1943 in music

Specific locations

• 1943 in British music
• 1943 in Norwegian music

  Specific genres

• 1943 in country music
• 1943 in jazz

  Events

• January 1
• *Frank Sinatra appears at The Paramount causing a mob of hysterical bobby-soxers to flood Times Square and blocking midtown New York City traffic for hours.
• *Sinatra becomes a featured singer on the popular Your Hit Parade radio program, and the co-star of the series Broadway Bandbox. By fall, he has left Bandbox to star in his own series Songs By Sinatra.
• January 23 – Duke Ellington's orchestra performs for the first time at New York's Carnegie Hall. During the concert, which raises money for war relief, Ellington premieres his most famous and revered extended composition, Black, Brown and Beige.
• June 17 – Perry Como signs with RCA.
• November 14 – Leonard Bernstein, substituting at the last minute for ailing principal conductor Bruno Walter, directs the New York Philharmonic in its regular Sunday afternoon broadcast concert on CBS. The event receives front-page coverage in The New York Times the following day.
• Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers sign with the newly formed Capitol Records.
• Fredda Gibson takes her professional name, "Georgia Gibbs", and begins appearing on the popular Camel Caravan radio program, hosted by Jimmy Durante and Gary Moore.
• The Ward Singers first tour nationally in the United States.
• Carter Family disbands.
• Trio Lescano are imprisoned on allegations of espionage.
• William Schuman's cantata wins the first Pulitzer Prize for Music.

  Albums released

• Oklahoma – Original Broadway Cast
• Reveille with Beverly – Original soundtrack

  Biggest hit songs

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart entries
1	The Mills Brothers	Paper Doll	1943		US 1940s 1 – Aug 1943, US 1 for 12 weeks Nov 1943, US BB 3 of 1943, Europe 3 of the 1940s, POP 4 of 1943, Global 7 – 1943, RYM 42 of 1942, RIAA 272, Acclaimed 1486
2	Bing Crosby	Sunday, Monday or Always	1943		US 1940s 1 – Aug 1943, US 1 for 7 weeks Sep 1943, Europe 13 of the 1940s, US BB 14 of 1943, POP 14 of 1943, RYM 28 of 1943
3	Al Dexter & His Troopers	Pistol Packin' Mama	1943		US 1940s 1 – Aug 1943, US 1 for 1 weeks Oct 1943, US BB 15 of 1943, POP 15 of 1943, Europe 86 of the 1940s, Acclaimed 1658
4	Glenn Miller	That Old Black Magic	1943		US 1940s 1 – Mar 1943, US 1 for 1 weeks May 1943, US BB 8 of 1943, POP 8 of 1943, RYM 11 of 1943
5	Harry James	I've Heard That Song Before	1943		US 1940s 1 – Dec 1942, US 1 for 13 weeks Mar 1943, US BB 7 of 1943, POP 7 of 1943, RYM 29 of 1943

Top hit records

• "As Time Goes By" by Rudy Vallee
• "Boogie Woogie" by Tommy Dorsey
• "Brazil" by Xavier Cugat
• "Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer" by The Song Spinners
• "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" by The Ink Spots
• "Goodbye Sue" by Perry Como
• "I Had The Craziest Dream" by Harry James
• "I've Heard That Song Before" by Harry James
• "I'm Old Fashioned" by Fred Astaire
• "In the Blue of the Evening" by Tommy Dorsey
• "Juke Box Saturday Night" by Glenn Miller
• "Let's Get Lost" by Vaughn Monroe
• "Moonlight Becomes You" by Bing Crosby
• "Paper Doll" by Mills Brothers
• "People Will Say We're in Love" by Frank Sinatra
• "Pistol Packin' Mama" by Al Dexter
• "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" by Kay Kyser and His Orchestra
• "Stormy Weather" by Lena Horne
• "Sunday, Monday or Always" by Bing Crosby
• "Taking a Chance On Love" by Benny Goodman
• "That Old Black Magic" by Glenn Miller
• "There Are Such Things" by Tommy Dorsey
• "Velvet Moon" by Harry James
• "When the Lights Go On Again" by Vaughn Monroe
• "Why Don't You Do Right?" by Benny Goodman with Peggy Lee
• "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" by Dinah Shore
• "You'll Never Know" by Dick Haymes
• "Zing! Went the Strings of My Heart" by Judy Garland

  Published popular music

• "All Er Nuthin'" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "Amor" w. Sunny Skylar Ricardo Lopez Mendez m. Gabriel Ruiz
• "Artistry In Rhythm" m. Stan Kenton
• "Beat Out Dat Rhythm On a Drum" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Georges Bizet
• "Besame Mucho" w. Sunny Skylar m. Conseulo Velázquez
• "By the River of the Roses" w. Marty Symes m. Joe Burke
• "Candlelight and Wine" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh. Introduced by Georgia Carroll and Harry Babbitt in the film Around the World
• "Close to You" w.m. Al Hoffman, Jerry Livingston & Carl Lampl
• "Comin' in on a Wing and a Prayer" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh
• "Deacon Jones" w.m. Johnny Lange, Hy Heath & Richard Loring
• "Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me" w. Bob Russell m. Duke Ellington
• "Don't Let's Be Beastly To The Germans" w.m. Noël Coward
• "Don't Sweetheart Me" w. Charles Tobias m. Cliff Friend
• "The Farmer and the Cowman" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers from the musical Oklahoma!
• "A Fellow on a Furlough" w.m. Bobby Worth
• "Foolish Heart" w. Ogden Nash m. Kurt Weill. Introduced by Mary Martin in the musical One Touch Of Venus
• "Goodbye, Sue" w.m. Jimmy Rule, Lou Ricca & Jules Loman
• "Have I Stayed Away Too Long?" w.m. Frank Loesser
• "Hit the Road to Dreamland" w. Johnny Mercer m. Harold Arlen
• "How Much I Love You" w. Ogden Nash m. Kurt Weill. Introduced by Kenny Baker in the musical One Touch Of Venus
• "I Cain't Say No" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "I Couldn't Sleep A Wink Last Night" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh
• "I Love You" w. Robert Wright & George Forrest m. Grieg
• "I Sustain the Wings" m. Glenn Miller, Chummy MacGregor, Norman Leyden & Bill Meyers
• "If You Please" w. Johnny Burke m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "I'll Be Home For Christmas" w.m. Kim Gannon, Walter Kent & Buck Ram
• "I'm a Stranger Here Myself" w. Ogden Nash m. Kurt Weill. Introduced by Mary Martin in the musical One Touch Of Venus
• "I'm Going to Get Lit Up When the Lights Go On In London" w.m. Hubert Gregg
• "I'm Riding for a Fall" w. Frank Loesser m. Arthur Schwartz. Introduced by Dennis Morgan and Joan Leslie in the film Thank Your Lucky Stars
• "It Could Happen to You" w. Johnny Burke m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage!" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers. From the musical Oklahoma!
• "Johnny Zero" w. Mack David m. Vee Lawnhurst
• "A Journey to a Star" w. Leo Robin m. Harry Warren. Introduced by Alice Faye in the film The Gang's All Here
• "Kansas City" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "Little Ships Will Sail Again" w.m. Jack O'Hagan
• "A Lovely Way to Spend an Evening" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh
• "Mairzy Doats" w.m. Milton Drake, Al Hoffman & Jerry Livingston
• "Many a New Day" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "La Mer" w.m. Charles Trenet
• "Moonlight in Vermont" w. John Blackburn m. Karl Suessdorf
• "My Heart Tells Me" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "My Shining Hour" w. Johnny Mercer m. Harold Arlen
• "No Love, No Nothin' " w. Leo Robin m. Harry Warren. Introduced by Alice Faye in the film The Gang's All Here
• "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'"' w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "Oklahoma!" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "One for My Baby " w. Johnny Mercer m. Harold Arlen
• "Opus No. 1" w. Sid Garris m. Sy Oliver
• "Out of My Dreams" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "Pedro the Fisherman" w. Harold Purcell m. Harry Parr-Davies
• "People Will Say We're In Love" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "Pore Jud is Daid" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "Rosie the Riveter" w.m. Redd Evans & John Jacob Loeb
• "San Fernando Valley" w.m. Gordon Jenkins
• "Say a Prayer for the Boys Over There" w. Herb Magidson m. Jimmy McHugh. Introduced by Deanna Durbin in the film Hers to Hold
• "Shoo Shoo Baby" w.m. Phil Moore
• "Silver Wings In The Moonlight" w.m. Hughie Charles, Sonny Miller & Leo Towers
• "So Tired" w.m. Russ Morgan & Jack Stuart
• "Speak Low" w. Ogden Nash m. Kurt Weill. w. Ogden Nash m. Kurt Weill. Introduced by Mary Martin and Kenny Baker in the musical One Touch Of Venus. Performed in the 1948 film version by Dick Haymes, and Eileen Wilson dubbing for Ava Gardner.
• "Star Eyes" w.m. Don Raye & Gene De Paul
• "Straighten Up and Fly Right" w.m. Nat King Cole & Irving Mills
• "Sunday, Monday Or Always" w. Johnny Burke m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "Take It Easy" w.m. Albert De Brue, Irving Tayor & Vic Mizzy. Introduced in the 1944 musical film Two Girls and a Sailor by Virginia O'Brien, Lee Wilde, Lyn Wilde, and Lina Romay with Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra
• "The Surrey with the Fringe on Top" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "That's Him" w. Ogden Nash m. Kurt Weill w. Ogden Nash m. Kurt Weill. Introduced by Mary Martin in the musical One Touch Of Venus. Performed in the 1948 film version by Eileen Wilson, Olga San Juan and Eve Arden.
• "They're Either Too Young or Too Old" w. Frank Loesser m. Arthur Schwartz
• "Tico-Tico" w. Ervin Drake Aloysio Oliviera m. Zequinha Abreu
• "To Keep My Love Alive" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "Two Very Ordinary People" Carr, Taylor
• "Vict'ry Polka" w. Sammy Cahn m. Jule Styne
• "What Do You Do In the Infantry?" w.m. Frank Loesser
• "When Can I Have a Banana Again?" Mills, Rogers, Ray
• "You'll Never Know" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren introduced by Alice Faye in the film Hello, Frisco, Hello and also performed by Faye in the 1944 film Four Jills in a Jeep

  Classical music

Premieres

Compositions

• Henk Badings – Symphony No. 4
• Béla Bartók – Concerto for Orchestra
• Benjamin Britten
• * Rejoice in the Lamb, festival cantata
• * Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings
• Alberto Ginastera – Five Argentinian Folk Songs
• Reinhold Glière – 25 let Krasnoj Armii , Ouverture for wind-orchestra op. 84
• Morton Gould – Viola Concerto
• Howard Hanson – Symphony No. 4
• Paul Hindemith
• *Symphonic Metamorphosis of Themes by Carl Maria von Weber for orchestra
• *Ludus Tonalis, for piano
• Joaquin Homs – Choral Mass
• Paul von Klenau – String Quartet No. 3
• Rued Langgaard – Concerto in one movement for violin and orchestra
• Bohuslav Martinů
• *Symphony No. 2
• *In Memory of Lidice
• *Concerto for Two Pianos
• *Violin Concerto No. 2
• Nikolai Medtner – Piano Concerto No. 3
• Douglas Moore – In memoriam
• Saburo Moroi – Sinfonietta for Children
• Vítězslav Novák – May Symphony, for soli, chorus and orchestra
• Carl Orff – Catulli Carmina
• Walter Piston – Symphony No. 2
• Manuel Ponce – Violin Concerto
• Sergei Prokofiev – Flute Sonata in D Major'
• Joaquín Rodrigo – Heroic Concerto
• William Schuman – Symphony No. 5, for strings
• Dmitri Shostakovich
• * Piano Sonata No. 2
• * Symphony No. 8
• Randall Thompson – The Testament of Freedom
• Eduard Tubin – Suite on Estonian Dances for Violin and Piano
• Ralph Vaughan Williams
• * The Story of a Flemish Farm
• * Symphony No. 5 in D Major
• William Walton
• * The Quest
• * Violin Concerto
• Alberto Williams – Poema del Iguazú

  [Opera]

• Hans Krása – Brundibár, children's opera, first performed by inmates of Terezin transit camp

  [Jazz]

[Musical theater]

• Bright Lights of 1944 Broadway production opened at the Forrest Theatre on September 16 and ran for 4 performances
• Carmen Jones Broadway production opened at the Broadway Theatre on December 2 and ran for 502 performances
• Early to Bed Broadway production opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on June 17 and ran for 380 performances
• The Lisbon Story London production opened at the Hippodrome Theatre on June 17 and ran for 492 performances
• Oklahoma! – Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre on March 31 and ran for 2411 performances
• One Touch Of Venus Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on October 7 and ran for 567 performances
• Show Boat – London revival opened at the Stoll Theatre on April 17 and ran for 264 performances
• Sweet And Low London revue opened at the Ambassadors Theatre on June 10 and ran for 264 performances

  [Musical film]s

• Beautiful Michoacán, starring Tito Guízar, Gloria Marín and Víctor Manuel Mendoza.
• Best Foot Forward, starring Lucille Ball and Nancy Walker and featuring Harry James & his Music Makers
• Cabin In The Sky, starring Ethel Waters, Eddie Anderson, Lena Horne and Louis Armstrong
• Coney Island, starring Betty Grable, George Montgomery, Cesar Romero and Phil Silvers
• Crazy House, starring Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson and Cass Daley
• DuBarry Was a Lady, released August 13 starring Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Gene Kelly, Virginia O'Brien, Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra and the Pied Pipers.
• The Gang's All Here, starring Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda and Edward Everett Horton and featuring Benny Goodman & his Orchestra
• Girl Crazy, starring Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland and June Allyson
• Happy Go Lucky, starring Mary Martin, Dick Powell, Betty Hutton and Rudy Vallee
• Hers to Hold, released July 16, starring Deanna Durbin and Joseph Cotten.
• Higher and Higher, featuring Frank Sinatra and Victor Borge
• Hit Parade of 1943, starring John Carroll, Susan Hayward, Gail Patrick and Eve Arden and featuring Dorothy Dandridge, Count Basie & his Orchestra, Freddy Martin & his Orchestra and Ray McKinley & his Orchestra
• I Dood It, starring Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton and featuring Helen O'Connell & Bob Eberly with Jimmy Dorsey and his Orchestra, and Hazel Scott.
• Let's Face It, starring Bob Hope, Betty Hutton, Zasu Pitts and Eve Arden
• Mister Big, starring Donald O'Connor, Gloria Jean, Peggy Ryan and Robert Paige and featuring Ray Eberle
• Reveille with Beverly, starring Ann Miller and featuring Frank Sinatra, Ella Mae Morse, The Mills Brothers, Freddie Slack & his Orchestra, Bob Crosby & his Orchestra and Duke Ellington & his Orchestra
• Riding High, starring Dorothy Lamour and Dick Powell
• Something to Shout About, released February 25, starring Don Ameche, Janet Blair, Jack Oakie and Cyd Charisse, and featuring Hazel Scott.
• Stormy Weather, released July 21, starring Lena Horne, Cab Calloway and "Bojangles" Bill Robinson.
• Swing Fever, starring Kay Kyser & his Orchestra, Marilyn Maxwell and Lena Horne; directed by Tim Whelan.
• Thousands Cheer, starring Kathryn Grayson, Gene Kelly, Mary Astor and John Boles and featuring Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland and Eleanor Powell.
• We'll Meet Again, released January 18, starring Vera Lynn, Geraldo and Patricia Roc.

  Births

January–March

• January 2 – Baris Manco, singer-songwriter
• January 7 – Richard Armstrong, orchestral conductor
• January 9 – Scott Walker, singer and composer
• January 10
• *Jim Croce, singer-songwriter
• *Alan Lloyd, composer
• January 14
• *Mariss Jansons, conductor
• * José Luis Rodríguez, singer
• January 16
• *Gavin Bryars, composer and double bassist
• *Brian Ferneyhough, English composer
• *Ronnie Milsap, country musician
• January 17 – Chris Montez, singer
• January 18 – Dave Greenslade, composer and rock keyboard player
• January 19 – Janis Joplin, blues singer
• January 29 – Tony Blackburn, British radio DJ and singer
• January 30 – Marty Balin, American rock musician
• February 3
• *Neil Bogart, American record producer, founder of Casablanca Records
• *Dennis Edwards, American soul and R&B singer
• *Eric Haydock, English pop/rock guitarist
• *Shawn Phillips, American folk-rock musician
• February 5 – Chuck Winfield
• February 6 – Fabian Forte, teen idol singer
• February 8 – Creed Bratton
• February 9 – Barbara Lewis, singer and songwriter
• February 14
• *Eric Andersen, singer-songwriter
• *Maceo Parker, saxophonist
• February 15 – Lal Waterson, folk singer-songwriter
• February 19 – Lou Christie, singer
• February 21 – David Geffen, record executive
• February 23 – Moshe Cotel, American composer and pianist
• February 25 – George Harrison, guitarist, singer and songwriter
• February 26 – Paul Cotton, rock guitarist and singer-songwriter
• February 27 – Morten Lauridsen, composer
• February 28 – Donnie Iris, American musician
• March 2 – George Benson, soul guitarist
• March 7 – Chris White, rock guitarist, singer-songwriter and record producer
• March 9 – David Matthews, composer
• March 14
• *Leroy "Sugarfoot" Bonner, American funk singer, guitarist and producer
• *Jim Pons, American rock guitarist and singer
• March 15 – Sly Stone, musician, singer-songwriter and record producer
• March 18 – Dennis Linde, songwriter
• March 21 – Vivian Stanshall, English singer-songwriter
• March 22 – Keith Relf, British rock musician
• March 25 – Royston Maldoom OBE, British choreographer
• March 29
• *Eric Idle, English actor, writer and songwriter
• *Vangelis, Greek-born musician and composer

  April–June

• April 2
• *Larry Coryell, jazz fusion guitarist
• *Glen Dale, harmony beat vocalist
• April 3
• *Richard Manuel, Canadian pianist and singer
• *Joey Vann, doo-wop singer
• April 7 – Mick Abrahams, guitarist
• April 8 – Alfred "Uganda" Roberts, percussionist
• April 9 – Terry Knight, music producer, singer and songwriter
• April 11 – Tony Victor, vocalist
• April 20 – Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
• April 26 – Gary Wright, singer-songwriter and keyboardist
• April 28
• *Jacques Dutronc, singer and composer
• *Sir Jeffrey Tate, conductor
• April 30 – Bobby Vee, singer
• May 4 – Sundar Popo, Indo-Trinidadian chutney musician
• May 7
• *Terry Allen, American country music singer
• *Rick West, beat lead guitarist
• May 8 – Paul Samwell-Smith, blues rock bass guitarist and producer
• May 9 – Bruce Milner, sunshine pop keyboardist
• May 11
• *Les Chadwick, beat bass guitarist
• *Arnie Satin, vocalist
• May 13 – Mary Wells, singer
• May 14
• *Jack Bruce, Scottish bass guitarist
• *Derek Leckenby, English rock guitarist
• May 21 – Vincent Crane, English keyboardist
• May 23 – Alan Walden, American businessman and manager, co-founded Capricorn Records
• May 25 – Leslie Uggams, American singer
• May 26 – Levon Helm, American drummer and singer
• May 27 – Cilla Black, singer and entertainer
• May 28 – Tony Mansfield, pop drummer
• June 2 – Jimmy Castor, disco/funk saxophonist
• June 3 – Mike Dennis, vocalist
• June 14 – Muff Winwood
• June 15 – Johnny Hallyday, pop singer and actor
• June 17 – Barry Manilow, American singer, pianist, arranger and songwriter
• June 23 – James Levine, conductor and pianist
• June 26 – Georgie Fame, R & B musician
• June 27 – Tony Calder, English record promoter
• June 28 – Bobby Harrison, English drummer
• June 29 – Little Eva, pop singer
• June 30 – Florence Ballard, Motown R&B vocalist

  July–September

• July 1 – Jeff Wayne, American musician
• July 2 – Larry Lake, American-Canadian trumpet player and composer
• July 3 – Judith Durham, singer
• July 4
• *Conny Bauer, jazz trombonist
• *Alan Wilson, blues musician
• July 12 – Christine McVie, singer
• July 18
• *Robin MacDonald, pop guitarist
• *Bobby Sherman, singer, actor and songwriter
• July 25 – Jim McCarty, drummer and vocalist
• July 26 – Mick Jagger, singer and actor
• July 27 – Allan Ramsey, rock bass guitarist
• July 28
• *Mike Bloomfield, American guitarist/singer-songwriter and composer
• *Richard Wright, English keyboardist and singer
• August 2
• *Patrick Adiarte, American actor and dancer
• *Kathy Lennon, American singer
• August 4 – David Carr, keyboardist
• August 10 – Ronnie Spector, singer
• August 11 – Denis Payton, saxophonist
• August 19
• *Edwin Hawkins, American urban contemporary gospel musician
• *Billy J. Kramer, born William H. Ashton, English pop singer
• August 23 – Pino Presti, Italian musician and record producer
• August 24 – John Cipollina, American rock guitarist
• August 25 – Peter Bastian, Danish bassoonist
• August 26 – Dori Caymmi, Brazilian singer/songwriter
• August 28
• *Honey Lantree, drummer
• *David Soul, singer and actor
• August 29 – Dick Halligan, rock musician
• September 2
• *Rosalind Ashford, R&B singer
• *Joe Simon, soul singer
• September 5 – Joe "Speedo" Frazier, doo-wop singer
• September 6 – Roger Waters, English bass guitarist, singer and songwriter
• September 11- Mickey Hart, American rock drummer
• September 12 – Maria Muldaur, singer
• September 16 – Joe Butler, rock singer
• September 20 – Ted Neeley, actor and singer
• September 23
• *Steve Boone, rock singer
• *Julio Iglesias, singer
• September 25
• *Gary Alexander, pop musician
• *John Locke, rock musician
• September 26 – Georgie Fame, R&B singer
• September 27 – Randy Bachman Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter
• September 28 – Nick St. Nicholas, German-born rock musician
• September 30 – Marilyn McCoo, singer

  October–December

• October 1 – Jerry Martini
• October 5 – Steve Miller
• October 7 – Dino Valenti
• October 10 – Denis D'Ell
• October 16 – Fred Turner, bassist
• October 21 – Ron Elliott
• October 23 – Barbara Ann Hawkins
• October 24 – Dafydd Iwan, folk singer-songwriter and politician
• November 3 – Bert Jansch, folk musician
• November 4 – Sundar Popo, Indo-Trinidadian chutney musician
• November 7 – Joni Mitchell, singer-songwriter
• November 12
• *Brian Hyland, singer
• *Jimmy Hayes, The Persuasions
• November 12 – John Maus, vocalist
• November 16 – Winifred Lovett
• November 28 – Randy Newman, singer-songwriter
• November 30
• *Leo Lyons
• *Rob Grill
• December 6 – Mike Smith, singer-songwriter
• December 8 – Jim Morrison, singer
• December 9 – Rick Danko
• December 12
• *Dickey Betts
• *Dave Munden
• *Grover Washington, Jr., jazz-funk saxophonist
• December 16 – Tony Hicks, guitarist
• December 18
• *Keith Richards, guitarist and songwriter
• *Bobby Keys, saxophonist
• December 23 – Harry Shearer, actor, musician
• December 27 – Peter Sinfield, British lyricist and producer
• December 28 – Chas Hodges, British rockney singer
• December 30 – Rolf Gehlhaar, American composer
• December 31
• *John Denver, singer-songwriter
• *Peter Quaife, bassist

  Deaths

• January 17 – Jane Avril, can-can dancer, 64
• February 7
• *Clara Novello Davies, singer, mother of Ivor Novello, 81
• *Sigrid Arnoldson, operatic soprano, 82
• February 17 – Armand J. Piron, jazz violinist, bandleader and composer, 54
• March 7 – Alma Moodie, violinist, 44
• March 8 – Alice Nielsen, Broadway performer and opera tic soprano, 70
• March 19 – Abel Decaux, composer, 74
• March 28
• *Ben Davies, operatic tenor, 85
• *Sergei Rachmaninoff, composer, 69
• April 4 – David Roitman, hazzan and composer, 58
• April 12 – Edoardo Garbin, operatic tenor, 78
• April 29 – Joseph Achron, violinist and composer, 56
• April 30 – René Blum, founder of the Ballet de l'Opera at Monte Carlo, 65
• May 28 – Vaughn De Leath, US singer and radio pioneer, 48
• June 16 – Sigrid Onégin, opera singer, 54
• June 26 – Ruby Elzy, African American soprano Porgy and Bess, 35
• July 13 – Lorenzo Barcelata, songwriter, 44
• July 20 – Maria Gay, opera singer, 64
• September 1 – August Brunetti-Pisano, Austrian composer, 72
• September 7
• *Frank Crumit, US singer, 53
• *Karlrobert Kreiten, pianist, 27
• September 21 – Trixie Smith, blues singer, 48
• October 5 – Leon Roppolo, jazz musician, 41
• October 23 – Ben Bernie, US jazz violinist and bandleader, 52
• October 31 – Max Reinhardt, theatre director, 70
• November 22 – Lorenz Hart, lyricist, 48
• November 26 – Winnaretta Singer, musical patron, 78
• November 28 – Arthur Catterall, violinist, orchestra leader and conductor, 60
• December 15 – Fats Waller, jazz pianist and singer, 39
• December 18 – Joseph McCarthy, composer, 58
• date unknown
• *Max Bouvet, operatic baritone
• *Harry Kandel, bandleader
• *Erhard Wechselmann, baritone opera singer