This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1943.
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, (having broken from the Tommy Dorsey band in 1942)
- Fredda Gibson takes her professional name, "Georgia Gibbs", and began appearing on the popular Camel Caravan radio program, hosted by Jimmy Durante and Gary Moore (It was Moore who bestowed the famous nickname "Her Nibs, Miss Georgia Gibbs" upon her. The nickname is a playful reference to her diminutive stature of barely over 5 feet. )
- Carter Family disbands
- Trio Lescano are imprisoned on allegations of espionage
- William Schuman's cantata A Free Song wins the first Pulitzer Prize for Music
Albums released
Biggest hit songs
The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the limited set of charts available for 1943.
# |
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 (10 M sold) - 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
Published popular music
- "All Er Nuthin'" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
- "Amor" w. (Eng) Sunny Skylar (Sp) 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 Livingstone & 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 (and One More for the Road)" 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 (dubbing for Ava Gardner), Olga San Juan and Eve Arden.
- "They're Either Too Young or Too Old" w. Frank Loesser m. Arthur Schwartz
- "Tico-Tico" w. (Eng) Ervin Drake (Port) 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
Sortable table
Composer |
Composition |
Date |
Location |
Performers |
Berkeley, Lennox |
Symphony No. 1 |
1943-07-08 |
London (Proms) |
London Philharmonic – Cameron [1] |
Britten, Benjamin |
Prelude and Fugue for Strings |
1943-06-23 |
London |
Neel String Orchestra – Neel [2] |
Britten, Benjamin |
Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings |
1943-10-15 |
London |
Pears, Brain / Neel String Orchestra – Britten [3] |
Copland, Aaron |
Music for the Movies |
1943-02-17 |
New York City |
Saidenberg Little Symphony – Saidenberg [4] |
Dale, Benjamin |
The Flowing Tide |
1943-08-06 |
London (Proms) |
BBC Symphony – Boult [5] |
Dunhill, Thomas |
Waltz Suite |
1943-08-05 |
London (Proms) |
BBC Symphony – Dunhill [6] |
Dutilleux, Henri |
Melodies for Voice and Orchestra |
1943-12-14 |
Paris |
Panzera / Paris Conservatory Concert Orchestra – Tomasi [7] |
Feldman, Morton |
Dirge in Memory of Thomas Wolfe |
1943-04-15 |
New York City |
HSMA Senior Symphony – Feldman [8] |
Ginastera, Alberto |
Dances from Estancia |
1943-05-12 |
Buenos Aires |
Teatro Colón Regular Orchestra – Calusio [9] |
Gundry, Inglis |
Heyday Freedom, orchestral suite |
1943-06-26 |
London (Proms) |
London Philharmonic – Cameron [10] |
Hanson, Howard |
Requiem (Symphony No. 4) |
1943-12-03 |
Boston |
Boston Symphony – Hanson [11] |
Jolivet, André |
Les trois complaintes du soldat |
1943-02-28 |
Paris |
Bernac / Paris Conservatory Concert Orchestra – Munch [12] |
Martinu, Bohuslav |
Concerto for Two Pianos |
1943-11-05 |
Philadelphia |
Luboshutz, Nemenoff / Philadelphia Orchestra – Ormandy [13] |
Martinu, Bohuslav |
Memorial to Lidice |
1943-10-28 |
New York City |
New York Philharmonic – Rodzinski [14] |
Martinu, Bohuslav |
Symphony No. 2 |
1943-10-28 |
Cleveland |
Cleveland Orchestra – Leinsdorf [15] |
Martinu, Bohuslav |
Violin Concerto No. 2 |
1943-12-31 |
Boston |
Elman / Boston Symphony – Koussevitzky [16] |
Messiaen, Olivier |
Visions de l'Amen |
1943-05-10 |
Paris |
Loriod, Messiaen [17] |
Moeran, Ernest John |
Rhapsody No. 3, for piano and orchestra |
1943-08-19 |
London (Proms) |
Cohen / BBC Symphony – Boult [18] |
Moroi, Saburo |
Sinfonietta for Children |
1943-11-05 |
Tokyo |
Tokyo Broadcast Orchestra – Moroi [19] |
Ponce, Manuel |
Violin Concerto |
1943-08-20 |
México DF |
Szeryng / Mexico Symphony – Chávez [20] |
Prokofiev, Sergei |
Flute Sonata |
1943-12-07 |
Moscow |
Kharkovsky, Richter [21] |
Prokofiev, Sergei |
Piano Sonata No. 7 |
1943-01-18 |
Moscow |
Richter [22] |
Prokofiev, Sergei |
The Year 1941 |
1943-01-21 |
Sverdlovsk |
USSR Radio Symphony – Rabinovich [23] |
Rodrigo, Joaquín |
Concierto heroico |
1943-04-03 |
Lisbon |
Querol / Spanish National Orchestra – E. Halffter [24] |
Rowley, Alec |
Burlesque Quadrilles |
1943-07-13 |
London (Proms) |
London Philharmonic – Cameron [25] |
Rubbra, Edmund |
Sinfonia Concertante for piano and orchestra |
1943-08-10 |
London (Proms) |
Rubbra / BBC Symphony – Boult [26] |
Schuman, William |
Symphony for Strings (Symphony No. 5) |
1943-11-12 |
Boston |
Boston Symphony – Koussevitzky [27] |
Shostakovich, Dmitri |
Piano Sonata No. 2 |
1943-06-06 |
Moscow |
Shostakovich [28] |
Shostakovich, Dmitri |
Six Romances on Verses by English Poets |
1943-06-06 |
Moscow |
Flachs, Shostakovich [29] |
Shostakovich, Dmitri |
Symphony No. 4 |
1943-11-04 |
Moscow |
USSR State Symphony – Mravinsky [30] |
Strauss, Richard |
Divertimento after pieces by Couperin |
1943-01-31 |
Vienna |
Vienna Philharmonic – Krauss [31][32] |
Stravinsky, Igor |
Ode |
1943-10-08 |
Boston |
Boston Symphony – Koussevitzky [33] |
Tippett, Michael |
String Quartet No. 2 |
1943-03-27 |
London |
Zorian Quartet [34] |
Tubin, Eduard |
Suite on Estonian Dance Tunes |
1943-10-02 |
Tartu |
Turgan, Mangre [35] |
Vaughan Williams, Ralph |
Symphony No. 5 |
1943-06-24 |
London (Proms) |
London Philharmonic – Vaughan Williams [36] |
Walton, William |
Violin Concerto (2nd version) |
1943-11-30 |
Wolverhampton |
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic – Sargent [37] |
Webern, Anton |
Three Lieder, Op. 23 |
1943-12-05 |
Basel |
Gradmann-Lüscher, Baumgartner [38] |
Webern, Anton |
Variations for Orchestra (1940) |
1943-03-03 |
Winterthur |
Stadtorchester Winterthur – Scherchen [39] |
Weisgall, Hugo |
American Comedy 1943 |
1943-07-29 |
London (Proms) |
BBC Symphony – Weisgall [40] |
Compositions
- 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
- Du Barry 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 on February 25, starring Don Ameche, Janet Blair, Jack Oakie and Cyd Charisse, and featuring Hazel Scott.
- 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 10 - Jim Croce, singer-songwriter (died 1973)
- January 14 - Mariss Jansons, conductor
- January 16
- January 17 - Chris Montez, singer
- January 18 - Dave Greenslade, keyboard player (Thunderbird, Colisseum, Greenslade)
- January 19 - Janis Joplin, blues singer (died 1971)
- January 29 - Tony Blackburn, British radio DJ and singer
- January 30 - Marty Balin, American rock musician (Jefferson Airplane)
- February 3
- February 5 - Chuck Winfield (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
- February 6 - Fabian Forte, teen idol singer
- February 8 - Creed Bratton (The Grass Roots)
- February 9 - Barbara Lewis, singer and songwriter
- February 14
- February 19 - Lou Christie, singer
- February 21 - David Geffen, record executive
- February 23 - Moshe Cotel, American composer and pianist (died 2008)
- February 25 - George Harrison, guitarist, singer and songwriter, member of The Beatles (died 2001)
- February 26 - Paul Cotton, Poco
- February 27 - Morten Lauridsen, composer
- February 28 - Donnie Iris, American musician (The Jaggerz, Wild Cherry, Donnie Iris and the Cruisers)
- March 2 - George Benson, soul guitarist
- March 7 - Chris Taylor White (The Zombies)
- March 9 - David Matthews, composer
- March 14
- March 15 - Sly Stone, musician and songwriter
- March 18 - Dennis Linde, songwriter
- March 21 - Vivian Stanshall, English singer-songwriter (The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band) (died 1995)
- March 22 - Keith Relf, British rock musician (The Yardbirds) (died 1976)
- March 25 - Royston Maldoom OBE, British choreographer
- March 29
- Eric Idle, English actor, writer, and song writer
- Vangelis, Greek musician and composer
April–June
- April 2
- April 3
- April 7 - Mick Abrahams, guitarist (Jethro Tull)
- April 9 - Terry Knight, music producer, singer and songwriter (died 2004)
- April 11 - Tony Victor (The Classics)
- April 20 - Sir John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
- April 26 - Gary Wright (Spooky Tooth)
- April 28 - Jacques Dutronc, singer and composer
- April 30 - Bobby Vee, singer
- May 7
- May 8
- May 9 - Bruce Milner, Every Mother's Son
- May 11
- May 13 - Mary Wells, singer (died 1992)
- May 14
- May 21 - Vincent Crane, English keyboardist (Atomic Rooster, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown)
- May 25 - Leslie Uggams, American singer
- May 26 - Levon Helm, American drummer and singer (The Band) (died 2012)
- May 27 - Cilla Black, singer and entertainer (died 2015)
- May 28 - Tony Mansfield (Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas)
- June 2 - Jimmy Castor, disco/funk saxophonist (died 2012)
- June 3 - Mike Dennis (The Dovells)
- June 12 - Reg Presley, singer and songwriter (The Troggs)
- June 14 - Muff Winwood (Spencer Davis Group)
- June 15 - Johnny Hallyday, 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 28 - Bobby Harrison, English drummer (Procol Harum)
- June 29 - Little Eva (died 2003)
- June 30 - Florence Ballard, The Supremes (d. 1976)
July–September
- July 1 - Jeff Wayne, American musician
- July 2 - Larry Lake, American-Canadian trumpet player and composer (d. 2013)
- July 3 - Judith Durham, singer (The Seekers)
- July 4
- July 12 - Christine McVie, singer (Fleetwood Mac)
- July 18
- July 25 - Jim McCarty, British rock musician (The Yardbirds)
- July 26 - Mick Jagger, singer and actor (The Rolling Stones)
- July 27 - Al Ramsey, Gary Lewis & The Playboys
- July 28 - Richard Wright, English keyboardist and singer (Pink Floyd) (died 2008)
- August 2
- August 4 - David Carr, keyboardist (The Fortunes)
- August 10 - Ronnie Spector, singer
- August 11 - Denis Payton, saxophonist (The Dave Clark Five) (died 2006)
- August 19 - Billy J. Kramer, singer
- August 23 - Pino Presti, Italian musician and record producer
- August 24 - John Cipollina (Quicksilver Messenger Service) (died 1989)
- August 26 - Dori Caymmi, Brazilian singer/songwriter
- August 28
- August 29 - Dick Halligan (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
- September 2
- September 5 - Joe Speedo Frazier (The Impalas)
- September 6 - Roger Waters, English Bassist, Singer and Songwriter (Pink Floyd)
- September 11- Micky Hart (Grateful Dead)
- September 12 - Maria Muldaur, singer
- September 16 - Joe Butler (The Lovin' Spoonful)
- September 20 - Ted Neeley, actor and singer (Jesus Christ Superstar)
- September 23
- September 25
- September 26 - Georgie Fame, R&B singer
- September 27 - Randy Bachman Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter (The Guess Who, Bachman–Turner Overdrive)
- September 28 - Nick St. Nicholas (Steppenwolf)
October–December
- October 1 - Jerry Martini (Sly & The Family Stone)
- October 5 - Steve Miller (Steve Miller Band)
- October 7 - Dino Valenti (Quicksilver Messenger Service)
- October 10 - Denis D'Ell (The Honeycombs)
- October 16 - Fred Turner, bassist (Bachman–Turner Overdrive)
- October 21 - Ron Elliott (The Beau Brummels)
- October 23 - Barbara Ann Hawkins (The Dixie Cups)
- October 24 - Dafydd Iwan, folk singer-songwriter and politician
- November 3 - Bert Jansch, folk musician (Pentangle) (died 2011)
- November 7 - Joni Mitchell, singer-songwriter
- November 12
- November 12 - John Maus, vocalist (The Walker Brothers)
- November 16 - Winifred Lovett (The Manhattans)
- November 28 - Randy Newman, singer-songwriter
- November 30
- December 6 - Mike Smith, singer-songwriter (The Dave Clark Five) (died 2008)
- December 8 - Jim Morrison, singer (The Doors) (died 1971)
- December 9 - Rick Danko (The Band) (died 1999)
- December 10 - Chad Stuart, singer (Chad and Jeremy)
- December 12
- December 16 - Tony Hicks, guitarist (The Hollies)
- December 18
- December 23 - Harry Shearer, actor, musician (This Is Spinal Tap)
- December 27 - Peter Sinfield, British lyricist and producer
- December 31
Deaths
- January 17 - Jane Avril, can-can dancer, 64
- February 7
- February 17 - Armand J. Piron, jazz violinist, bandleader and composer, 54
- March 7 - Alma Moodie, violinist, 44 (drug overdose)
- March 8 - Alice Nielsen, Broadway performer and opera tic soprano, 70
- March 19 - Abel Decaux, composer, 74
- March 28
- April 4 - David Roitman, hazzan and composer, 58
- April 12 - Edoardo Garbin, operatic tenor
- April 29 - Joseph Achron, violinist and composer, 56
- April 30 - René Blum, founder of the Ballet de l'Opera at Monte Carlo, 65 (in Auschwitz concentration camp)
- May 28 - Vaughn De Leath, US singer and radio pioneer, 48 (alcohol-related)
- June 16 - Sigrid Onégin, opera singer, 54
- June 26 - Ruby Elzy, African American soprano Porgy and Bess, 35 (post-operative complications)
- July 13 - Lorenzo Barcelata, songwriter, 44
- July 20 - Maria Gay, opera singer, 64
- September 1 - August Brunetti-Pisano, Austrian composer, 72
- September 7
- 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 (pneumonia)
- 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 (pneumonia)
- December 18 - Joseph McCarthy, composer, 58
- date unknown
References