1937 in music

Specific locations

• 1937 in British music
• 1937 in Norwegian music

Specific genres

• 1937 in country music
• 1937 in jazz

Events

• January 24 – Ernest John Moeran completes the revised version of his Symphony in G minor, dedicated to conductor Hamilton Harty.
• March 6 – Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears first meet, in London.
• May 12 – At the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in Westminster Abbey, William Walton's ceremonial march, "Crown Imperial", originally written for his predecessor, King Edward VIII, is performed for the first time.
• June 2 – The incomplete version of Alban Berg's opera Lulu is premièred in Zürich
• June 8 –
• *After a New York recital with pianist José Iturbi, violinist Manuel Quiroga is hit by a truck while crossing Times Square, leaving him with a paralysed arm.
• *Première of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in Frankfurt, Germany.
• November 30 – Ruth Etting divorces Martin Snyder.
• December 9 - At the age of 22, the accordionist John Serry Sr. makes the first of several recordings with the Shep Fields Jazz Orchestra.
• December 25 – At the age of 70, Italian-born conductor Arturo Toscanini conducts the NBC Symphony Orchestra on U.S. radio for the first time, beginning his 17-year tenure with the orchestra. This first concert consists of music by Vivaldi, Mozart, and Brahms. Millions tune in to listen, including U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
• Perry Como begins singing with the Ted Weems orchestra. Frankie Laine fills Como's vacated position with the Freddie Carlone band.
• Renato Carosone obtains his pianoforte diploma.

Top popular recordings

Number one hit songs (in order)

• "It's De-Lovely" – Eddy Duchin
• "Goodnight My Love" – Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald
• "This Year's Kisses" – Benny Goodman, Helen Forrest
• "Marie" – Tommy Dorsey, Jack Leonard, Bunny Berigan
• "Boo Hoo" – Guy Lombardo
• "Sweet Leilani" – Bing Crosby
• "Too Marvelous For Words" – Bing Crosby
• "They Can't Take That Away From Me" – Fred Astaire
• "Carelessly" – Teddy Wilson with vocal by Billie Holiday
• "September In the Rain" – Guy Lombardo
• "It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane" – Guy Lombardo
• "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" – Shep Fields
• "Where Or When" – Hal Kemp
• "Smarty" – Fats Waller
• "A Sailboat in the Moonlight" – Guy Lombardo
• "Satan Takes A Holiday" – Billy May, Tommy Dorsey
• "Whispers In the Dark" – Bob Crosby
• "The Big Apple" – Tommy Dorsey
• "So Rare" – Guy Lombardo
• "The Moon Got In My Eyes" – Bing Crosby
• "That Old Feeling" – Shep Fields
• "You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming" – Teddy Wilson
• "Remember Me?" – Bing Crosby
• "Once In Awhile" – Tommy Dorsey
• "The Dipsy Doodle" – Tommy Dorsey
• "Bob White " – Bing Crosby
• "Nice Work If You Can Get It" – Fred Astaire
• "Rosalie" – Sammy Kaye
• "Vieni, Vieni" – Rudy Vallee

Published popular music

• "Afraid To Dream" words: Mack Gordon, music: Harry Revel
• "After You" w.m. Sam Coslow & Al Siegel
• "All God's Chillun Got Rhythm" w. Gus Kahn m. Bronislaw Kaper & Walter Jurmann
• "All You Want To Do Is Dance" w. Johnny Burke m. Arthur Johnston. Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film Double or Nothing.
• "Always And Always" w. Bob Wright & Chet Forrest m. Edward Ward
• "Am I In Love?" w. Al Dubin m. Harry Warren. Introduced by Kenny Baker in the film Mr. Dodd Takes the Air.
• "Azure" w. Irving Mills m. Duke Ellington
• "(I've Got) Beginner's Luck" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film Shall We Dance
• "Blossoms On Broadway" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger
• "Blue Hawaii" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger. Introduced by Bing Crosby and Shirley Ross in the film Waikiki Wedding
• "Bob White " w. Johnny Mercer m. Bernard Hanighen
• "Boo-Hoo" w. Edward Heyman m. John Jacob Loeb & Carmen Lombardo
• "Broken Hearted Clown" w.m. Don Pelosi, Harry Leon
• "By Myself" w. Howard Dietz m. Arthur Schwartz
• "Camel Hop" m. Mary Lou Williams
• "Can I Forget You?" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern
• "Caravan" w. Irving Mills m. Juan Tizol & Duke Ellington
• "Carelessly" w. Charles Kenny & Nick Kenny m. Norman Ellis
• "Cause My Baby Says It's So" w. Al Dubin m. Harry Warren
• "Community Swing" m. Glenn Miller
• "Dear Mr Gable " w. Joseph McCarthy m. James V. Monaco with extra lyrics Roger Edens
• "Did Anyone Ever Tell You?" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh. Introduced by Virginia Bruce in the film When Love Is Young
• "Did Your Mother Come From Ireland?" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy & Michael Carr
• "Dinner Music For A Pack Of Hungry Cannibals" m. Raymond Scott
• "The Dipsy Doodle" w.m. Larry Clinton
• "The Donkey Serenade" w. Robert Wright, George Forrest m. Rudolf Friml & Herbert Stothart
• "Down With Love" E. Y. "Yip" Harburg, Harold Arlen. Introduced by Vivian Vance, Jack Whiting and June Clyde in the musical Hooray for What!
• "Dusk In Upper Sandusky" m. Larry Clinton & Jimmy Dorsey
• "Easy Living" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger
• "Everybody Sing" w. Arthur Freed m. Nacio Herb Brown
• "A Foggy Day" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film A Damsel in Distress
• "The Folks Who Live on the Hill" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern
• "Foolin' Myself" w. Jack Lawrence m. Peter Tinturin
• "For Dancers Only" w. Don Raye & Vic Schoen m. Sy Oliver
• "The Girl On The Police Gazette" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "God's Country" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen
• "Gone with the Wind" w. Herb Magidson m. Allie Wrubel
• "Goodnight Angel" w. Herb Magidson m. Allie Wrubel. Introduced by Jack Oakie and Ann Miller in the revue Radio City Revels and performed in the film version by Kenny Baker.
• "Got a Pair of New Shoes" w. Arthur Freed m. Nacio Herb Brown. Introduced by Judy Garland in the film Thoroughbreds Don't Cry.
• "Harbour Lights" w. Jimmy Kennedy m. Hugh Williams
• "Have You Got Any Castles, Baby?" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard A. Whiting. Introduced by Priscilla Lane in the film Varsity Show.
• "Have You Met Miss Jones?" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "He's a Gypsy From Poughkeepsie" w.m. Bud Green & Emery Deutsch
• "Heigh-Ho" w. Larry Morey m. Frank Churchill. Sung by Roy Atwell, Pinto Colvig, Otis Harlan, Scotty Mattraw, and Billy Gilbert in the animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
• "High, Wide, and Handsome" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern
• "Home Town" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy & Michael Carr
• "I Can't Be Bothered Now" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film A Damsel in Distress
• "I Double Dare You" w. Jimmy Eaton m. Terry Shand
• "I Know Now" w. Al Dubin m. Harry Warren
• "I See Your Face Before Me" w. Howard Dietz m. Arthur Schwartz
• "I Used to Be Color Blind" w.m. Irving Berlin introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1938 film Carefree
• "I Was Doing All Right" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin
• "I Wish I Were in Love Again" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "I'd Rather Be Right" w. Lorenz Hart M. Richard Rodgers
• "If It's The Last Thing I Do" w.m. Sammy Cahn & Saul Chaplin
• "I'll Take Romance" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Ben Oakland
• "I'm Like A Fish Out Of Water" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard A. Whiting
• "I'm Wishing" w. Larry Morey m. Frank Churchill. Sung by Adriana Caselotti in the animated film Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs
• "In the Still of the Night" w.m. Cole Porter
• "It Looks Like Rain In Cherry Blossom Lane" w. Edgar Leslie m. Joe Burke
• "It's Raining Sunbeams" w. Sam Coslow m. Frederick Hollander
• "It's The Natural Thing To Do" w. Johnny Burke m. Arthur Johnston. Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film Double or Nothing.
• "It's Wonderful" w. Mitchell Parish m. Stuff Smith
• "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" w.m. Irving Berlin sung by Dick Powell & Alice Faye
• "I've Hitched My Wagon To A Star" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard A. Whiting
• "Johnny One Note" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "The Joint Is Jumpin"' w. Andy Razaf m. Fats Waller & James C. Johnson
• "The Lady Is a Tramp" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "The Lambeth Walk" w. Douglas Furber, L. Arthur Rose m. Noel Gay
• "Leaning on a Lamp-post" w.m. Noel Gay
• "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in the film Shall We Dance
• "Let's Dance At The Make Believe Ballroom" Andy Razaf, Paul Denniker
• "Lisbon Antigua " w. Harry Dupree m. Raul Portela, J. Galhardo & A. Do Vale
• "Love Is Good For Anything That Ails You" Cliff Friend, Matt Malneck
• "Love Is Here to Stay" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin
• "Me And My Girl" w.m. Noel Gay & Douglas Furber
• "The Meanest Thing You Ever Did Was Kiss Me" w.m. Al Lewis, Murray Mencher & Charles Newman
• "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" w.m. Cliff Friend & Dave Franklin
• "Moanin' In The Mornin' " w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen
• "The Mood That I'm In" w.m. Abner Silver & Al Sherman
• "The Moon Got In My Eyes" w. Johnny Burke m. Arthur Johnston. Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film Double or Nothing.
• "The Moon of Manakoora" w. Frank Loesser m. Alfred Newman. Introduced by Dorothy Lamour in the film The Hurricane
• "Moonlight On The Campus" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard A. Whiting
• "The Morning After" w.m. Tommy Dorsey, Moe Jaffe & Clay Boland
• "My Fine Feathered Friend" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh
• "My Funny Valentine" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "Never in a Million Years" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Revel
• "Nice Work If You Can Get It" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film A Damsel in Distress
• "On a Little Bamboo Bridge" w. Archie Fletcher m. Al Sherman
• "On The Sentimental Side" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
• "Once In A While" w. Bud Green m. Michael Edwards
• "One O'Clock Jump" m. Count Basie
• "One Song" w. Larry Morey m. Frank Churchill. Sung by Harry Stockwell in the animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• "Peter And The Wolf" m. Sergei Prokofiev
• "A Reckless Night On Board An Ocean Liner" m. Raymond Scott
• "Remember Me?" w. Al Dubin m. Harry Warren
• "Rosalie" w.m. Cole Porter
• "Sail Along, Silv'ry Moon" w. Harry Tobias m. Percy Wenrich
• "A Sailboat In The Moonlight" w.m. John Jacob Loeb & Carmen Lombardo
• "Satan Takes A Holiday" m. Larry Clinton
• "Sentimental and Melancholy" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard Whiting
• "September In The Rain" w. Al Dubin m. Harry Warren. Introduced by James Melton in the film Melody for Two.
• "Shall We Dance?" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film Shall We Dance
• "Sing Me A Song With Social Significance" w.m. Harold Rome
• "Slap That Bass" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire and Dudley Dickerson in the film Shall We Dance
• "Slumming on Park Avenue" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "So Rare" w. Jack Sharpe m. Jerry Herst
• "Some Day My Prince Will Come" w. Larry Morey m. Frank Churchill. Sung by Adriana Caselotti in the animated film Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs
• "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" w.m. Dick Howard, Russ Morgan & Bob Ellsworth
• "South Rampart Street Parade" m. Ray Bauduc & Bob Haggart
• "Stiff Upper Lip" Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Gracie Allen in the film A Damsel in Distress
• "Stop! You're Breaking My Heart" w. Ted Koehler m. Burton Lane
• "Sweet Leilani" w.m. Harry Owens. Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film Waikiki Wedding
• "Sweet Someone" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Revel. Introduced by Simone Simon in the film Love and Hisses
• "Swing High, Swing Low" w. Ralph Freed m. Burton Lane
• "Ten Pretty Girls" w.m. Will Grosz & Jimmy Kennedy
• "That Old Feeling" w. Lew Brown m. Sammy Fain
• "That's What I Like 'Bout The South" w.m. Andy Razaf
• "Then It Isn't Love" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger
• "There's A Gold Mine In The Sky" w.m. Charles Kenny & Nick Kenny
• "There's A Lull In My Life" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Revel
• "They All Laughed" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Ginger Rogers in the film Shall We Dance
• "They Can't Take That Away From Me" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film Shall We Dance
• "Things Are Looking Up" w. Ira Gershwin m. George Gershwin. Introduced by Fred Astaire in the film A Damsel in Distress
• "This Year's Kisses" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "Thrill of a Lifetime" w. Sam Coslow & Carmen Lombardo m. Frederick Hollander. Introduced by Dorothy Lamour in the film Thrill of a Lifetime
• "Tomorrow Is Another Day" w. Gus Kahn m. Bronislaw Kaper & Walter Jurmann from the film A Day at the Races
• "Too Marvelous for Words" w. Johnny Mercer m. Richard A. Whiting
• "The Toy Trumpet" w. Sidney D. Mitchell & Lew Pollack m. Raymond Scott
• "Triplets" w. Howard Dietz m. Arthur Schwartz
• "Trusting My Luck" Maurice Sigler, Arthur Johnston
• "Turn Off The Moon" w.m. Sam Coslow. Introduced by Kenny Baker in the film of the same name.
• "Twilight In Turkey" m. Raymond Scott
• "Vieni, Vieni" w. George Koger & Henri Varna Rudy Vallee m. Vincent Scotto
• "Wake Up And Live" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Revel
• "Walter, Walter" w.m. W. E. Haines, J. Harper & Eugene Butler
• "Was It Rain?" w. Walter Hirsch m. Lou Handman. Introduced by Frances Langford in the film The Hit Parade
• "When Love Is Young" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh. Introduced by Virginia Bruce in the film When Love Is Young
• "Where Or When" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers. Introduced by Ray Heatherton and Mitzi Green in the musical Babes In Arms
• "Whispers In The Dark" w. Leo Robin m. Frederick Hollander. Introduced by Connie Boswell in the film Artists and Models
• "Whistle While You Work" w. Larry Morey m. Frank Churchill. Sung by Adriana Caselotti in the animated film Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs
• "With A Smile And A Song" w. Larry Morey m. Frank Churchill. Sung by Adriana Caselotti in the animated film Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs
• "You Can't Stop Me From Dreaming" w.m. Dave Franklin & Cliff Friend
• "You're Laughing At Me" w.m. Irving Berlin. Introduced by Dick Powell in the film On the Avenue.

Top blues records

• "Cross Road Blues" – Robert Johnson
• "Don't Tear My Clothes" – Big Bill Broonzy
• "Horny Frog" – Big Bill Broonzy
• "Terraplane Blues" – Robert Johnson
• "32-20 Blues" – Robert Johnson
• "Come On In My Kitchen" – Robert Johnson
• "Good Morning School Girl" – Sonny Boy Williamson

Classical music

Compositions

• Jehan Alain
• *Variations sur un thème de Clément Janequin, for organ
• *Trois danses: Joies, Deuils, Luttes, for orchestra
• Luciano Berio – Pastorale for piano
• Arthur Bliss – Checkmate
• Rutland Boughton – Symphony No. 3 in B minor
• Benjamin Britten – Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge
• John Alden Carpenter – Piano Quintet
• David Diamond – Psalm
• George Dyson – Symphony in G major
• Hanns Eisler – String Quartet
• Ferenc Farkas – Concertino for Harp and Orchestra
• John Fernström – Viola Concerto
• Alan Hovhaness – Cello Concerto
• John Ireland – These Things Shall Be
• Frank Martin – Symphony
• Nikolai Medtner – sonate-idylle for piano, opus 56 in G major
• Nikolai Myaskovsky – revision of String Quartet No. 4, composition of Symphony No. 17 in G♯ minor and Symphony No. 18 in C major
• Dmitri Shostakovich – Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47
• Ralph Vaughan Williams – Job: A Masque for Dancing
• Heitor Villa-Lobos
• *Ciclo brasileiro for piano
• * Distribuição de Flores for flute and guitar
• Percy Whitlock – Wessex Suite
• Havergal Brian – Symphony No. 5 ''"The Wine of Summer"''

Opera

• Alban Berg – Lulu
• Walter Damrosch – The Man Without a Country
• Arthur Honegger and Jacques Ibert – L'Aiglon
• Kurt Weill – ''The Eternal Road''

Film

• Benjamin Britten – Love from a Stranger (1937 film)
• Frank Churchill, Leigh Harline – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
• George Gershwin – A Damsel in Distress (1937 film)
• George Gershwin – Shall We Dance (1937 film)
• Erich Korngold – Another Dawn (1937 film)
• Erich Korngold – The Prince and the Pauper (1937 film)
• Miklós Rózsa – Knight Without Armour
• Dimitri Tiomkin, Max Steiner – ''Lost Horizon (1937 film)''

Musical theatre

Musical films

• This Way Please, starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Betty Grable and Ned Sparks
• Top of the Town, starring Doris Nolan, George Murphy and Ella Logan, and featuring Gertrude NiesenTurn Off the Moon, starring Charles Ruggles and Eleanore Whitney and featuring Kenny Baker and Phil Harris. Directed by Lewis Seiler.Varsity Show, starring Dick Powell, Rosemary Lane and Priscilla Lane and featuring Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians and Buck and BubblesWaikiki Wedding, starring Bing Crosby, Bob Burns, Martha Raye and Shirley Ross.Wake Up And Live, starring Walter Winchell, Alice Faye, Ben Bernie and Patsy Kelly. Directed by Sidney Lanfield.When You're in Love, starring Grace Moore and Cary Grant.You Can't Have Everything, starring Alice Faye, Don Ameche, The Ritz Brothers and Gypsy Rose Lee.You're a Sweetheart, starring Alice Faye and George Murphy.

Births

• January 4
• * Grace Bumbry, African American operatic mezzo-soprano
• * Lorene Mann, American country music singer-songwriter
• January 6
• *Paolo Conte, Italian singer, pianist and composer
• *Doris Troy, R&B singer
• January 8 – Shirley Bassey, Welsh singer
• January 13 – Milka Stojanović, Serbian opera singer
• January 14 – Billie Jo Spears, American country music singer
• January 19
• *Clarence "Frogman" Henry, American R&B singer
• *Giovanna Marini, Italian singer and songwriter
• January 22 – Ryan Davies, Welsh singer-songwriter and comedian
• January 27 – John Ogdon, English pianist
• January 29 – Bobby Scott, American singer-songwriter, pianist and producer
• January 31 – Philip Glass, American composer
• February 1
• *Don Everly, American country-rock musician
• *Ray Sawyer, American rock singer
• February 2
• *Martina Arroyo, American operatic soprano
• *Tom Smothers, American singer, composer and comedian
• February 8
• *Manfred Krug, German actor and singer
• *Joe Raposo, composer and lyricist
• February 9 – Hildegard Behrens, operatic soprano
• February 10 – Don Wilson, rock rhythm guitarist
• February 14
• *Jean Bonhomme, Canadian tenor
• *Magic Sam, American singer and guitarist
• February 15 – Nathan Davis, American hard bop jazz woodwind player
• February 19 – Robert "Bilbo" Walker Jr., American blues guitarist
• February 20 – Nancy Wilson, jazz singer
• February 27 – David Ackles, singer-songwriter
• March 1 – Jimmy Little, Australian guitarist, actor and educator
• March 9 – Azio Corghi, Italian composer and musicologist
• March 17 – Vince Martin, American singer and songwriter
• March 19 – Clarence "Frogman" Henry, American R&B singer
• March 20
• * Jerry Reed, American singer-songwriter, actor and guitarist
• * Eddie Shaw, African-American saxophonist and songwriter
• March 22 – Angelo Badalamenti, screen composer
• March 24 – Billy Stewart, scat singer
• April 5 – Marisa Robles, Spanish harpist
• April 11 – Lando Bartolini, Italian operatic tenor
• April 17 – Don Buchla, American pioneer of the synthesizer
• April 21 – David Lucas, American rock and roll composer, singer and music producer
• May 1 – Bo Nilsson, composer and lyricist
• May 4
• *Dick Dale, surf rock guitarist
• *Ron Carter, American jazz double bassist
• May 5
• *Delia Derbyshire, electronic composer
• *Johnnie Taylor, blues and soul singer
• May 9
• *Sonny Curtis
• *Dave Prater
• May 13 – Trini Lopez, singer
• May 22 – Facundo Cabral, Argentine singer
• June 2 – Jimmy Jones, singer-songwriter
• June 4 – Freddy Fender, country musician
• June 7
• * Roberto Blanco, German singer
• * Neeme Järvi, Estonian conductor
• June 14 – Renaldo "Obie" Benson, soul and R&B bass singer-songwriter
• June 15 – Waylon Jennings, country singer
• June 25 – Eddie Floyd, African-American soul, R&B singer-songwriter
• June 30 – Larry Henley, American singer-songwriter
• July 4 – Ray Pillow, American country music singer
• July 6
• *Vladimir Ashkenazy, pianist and conductor
• *Gene Chandler, singer-songwriter
• July 12 – Guy Woolfenden, composer
• July 18 – William Carragan, musicologist
• July 22 – Chuck Jackson, R&B singer
• July 26 – Al Banks
• August 2 – Garth Hudson, Canadian keyboard player, songwriter and producer
• August 6 – Baden Powell de Aquino, bossa nova guitarist
• August 11 – Shel Talmy, record producer and songwriter
• August 16 – David Behrman, composer and record producer
• August 20
• * Clem Cattini, English session drummer
• * Stelvio Cipriani, Italian composer
• * Jean-Louis Petit, French composer, conductor and organist
• August 27
• *Alice Coltrane, née McLeod, jazz multi-instrumentalist
• *J. D. Crowe, banjoist
• September 10 – Tommy Overstreet, American country singer
• September 11 – Joseph Kobzon, popular singer and politician
• September 17
• *Phil Cracolici, rock singer
• *Ilarion Ionescu-Galați, Romanian violinist and conductor
• September 30 – Valentin Silvestrov, composer
• October 9 – Joan Carden, operatic soprano
• October 13 – Loris Tjeknavorian, conductor and composer
• October 21 – Norman Wright, doo-wop singer
• October 25 – Jeanne Black, American singer
• October 29 – Michael Ponti, pianist
• October 31 – Tom Paxton, folk singer-songwriter
• November 1
• * Bill Anderson, American country singer-songwriter
• * Titiek Puspa, Indonesian singer-songwriter
• November 2 – Earl "Speedo" Carroll, American vocalist
• November 6 – Eugene Pitt, American singer
• November 15 – Little Willie John, American singer
• *Frank Ifield, British-born Australian yodelling singer
• *Luther Ingram, American soul singer-songwriter
• *Noel Stookey, American singer-songwriter
• December 1 – Gordon Crosse, English composer
• December 12 – Connie Francis, American pop singer
• December 14 – Warren Ryanes, American bass doo-wop singer
• December 17 – Art Neville, American rock-soul-jazz singer-songwriter and keyboardist
• December 25 – O'Kelly Isley, Jr., American soul singer
• December 26 – Ronnie Prophet, Canadian-American country musician
• December 28 – Rita Orlandi-Malaspina, Italian operatic soprano
• December 30
• *John Hartford, American folk and country musician and composer
• *Raquel Olmedo, Cuban-Mexican actress and singer
• date unknown – Farhad Fakhreddini, conductor and composer, founder of Iran's National Orchestra

Deaths

• January 10 – Clarence Eddy, American organist and composer
• January 12 – Barney Fagan, American performer and composer
• January 19 – Aristodemo Giorgini, Italian opera singer
• February 14 – Erkki Melartin, Finnish composer
• March 6 – George Washington Thomas, songwriter and pianist
• March 12
• *Charles-Marie Widor, composer
• *Jenő Hubay, composer and violinist
• March 22 – Thorvald Aagaard, composer
• March 29 – Karol Szymanowski, composer
• April 8 – Arthur Foote, composer
• April 11 – Minnie Bell Sharp, pianist and singer
• April 20 – Virgilio Ranzato, composer
• May 2 – Arthur Somervell, composer
• May 4 – Noel Rosa, singer, songwriter and guitarist
• May 7 – W. O. Forsyth, pianist
• May 11 – Viliam Figuš-Bystrý, composer
• June 2 – Louis Vierne, organist and composer
• June 10 – Malcolm Williams, actor and composer
• July 11 – George Gershwin, composer
• July 17 – Gabriel Pierné, organist and composer
• July 23 – Charles Henry Mills, composer and music teacher
• August 23 – Albert Roussel, composer
• September 6 – Henry Kimball Hadley, composer and conductor
• September 26 – Bessie Smith, blues singer, automobile accident
• October 6 – Blind Uncle Gaspard, Cajun vocalist and guitarist
• October 17 – Paul Lhérie, operatic tenor/baritone
• October 22 – Frank Damrosch, organist, conductor and music teacher
• November 3 – Winthrop Ames, theatrical director
• November 24 – Tell Taylor, songwriter
• November 25 – Lilian Baylis, founder of Sadler's Wells ballet company
• November 29 – Ferdinand Buescher, instrument manufacturer
• December 4 – :it:Rodolfo Falvo, composer
• December 10 – Rosa Valetti, cabaret singer
• December 26
• *Dan Beddoe, tenor
• *Ivor Gurney, composer-poet
• December 28 – Maurice Ravel, composer
• date unknown
• *Rabbit Brown, country blues singer
• *Blind Uncle Gaspard, Cajun musician
• *Maude Valérie White, composer and songwriter
• *Loraine Wyman, folk singer and dulcimer player