1937 in music

Events

• January 21 - Paul Sacher conducts the world premiere of Béla Bartók's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta in Basel
• June 2 - The incomplete version of Alban Berg's opera Lulu is premiered in Zürich (it is later completed in a version premiered in 1979)
• June 8 - Première of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in Frankfurt, Germany.
• November 30 - Ruth Etting divorces Martin Snyder.

• Perry Como begins singing with the Ted Weems orchestra. Frankie Laine fills Como's vacated position with the Freddie Carlone band.
• Hank Williams' musical career begins.
• Sonny Boy Williamson's recording career begins.
• Renato Carosone obtains his pianoforte diploma.
• Natalino Otto introduces swing to Italy.
• John Serry, Sr. joins the Shep Fields Rippling Rhythm Band.

Biggest hit songs

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the limited set of charts available for 1937.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	Count Basie	One O'Clock Jump	1937		US BB 1 of 1937, POP 1 of 1937, Scrobulate 13 of swing, RYM 21 of 1937, RIAA 211, Acclaimed 824
2	Benny Goodman	Sing, Sing, Sing	1937		US BB 3 of 1938, Peel list 3 of 1937, POP 3 of 1938, RIAA 205, Acclaimed 526, WXPN 766
3	Bing Crosby	Sweet Leilani	1937		Oscar in 1937, US BB 7 of 1937, POP 7 of 1937, Europe 29 of the 1930s
4	Fred Astaire	They Can't Take That Away From Me	1937		US BB 3 of 1937, POP 3 of 1937, RYM 34 of 1937, Europe 89 of the 1930s, Acclaimed 2182
5	Robert Johnson	Hellhound on My Trail	1937		RYM 1 of 1937, Peel list 4 of 1937, Acclaimed 630

Top hit recordings

• "That Old Feeling" by Shep Fields
• "Once in a While" by Tommy Dorsey
• "It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane" by Guy Lombardo
• "September In the Rain" by Guy Lombardo
• "The Dipsy Doodle" by Tommy Dorsey
• "Sweet Leilani" by Bing Crosby
• "The Moon Got In My Eyes" by Bing Crosby
• "Boo Hoo" by Guy Lombardo
• "Goodnight, My Love" by Benny Goodman
• "On a Little Bamboo Bridge" by Louis Armstrong written by Abner Silver and Al Sherman
• "Whispers In the Dark" by Bob Crosby
• "Vieni Vieni" by Rudy Vallee
• "Peace in the Valley" by Mahalia Jackson, gospel music hit written by Thomas A. Dorsey

Published popular music

• "Afraid To Dream" w. Mack Gordon m. 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 (Whatcha Gonna Swing Tonight)" 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
• "Dear Mr Gable (You Made Me Love Me)" 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
• "Heigh-Ho" w. Larry Morey m. Frank Churchill
• "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
• "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 (in the film "On the Avenue")
• "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 (In Old Lisbon)" 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
• "My Fine Feathered Friend" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh
• "My Funny Valentine" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "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
• "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, Silvery 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. (It & Fr) George Koger & Henri Varna (Eng) 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 I

Classical music

• Luciano Berio - Pastorale for piano
• Arthur Bliss - Checkmate (ballet)
• Rutland Boughton - Symphony No. 3 in B minor
• John Alden Carpenter - Piano Quintet
• Aaron Copland - El Salon Mexico
• 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 (ballet)
• Heitor Villa-Lobos - Distribuição de Flores for flute and guitar
• Percy Whitlock - Wessex Suite

Opera

• Alban Berg - Lulu
• Arthur Honegger and Jacques Ibert - L'Aiglon
• Kurt Weill - The Eternal Road (Der Weg der Verheißung)

Musical theater

• Babes In Arms (Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart) - Broadway production opened at the Shubert Theatre on April 14 and ran for 289 performances
• Between the Devil Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on December 23 and ran for 93 performances
• Hooray for What! (lyrics E. Y. Harburg, music Harold Arlen, book Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse) Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theatre on December 1 and ran for 200 performances
• I'd Rather Be Right (Rodgers & Hart) - Broadway production opened on November 2 at the Alvin Theatre and ran for 290 performances
• Me and My Girl (Noel Gay) - London production opened on December 16 at the Victoria Palace Theatre and ran for 1646 performances.
• On Your Toes London production opened at the Palace Theatre on February 5 and ran for 123 performances
• Pins and Needles Broadway revue opened at the Labor Stage Theatre on November 27 and ran for 1108 performances
• Swing is in the Air London revue opened at the Palladium on March 29
• Virginia opened at the Center Theatre on September 2 and ran for 60 performances

Musical films

• 52nd Street starring Leo Carrillo, Ian Hunter, Pat Paterson, Ella Logan, Sid Silvers, Zasu Pitts and Kenny Baker. Directed by Harold Young.
• Ali Baba Goes to Town starring Eddie Cantor, Tony Martin, Roland Young and June Lang and featuring Raymond Scott & his Quintet. Directed by David Butler.
• The Broadway Melody of 1938 starring Robert Taylor, Eleanor Powell, George Murphy, Binnie Barnes, Buddy Ebsen, Sophie Tucker and Judy Garland.
• Calling All Stars starring Bert Ambrose, Carroll Gibbons, Evelyn Dall, Sam Browne, Larry Adler, Elisabeth Welch and The Nicholas Brothers.
• The Champagne Waltz starring Gladys Swarthout, Fred MacMurray, Jack Oakie and Veloz and Yolanda.
• Command Performance (1937 film) starring Arthur Tracy and Lilli Palmer
• A Damsel in Distress starring Fred Astaire, Joan Fontaine, George Burns, Gracie Allen and Ray Noble.
• A Day at the Races released June 11 starring the Marx Brothers and Allan Jones, and featuring Ivie Anderson
• Double or Nothing released September 1 starring Bing Crosby and Martha Raye, and featuring Harry Barris and Frances Faye.
• Every Day's a Holiday starring Mae West, Edmund Lowe and Louis Armstrong, Directed by A. Edward Sutherland.
• Fight for Your Lady starring John Boles, Ida Lupino and Jack Oakie.
• The Firefly starring Jeanette MacDonald and Allan Jones.
• Gangway starring Jessie Matthews
• Glamorous Night starring Mary Ellis, Otto Kruger and Victor Jory.
• Head Over Heels starring Jessie Matthews
• Hideaway Girl starring Shirley Ross, Robert Cummings and Martha Raye. Directed by George Archainbaud.
• High, Wide, and Handsome starring Irene Dunne, Dorothy Lamour, Randolph Scott and William Frawley.
• Hit Parade of 1937 starring Frances Langford and Phil Regan and featuring Ivie Anderson and Duke Ellington and his orchestra.
• Hollywood Hotel starring Dick Powell, Rosemary Lane and Lola Lane, and featuring Frances Langford and Benny Goodman & his Orchestra.
• Jericho starring Paul Robeson
• Let's Make a Night of It starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers and June Clyde
• The Life of the Party released September 3 starring Joe Penner, Gene Raymond, Harriet Hilliard and Helen Broderick
• The Lilac Domino (film) starring Michael Bartlett, June Knight, Fred Emney and S.Z. Sakall.
• Love and Hisses starring Walter Winchell, Ben Bernie, Simone Simon, Bert Lahr and Joan Davis
• Make A Wish starring Bobby Breen, Basil Rathbone, Marion Claire, Henry Armetta, Ralph Forbes and Leon Errol. Directed by Kurt Neumann.
• Maytime starring Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy and John Barrymore.
• Melody for Two starring James Melton, Patricia Ellis and Wini Shaw
• Mr Dodd Takes the Air released August 21 starring Kenny Baker and Jane Wyman.
• On the Avenue starring Dick Powell, Alice Faye, Madeleine Carroll and The Ritz Brothers.
• 100 Men and a Girl starring Deanna Durbin
• Rootin' Tootin' Rhythm starring Gene Autry
• Rosalie starring Nelson Eddy, Eleanor Powell and Ray Bolger.
• Shall We Dance starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
• The Singing Marine starring Dick Powell and Doris Weston
• Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs animated feature with Adriana Caselotti providing the voice of Snow White.
• Something to Sing About starring James Cagney and Evelyn Daw
• Song of the Forge starring Stanley Holloway.
• Stardust starring Ben Lyon and Lupe Velez.
• Swing High, Swing Low released March 15 starring Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray and Dorothy Lamour.
• 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 Niesen
• Turn 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 Bubbles
• Waikiki 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, operatic mezzo-soprano
• January 6 - Doris Troy, R&B singer (died 2004)
• January 8 - Shirley Bassey, singer
• January 19 - Clarence "Frogman" Henry, R&B singer
• January 22 - Ryan Davies, singer, songwriter and comedian (died 1977)
• January 27 - John Ogdon, pianist (died 1989)
• January 31 - Philip Glass, composer
• February 1
  • Don Everly (Everly Brothers)
  • Ray Sawyer (Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show)
• February 8 - Joe Raposo, composer and lyricist
• February 10 - Don Wilson (The Ventures)
• February 20 - Nancy Wilson, singer
• February 27 - David Ackles, singer-songwriter (died 1999)
• March 17 - Adam Wade, singer, drummer and actor
• March 20 - Jerry Reed, country musician
• March 24 - Billy Stewart, scat singer (died 1970)
• April 5 - Marisa Robles, harpist
• May 3 - Frankie Valli, singer (The Four Seasons)
• May 4 - Dick Dale, surf rock guitarist
• May 5 - Johnnie Taylor, singer (died 2000)
• May 9
  • Sonny Curtis (The Crickets)
  • Dave Prater (Sam & Dave) (died 1988)
• May 15 - Trini Lopez, singer
• May 22 - Kenny Ball, jazz trumpeter
• June 2 - Jimmy Jones, singer-songwriter
• June 4 - Freddy Fender, country musician (died 2006)
• June 7 - Neeme Järvi, conductor
• June 14 - Renaldo "Obie" Benson (The Four Tops)
• June 15 - Waylon Jennings, country singer (died 2002)
• July 6
  • Gene Chandler, singer-songwriter
  • Vladimir Ashkenazy, pianist and conductor
• July 22 - Chuck Jackson, R&B singer
• July 26 - Al Banks (The Turbans)
• July 31 - Bonnie Brown (The Browns)
• August 2 - Garth Hudson (The Band)
• August 6 - Baden Powell de Aquino, bossa nova guitarist (died 2000)
• August 27 - J. D. Crowe, banjoist
• September 17 - Phil Cracolici (The Mystics)
• September 30 - Valentin Silvestrov, composer
• October 13 - Loris Tjeknavorian, conductor and composer
• October 21 - Norman Wright (Del Vikings)
• October 24 - Santo Farina (Santo & Johnny)
• October 31 - Tom Paxton, folk singer-songwriter
• November 1 - Bill Anderson, country singer-songwriter
• November 2 - Earl Speedo Carroll (The Cadillacs, The Coasters)
• November 6 - Eugene Pitt (The Jive Five)
• November 15 - Little Willie John, singer (died 1968)
• November 19 - Ray Collins (The Mothers of Invention)
• November 30
  • Frank Ifield, singer
  • Luther Ingram, soul singer-songwriter (d. 2007)
  • Noel Stookey, singer-songwriter (Peter, Paul & Mary)
• December 1 - Gordon Crosse, composer
• December 14 - Warren Ryanes (The Monotones)
• December 17 - Art Neville (The Neville Brothers)
• December 25 - O'Kelly Isley, Jr. (The Isley Brothers) (died 1986)
• December 30 - John Hartford, folk and country musician and composer (died 2001)

Deaths

• February 14 - Erkki Melartin, Finnish composer (b. 1875)
• March 12:
  • Charles-Marie Widor, composer (b. 1844)
  • Jenő Hubay, composer and violinist (b. 1858)
• March 29 - Karol Szymanowski, composer (b. 1882)
• April 8 - Arthur Foote, composer (b. 1853)
• April 11 - Minnie Bell Sharp, pianist and singer (b. 1865)
• April 20 - Virgilio Ranzato, composer (b. 1883)
• May 2 - Arthur Somervell, composer (b. 1863)
• May 4 - Noel Rosa, singer, songwriter and guitarist (b. 1910)
• May 7 - W. O. Forsyth, pianist (b. 1859)
• May 11 - Viliam Figuš-Bystrý, composer (b. 1875)
• June 2 - Louis Vierne, organist and composer (b. 1870)
• July 11 - George Gershwin, composer (b. 1898)
• July 17 - Gabriel Pierné, organist and composer (b. 1863)
• July 23 - Charles Henry Mills, composer and music teacher (b. 1873)
• August 23 - Albert Roussel, composer (b. 1869)
• September 6 - Henry Kimball Hadley, composer and conductor (b. 1871)
• September 26 - Bessie Smith, blues singer (b. 1895)
• October 17 - Paul Lhérie, operatic tenor/baritone (b. 1844)
• October 22 - Frank Damrosch, organist, conductor and music teacher (b. 1859)
• November 3 - Winthrop Ames, theatrical director (b. 1870)
• November 24 - Tell Taylor, songwriter (b. 1876)
• November 25 - Lilian Baylis, founder of Sadler's Wells ballet company (b. 1874)

December 4 - Gamble Augusta Ouzts

• December 10 - Rosa Valetti, cabaret singer (b. 1878)
• December 26
  • Dan Beddoe, tenor (b. 1863)
  • Ivor Gurney, composer-poet (b. 1890)
• December 28 - Maurice Ravel, composer (b. 1875)
• date unknown
  • Blind Uncle Gaspard, Cajun musician (b. 1880 [1])
  • Maude Valerie White, composer and songwriter (b. 1855)
  • Loraine Wyman, folk singer and dulcimer player (b. 1885)