Jesse Harte, American heavy metal vocalist (Southgang-Tainted Angel)
- Jan 25 Kina Cosper, American rock and R&B singer (Brownstown), born in Detroit, Michigan
- Jan 27 Cornelius [Keigo Oyamada], Japanese musician and producer (Flipper's Guitar), born in Tokyo, Japan
- Jan 27 Michael Kulas, Canadian singer (James)
- Jan 29 Hyde [Hideto Takarai], Japanese singer, born in Wakayama
- Feb 1 Joshua Redman, American jazz saxophonist, and composer, born in Berkeley, California
- Feb 1 Patrick Wilson, American drummer (Weezer - "Buddy Holly"), born in Norfolk, Virginia
- Feb 4 Duncan Coutts, Canadian rock bassist (Our Lady Peace), born in St. Catharine, Ontario
- Feb 5 Bobby Brown, American singer-songwriter ("My Prerogative"), born in Roxbury, Massachusetts
- Feb 12 Meja [Meja Anna Pernilla Kullersten], Swedish singer-songwriter (How Crazy Are You?), born in Nynäshamn, Stockholm County
- Feb 12 Byron Stroud, Canadian heavy metal bassist, born in New Westminster, British Columbia
- Feb 13 Ahlam [Ahlah Ali Al Shamsi], Bahraini singer, born in Manama, Bahrain
- Feb 15 Birdman [Bryan Williams], American record executive and rapper, born in New Orleans, Louisiana
- Feb 19 Burton C. Bell, American vocalist
- Feb 21 James Dean Bradfield, Welsh singer-songwriter (Manic Street Preachers), born in Pontypool, Wales
- Feb 21 Eric Wilson, American musician, born in Long Beach, California
- Feb 21 Corey Harris, American blues & reggae guitarist (The Blues miniseries, From Mississippi to Mali), born in Denver, Colorado
- Feb 22 Joaquín Cortés, Spanish dancer, born in Córdoba, Spain
- Feb 26 Hitoshi Sakimoto, Japanese composer, born in Tokyo, Japan
- Feb 27 Brad Vander Ark, American musician, born in Holland, Michigan
- Feb 28 Elisa Fiorillo, American pop and jazz singer (Forgive Me For Dreaming), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Feb 28 Pat Monahan, American rock singer, songwriter, and musician (Train - "Drops Of Jupiter"; Hey, Soul Sister"), born in Erie, Pennsylvania
- Mar 1 Dafydd Ieuan, Welsh drummer (Super Furry Animals)
- Mar 4 Jason Townsend, American artist and record producer
- Mar 5 MC Solaar, French rapper
- Mar 10 Ricky Segall, American actor and singer (The Partridge Family - "Ricky"), born in Long Island, New York
- Mar 11 Rami Jaffee, American rock keyboardist (The Foo Fighters), born in Los Angeles, California
- Mar 11 Soraya, Colombian-American singer (d. 2006)
- Mar 12 Graham Coxon, British pop-rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (Blur - "Country House"), born in Rinteln, West Germany
- Mar 15 Timo Kotipelto, Finnish musician
- Mar 19 Gary Jules, American singer and songwriter
- Mar 25 Cathy Dennis, English singer, songwriter, and actress
- Mar 28 James Atkin, British rock singer, and guitarist (EMF - "Unbelievable"), born in Birmingham, England
- Mar 28 Rodney Atkins, American country music singer-songwriter (Honesty), born in Knoxville, Tennessee
- Mar 30 Marco Foddis, pop drummer (Pestilence)
- Apr 11 Cerys Matthews, Welsh singer and songwriter (Catatonia), born in Cardiff, Wales
- Apr 11 Chisato Moritaka, Japanese singer, born in Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan
- Apr 14 Martyn LeNoble, Dutch musician, born in Vlaardingen, Netherlands
- Apr 22 Craig Logan, Scottish rock bassist (Bros.), songwriter, producer, label executive, and artist manager, born in Scotland
- Apr 27 Mica Paris, British Rhythm & Blues singer (So Good), born in London
- Apr 27 Darcey Bussell, British ballerina (Strictly Come Dancing), born in London
- Apr 30 Joey Restivo, rocker (Linear-I Never Felt This Way, Lies), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Apr 30 Warren Defever, American musician (His Name Is Alive), born in Livonia, Michigan
- May 9 Amber [Marie-Claire Cremers], Dutch-born German singer-songwriter, born in Ubbergen, the Netherlands
- May 13 Buckethead [Brian Carroll], American underground guitarist, born in Los Angeles, California
- May 13 André Schmechta, German musician (X Marks the Pedwalk, Scarecrow), born in Germany
- May 14 Danny Wood, American musician (New Kids), born in Boston, Massachusetts
- May 15 Asalah Nasri, Syrian singer
- May 17 Alan Doyle, Canadian musician and actor (Great Big Sea), born in Petty Harbour. Newfoundland
- May 17 Ryan Anthony, American trumpet player (Canadian Brass, 2000-03; Dallas Symphony, 2006-20), born in Whittier, California (d. 2020)
- May 18 Martika [Marta Marrero], Cuban-American singer (Toy Soldiers), born in Whittier, California
- May 24 Rich Robinson, American rocker (Black Crowes-Shake Your Money Maker), born in Atlanta, Georgia
- May 29 Chan Kinchla, Canadian musician (Blues Traveler)
- Jun 3 Hiroyuki Takami, Japanese musician
- Jun 5 Brian McKnight, American musician
- Jun 6 Douglas Lee Mitchell, Miles Mi, heavy metal artist (Southgang)
- Jun 9 Mitch McLee [Douglas Lee Mitchell], Miles Mi, drummer (Southgang)
- Jun 11 Nancy Blogg, Swiss dancer (Josephine)
- Jun 11 Steven Drozd, American drummer (The Flaming Lips), born in Houston, Texas
- Jun 12 Zsolt Daczi, Hungarian rock guitarist (Omen, Bikini), born in Kiskunhalas, Hungary (d. 2007)
- Jun 13 Jamie Walters, American actor and singer (The Heights, Beverly Hills 90210), born in Boston, Massachusetts
- Jun 13 Søren Rasted, Danish musician (Aqua), born in Blovstrød
- Jun 14 MC Ren [Lorenzo Jerald Patterson], American rapper, born in Compton, California
- Jun 17 Kevin Thornton, American vocalist (Color Me Badd-Want to Sex You Up)
- Jun 18 Pål Pot Pamparius, Norwegian musician (Turbonegro)
- Jun 23 Noa [Achinoam Nini], Israeli singer (There Must Be Another Way), born in Bat Yam, Israel
- Jun 24 Sissel Kyrkjebø, Norwegian pop/operatic soprano singer, born in Bergen, Norway
- Jun 26 Colin Greenwood, English musician (Radiohead), born in Oxford, England
Jenni Rivera
Jul 2 Jenni Rivera, Mexican-American singer-songwriter (Jenni, 2008), born in Long Beach, California
Jenni Rivera
- Jul 3 Kevin Hearn, Canadian musician (Barenaked Ladies), born in Grimsby, Ontario
- Jul 5 RZA [Robert Fitzgerald Diggs], American rapper (Wu-Tang Clan), born in NYC, New York
- Jul 6 Michael Grant, British reggae-rock keyboardist and singer (Musical Youth - "Pass the Dutchie"), born in Birmingham, England
- Jul 7 Nathalie Simard, French-Canadian singer, born in Île d'Orléans, Canada
- Jul 8 Sugizo [Yasuhiro Sugihara], Japanese guitarist and singer, born in Hadano, Kanagawa
- Jul 11 David Tao, Taiwanese singer-songwriter
- Jul 12 Jesse Pintado, Mexican-American guitarist (Napalm Death), born in Sonora, Mexico (d. 2006)
- Jul 12 Kumiko Ida, Japanese classical pianist (d. 2007)
- Jul 19 Gabrielle [Bobb], British pop singer and songwriter ("Dreams"; "Rise"), born in Hackney, London
- Jul 20 Tobi Vail, American musician (Bikini Kill, The Go Team, The Frumpies), born in Auburn, Washington
- Jul 21 Emerson Hart, American singer-songwriter (Tonic -"If You Could Only See"), born in Washington, Pennsylvania
- Jul 22 Despina Vandi [Malea], Greek pop singer ("Ipofero"), born in Tübingen, Germany
Jennifer Lopez
Jul 24 Jennifer "J.Lo" Lopez, American actress and pop singer (Selena), born in The Bronx, New York
Jennifer Lopez
- Jul 25 Trevor Peres, American metal guitarist (Obituary-The End Complete), born in Tampa, Florida
- Aug 2 Jan Axel Blomberg, Norwegian musician (Dimmu Borgir, Winds, Mayhem), born in Trysil Municipality, Norway
- Aug 2 Richard Hallebeek, Dutch guitarist, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Aug 4 Max Cavalera, Brazilian heavy metal guitarist and singer (Sepultura), born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Aug 6 Elliott [Steven] Smith, American musician (Oscar nominee for "Miss Misery" from Good Will Hunting), born in Omaha, Nebraska (d. 2003)
- Aug 8 Faye Wong, Hong Kong cantopop singer-songwriter and actress (Chungking Express), born in Beijing, China
- Aug 11 Eddie Garcia, LA, actor/musician (Guys Next Door-I Was Made For You)
- Aug 11 Jonah Matranga, American singer
- Aug 17 Donald E Wahlberg Jr, American rocker (New Kids-Hangin' Tough), born in Boston, Massachusetts
Weddings in Music
Wedding of Interest
Feb 16 American country singer Tammy Wynette (26) weds American country singer-songwriter George Jones (37), divorced 1975
Tammy Wynette
Wedding of Interest
Mar 12 Paul McCartney marries Linda Louise Eastman in London
Paul McCartney
Wedding of Interest
Mar 20 Beatle John Lennon marries Yoko Ono in Gibraltar
John Lennon
Yoko Ono
- Jul 26 "The 5th Dimension" lead vocalist Marilyn McCoo (25) weds fellow bandmate Billy Davis, Jr. (31)
Wedding of Interest
Nov 12 American filmmaker Blake Edwards (47) weds "The Sound of Music" actress Julie Andrews (34) in Beverly Hills, California
Julie Andrews
- Dec 17 50m TV viewers watch singer Tiny Tim marry Miss Vicki, on "The Tonight Show"; divorce in 1977
Deaths in Music
- Jan 4 Paul Chambers, American jazz bassist, dies at 33
- Jan 4 Montague Fawcett Phillips, British composer, dies at 83
- Jan 9 Ladislav Vycpalek, composer, dies at 86
- Jan 10 John Brownlee, Australian operatic baritone (Metropolitan Opera, 1937-57) dies at 69
- Jan 16 Vernon Duke [Vladimir Alexandrovich Dukelsky], American composer and songwriter (Taking a Chance on Love), dies of lung cancer at 65
- Jan 17 Grazyna Bacewicz, Polish composer and violinist, dies at 59
- Jan 19 Alcide "Slow Drag" Pavageau, American jazz guitarist and double-bassist, dies at 80
- Jan 23 Jaroslav Křička, Czech composer, dies at 86
- Jan 24 Pauline Hall, Norwegian composer, dies at 78
- Jan 25 Irene Castle, American vaudeville, stage, and screen dancer, and animal rights activist, dies at 75
- Jan 27 Hanns Jelinek, Austrian composer, dies at 67
- Jan 31 Alexander Mikhaylovich Dzegelyonok, composer, dies at 77
- Feb 2 Giovanni Martinelli, opera singer (NY Met), dies at 83
- Feb 7 Bainbridge Crist, composer, dies at 85
- Feb 15 Charles "Pee Wee" Russell, American jazz clarinet and saxophone player, dies at 62
- Feb 20 Ernest Ansermet, Swiss (Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, 1918-67). and composer (Feuilles de Printemps), dies at 85
- Feb 23 Joseph Messner, Austrian organist and composer, dies at 75
- Feb 27 John Boles, American singer and actor (Stella Dallas, Curly Top), dies at 73
- Mar 15 Miles Malleson, British writer and actor (Phantom of the Opera, Postman's Knock), dies at 80
- Mar 19 Theodor Schaefer, Czech composer, dies at 65
- Mar 25 Billy Cotton, British bandleader and entertainer, dies at 69
- Apr 8 Arthur Walter Kramer, American composer, dies at 78
- Apr 11 Ludvig Irgens-Jensen, Norwegian composer, dies at 74
- Apr 20 William "Benny" Benjamin, American session drummer (Motown's Funk Brothers), dies of a stroke at 43 [1]
- Apr 23 Krzysztof Komeda, Polish jazz and film composer and pianist (Rosemary's Baby), dies of head injuries as the result of a fall at 37
- Apr 28 Johannes Röntgen, Dutch composer, dies at 70
- May 3 Imre Vincze, Hungarian composer, dies at 42
- May 19 Coleman Hawkins, American jazz musician who virtually created tenor saxophone for jazz, dies at 64
- May 23 Jimmy McHugh, American composer (Can't Give You Anything But Love), dies at 74
- May 30 Gaston Brenta, Belgian composer, dies at 66
- May 30 John Cipollini, guitarist, dies of ephysema at 45
- Jun 5 Renaat Veremans, Flemish organist, composer, and conductor (Flemish Opera, Antwerp, 1921-44), dies at 75
- Jun 13 Ken Errair, American singer (Four Freshmen), dies in a plane crash at 39
- Jun 14 Wynonie Harris, American rhythm and blues singer, dies of cancer at 53
- Jun 16 Karl Hubert Rudolf Schiske, composer, dies at 53
Judy Garland
Jun 22 Judy Garland, American singer and actress (The Wizard of Oz, Easter Parade), dies at 47; coroner determines cause as unintentional, incautious overdose of prescription barbiturates
Judy Garland
- Jun 27 Richard Vance Maxfield, composer, dies at 42
- Jun 29 Shorty Long [Frederick Earl Long], American soul singer/pianist (Here Comes the Judge), dies at 29
- Jun 29 Veselin Stoyanov, Bulgarian composer, dies at 67
- Jun 30 Jan Evangelista Zelinka, Czech composer (Meluzina), dies at 76
- Jul 3 Brian Jones, British blues and rock guitarist, organist and sitar player (Rolling Stones, 1962-69), drowns in his swimming pool at 27
- Jul 3 Hermann Grabner, composer, dies at 83
- Jul 5 Wilhelm Backhaus, German pianist (Rubinstein-1905), dies at 85
- Jul 7 Gladys Swarthout, US mezzo-soprano (La Gioconda), dies at 69
- Jul 9 Pierre Cardevielle, French conductor, composer (Élégie de Duino), music critic (Monde musicale), and teacher, dies at 63
- Jul 9 Pierre Capdevielle, composer, dies at 63
- Jul 20 Roy Hamilton, American singer (You'll Never Walk Alone), dies at 40
- Jul 25 Douglas Stuart Moore, composer, dies at 75
- Jul 28 Ernst Tittel, Austrian organist and composer, dies at 59
- Jul 28 Frank H. Loesser, American songwriter and composer (Guys & Dolls), dies at 59
- Jul 28 Gabriel von Wayditch, Hungarian American composer, dies at 80
- Jul 28 Frank Loesser, American songwriter and composer (Most Happy Fella), dies at 59
- Aug 2 Clarence Dickinson, American composer, dies at 96
- Aug 7 Joseph Kosma, composer, dies at 63
- Aug 7 Russ Morgan, American orchestra leader (Welcome Aboard), dies at 65
- Aug 18 Laci Boldemann, Swedish composer, dies at 48
- Aug 31 Ottmar Gerster, German composer (rector of the Liszt Music Academy in Weimar), dies at 72
- Sep 1 William Flanagan, American composer, dies at 46
- Sep 5 Henk Bijvanck, Dutch composer, dies at 59
- Sep 5 Mitchell Ayres, orchestra leader (Hollywood Palace), dies at 58
- Sep 5 Josh White, American blues, folk and gospel musician, dies at 55
- Sep 18 Rudolph Wagner-Regeny, Hungarian German composer, dies at 66
- Oct 3 Skip James, American blues musician (b. 1902)
- Oct 4 Natalino Otto, Italian singer (b. 1912)
- Oct 16 Leonard Chess [Lejzor Czyż], Polish-American blues and R&B record company executive (Chess Records), dies at 52
- Oct 21 Oscar "TV Slim" Wills, American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist ("Flatfoot Sam"), dies in a car wreck at 53
- Oct 22 Giovanni Martinelli, Italian opera singer (NY Met), dies on 84th birthday
- Oct 23 Tommy Edwards, rocker, dies at 47
- Oct 24 Otto Jochum, German composer, dies at 71
- Oct 27 Jaime Pahissa, composer, dies at 89
- Oct 30 Pops Foster, American musician (b. 1892)
- Oct 31 Hugo Pfister, Swiss composer, dies at 55
- Nov 4 Ferenc Szabó, Hungarian composer (Lúdas Matyi, Légy jó mindhalálig), dies at 66
- Nov 12 Louis van Tulder, Dutch tenor (Kantoorkruk to high C), dies at 77
- Nov 18 Léon Jongen, Belgian organist, composer, and academic, dies at 85
- Nov 18 Ted Heath, British musician and bandleader (b. 1902)
- Nov 22 Acario Cotapos, Chilean composer, dies at 80
- Dec 1 "Magic" Sam [Maghett], American blues guitarist ("Feelin' Good (We're Gonna Boogie)"), dies of a heart attack at 32
- Dec 4 Alceo Toni, Italian composer, dies at 85
- Dec 8 Vincenzo Davico, composer, dies at 80
- Dec 10 Franco Capuana, composer, dies at 75
- Dec 10 Leigh Harline, American composer and conductor, dies at 62
- Dec 31 Salvatore Baccaloni, Italian opera singer and actor (Merry Andrew, Rock-a-Bye Baby), dies at 69