1939 in music

Events

• March 23 – Béla Bartók's Violin Concerto No. 2 (the only violin concerto known to be by him at the time) is premiered by Zoltán Székely and the Concertgebouw Orchestra conducted by Willem Mengelberg
• May 17 – Sergei Prokofiev's Alexander Nevsky (Op. 78) cantata debuts in Moscow. It was an adaptation from the 1938 film score to Alexander Nevsky
• June 21 – Francis Poulenc's Organ Concerto is premièred in Paris.
• November 1 - Bruno Walter leaves Germany for the United States.
• December - Ali Akbar Khan accompanies Ravi Shankar on the sarod during the latter's debut performance at the annual music conference in Allahabad.
• Harry James forms his own band, with Frank Sinatra as vocalist.
• The Nordstrom Sisters are the resident act at the Ritz Hotel in London.
• Jo Stafford and The Pied Pipers join the Tommy Dorsey orchestra.
• Dorothy Kirsten makes her professional concert debut at the New York World's Fair.

Publications

• Ernst Krenek - Music Here and Now

Albums Released

• Featuring Charlie Christian - Benny Goodman

Biggest hit songs

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions in the limited set of charts available for 1939.

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	Judy Garland	Over the Rainbow	1939		US BB 1 of 1939, Oscar in 1939, AFI 1, RYM 1 of 1939, POP 1 of 1939, RIAA 1, Scrobulate 71 of vocal, Acclaimed 497
2	Glenn Miller	Moonlight Serenade	1939		US BB 5 of 1939, RYM 5 of 1939, POP 5 of 1939, UK 12 - Mar 1954, Europe 12 of the 1930s, Scrobulate 53 of jazz, Italy 74 of 1954, Party 74 of 1999, Acclaimed 1202
3	Kate Smith	God Bless America	1939		US BB 2 of 1939, POP 2 of 1939, US 1940s 5 - Aug 1940, Europe 18 of the 1930s, RIAA 19, RYM 33 of 1939, Acclaimed 568
4	Billie Holiday	Strange Fruit	1939		RYM 2 of 1939, Scrobulate 25 of jazz, Europe 92 of the 1930s, Acclaimed 180, RIAA 273, WXPN 717
5	Louis Armstrong	When the Saints Go Marching In	1939		US BB 4 of 1939, POP 4 of 1939, RIAA 13, RYM 18 of 1939, Scrobulate 33 of swing

Top hits on record

• "An Apple For The Teacher" by Bing Crosby & Connee Boswell
• "And the Angels Sing" recorded by
  • Martha Tilton with Benny Goodman & his orchestra
  • Glenn Miller
  • Ziggy Elman
• "At the Woodchopper's Ball" by Woody Herman
• "Beer Barrel Polka" by Will Glahe
• "Begin the Beguine" by Chick Henderson with Joe Loss and his Band ( recorded July 5.
• "Body and Soul" - Coleman Hawkins
• "Class Will Tell' by Ted Weems And His Orchestra With Perry Como
• "Deep Purple" by Bing Crosby
• "Deep Purple" by Larry Clinton
• "Flying Home" by the Benny Goodman Sextet with Charlie Christian and Lionel Hampton
• "God Bless America by Kate Smith
• "The Ghost Of Piccolo Pete" by Ted Weems And His Orchestra
• "If I Didn't Care by The Ink Spots
• "I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now" by Ted Weems And His Orchestra With Perry Como
• "Jeepers Creepers" by Al Donohue
• "Little Brown Jug" by Glenn Miller
• "The Man With the Mandolin" by Glenn Miller
• "Moonlight Serenade" by Glenn Miller
• "Moon Love" by Glenn Miller
• "Our Love" by Tommy Dorsey
• "Over the Rainbow" by Glenn Miller, also Judy Garland
• "Scatter-Brain" by Frankie Masters
• "South of the Border" by Shep Fields
• "Stairway to the Stars" by Glenn Miller
• "Strange Fruit" by Billie Holiday
• "Summertime" by Sidney Bechet
• "Sunrise Serenade" by Glenn Miller
• "Tea For Two" by Art Tatum
• "Thanks For The Memory" by Bob Hope & Shirley Ross
• "Wishing (Will Make It So)" by Glenn Miller
• In Italy, "Se potessi avere mille lire al mese"

Top Blues records

• "Po' Gal" - Zora Neale Hurston
• "Big Leg Woman Gets My Pay" - Blind Boy Fuller
• "The Bourgeois Blues" - Leadbelly
• "De Kalb Blues" - Leadbelly
• "The Gallis Pole" - Leadbelly
• "Thing My Blues Away" - Sonny Boy Williamson I

Published popular music

• "Address Unknown" w.m. Carmen Lombardo, Johnny Marks & Dedette Lee Hill
• "All In Fun" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern Introduced by Frances Mercer and Jack Whiting in the musical Very Warm for May
• "All or Nothing at All" w. Jack Lawrence m. Arthur Altman
• "All the Things You Are" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern from the musical Very Warm for May
• "Anatole (Of Paris)" w.m. Sylvia Fine Introduced by Danny Kaye in the revue The Straw Hat Revue
• "An Apple For The Teacher" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
• "Are You Havin' Any Fun?" w. Jack Yellen m. Sammy Fain
• "The Army Air Corps" w.m. Robert M. Crawford
• "At the Woodchopper's Ball" m. Woody Herman & Joe Bishop
• "Back In The Saddle Again" w.m. Gene Autry & Ray Whitley
• "Between Eighteenth And Nineteenth On Chestnut Street" w.m. Will Osborne & Dick Rodgers
• "Bless You" w.m. Don Baker & Eddie Lane
• "Blue Orchids" w.m. Hoagy Carmichael
• "Bluebirds In The Moonlight" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger
• "The Boys In The Back Room" w. Frank Loesser m. Frederick Hollander. Introduced by Marlene Dietrich in the film Destry Rides Again.
• "Brazil" w. (Eng) Bob Russell m. Ary Baroso
• "Careless" w.m. Lew Quadling, Eddy Howard & Dick Jurgens
• "Comes Love" w.m. Sam H. Stept, Charles Tobius & Lew Brown
• "Cuckoo In The Clock" w. Johnny Mercer m. Walter Donaldson
• "Darn That Dream" w. Eddie DeLange m. James Van Heusen
• "Day In, Day Out" w. Johnny Mercer m. Rube Bloom
• "Desert Rumba" m. John Serry, Sr.
• "Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen
• "Do I Love You?" w.m. Cole Porter
• "Don't Worry 'Bout Me" w. Ted Koehler m. Rube Bloom
• "Faithful Forever" w. Leo Robin m. Ralph Rainger
• "Flyin' Home" w. Sid Robin m. Lionel Hampton & Benny Goodman
• "Frenesi" w. (Eng) Ray Charles & Bob Russell m. Alberto Dominguez
• "The Gaucho Serenade" w.m. James Cavanaugh, John Redmond & Nat Simon
• "Give Him the Ooh-La-La" w.m. Cole Porter
• "Give it Back to the Indians" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers. Introduced by Mary Jane Walsh in the musical Too Many Girls.
• "Go Fly A Kite" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
• "God Bless America" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "Good Morning" w. Arthur Freed m. Nacio Herb Brown
• "Goodnight, Children Ev'rywhere" w.m. Gabby Rogers & Harry Phillips
• "Hang Your Heart On A Hickory Limb" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
• "Heaven Can Wait" w. Eddie DeLange m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "Heaven In My Arms" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Jerome Kern. Introduced by Jack Whiting, Frances Mercer and Hollace Shaw in the musical Very Warm for May
• "Honey Hush" Fats Waller, Ed Kirkeby
• "Huckleberry Duck" w. Jack Lawrence m. Raymond Scott
• "I Didn't Know What Time It Was" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers. Introduced by Richard Kollmar and Marcy Westcott in the musical Too Many Girls. Performed by Trudy Erwin dubbing for Lucille Ball in the 1940 film version and interpolated into the score of the 1957 film Pal Joey where it was sung by Frank Sinatra.
• "I Get Along Without You Very Well (Except Sometimes)" m. Hoagy Carmichael w. Jane Brown Thompson
• "I Like to Recognize the Tune" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers. Introduced by Eddie Bracken, Marcy Westcott, Mary Jane Walsh, Richard Kollmar and Hal Le Roy in the musical Too Many Girls.
• "I Miss You In The Morning" w. Edgar Leslie m. Joe Burke
• "I Never Knew Heaven Could Speak" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Revel
• "I Poured My Heart Into A Song" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "I Thought About You" w. Johnny Mercer m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "I Want My Mama" w. (Port) Jararaca & Vincente Paiva (Eng) Al Stillman m. Jararaca & Vincente Paiva
• "I Went to a Marvelous Party" w.m. Noël Coward. Introduced by Beatrice Lillie in the revue Set to Music.
• "If A Grey Haired Lady Says "How's Yer Father?"" w.m. Ted Waite
• "If I Didn't Care" w.m. Jack Lawrence
• "If I Only Had a Brain" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen
• "If I Only Had Wings" w.m. Sid Colin & Ronnie Aldrich
• "I'll Never Smile Again" w.m. Ruth Lowe
• "I'll Walk Beside You" w.m. Alan Murray & Edward Lockton
• "I'm Building A Sailboat Of Dreams" Cliff Friend, Dave Franklin
• "In a Mellow Tone" w. Milt Gabler m. Duke Ellington
• "In An Eighteenth Century Drawing Room" m. Raymond Scott
• "In The Mood" w. Andy Razaf m. Joe Garland
• "Is 'E An Aussie, Lizzie, Is 'E?" w.m. B. C. Hilliam & Malcolm McEachern
• "It's A Big, Wide, Wonderful World" w.m. John Rox
• "It's A Hap - Hap - Happy Day" w.m. Sammy Timberg, Winston Sharples & Al J. Neiburg
• "I've Got My Eyes On You" w.m. Cole Porter
• "J'attendrai" w. (Fr) Louis Poterat (Eng) Anna Sosenko m. Dino Olivieri
• "The Jumpin' Jive" w.m. Cab Calloway, Frank Froeba & Jack Palmer
• "Katie Went To Haiti" w.m. Cole Porter
• "Kiss Me Goodnight, Sergeant-Major" Art Noel, Don Pelosi
• "The Lady's In Love With You" w. Frank Loesser m. Burton Lane
• "The Lamp Is Low" w. Mitchell Parish m. Peter De Rose & Bert Shefter
• "Leanin' On The Ole Top Rail" w.m. Charles Kenny & Nick Kenny
• "Lili Marlene" w. (Ger) Hans Leip (Eng) Tommie Connor m. Norbert Schultze
• "The Little Man Who Wasn't There" w. Harold Adamson m. Bernie Hanighen
• "Love Never Went To College" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers
• "A Lover Is Blue" w.m. Charles Carpenter, James R. Mundy & Trummy Young
• "Lydia, The Tattooed Lady" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen. Introduced by Groucho Marx in the film At the Circus.
• "A Man And His Dream" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
• "The Man With The Mandolin" w. James Cavanaugh & John Redmond m. Frank Weldon
• "A Marvellous Party" w.m. Noël Coward
• "The Masquerade Is Over" w. Herb Magidson m. Allie Wrubel
• "The Moon And The Willow Tree" w. Johnny Burke m. Victor Schertzinger
• "Moon Love" w.m. Mack David, Mack Davis & Andre Kostelanetz
• "Moonlight Serenade" w. Mitchell Parish m. Glenn Miller
• "My Dearest Dear" w.m. Ivor Novello & Christopher Hassall
• "My Prayer" w. Jimmy Kennedy m. Georges Boulanger & Jimmy Kennedy
• "On A Little Street In Singapore" w.m. Peter DeRose & Billy Hill
• "On The Outside Always Lookin' In" w.m. Michael Carr
• "Over The Rainbow" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen. Introduced by Judy Garland in the film The Wizard of Oz.
• "Palms in Paradise" w. Frank Loesser m. Frederick Hollander Introduced by Dorothy Lamour in the 1940 film Typhoon.
• "Pennsylvania 6-5000" w. Carl Sigman m. Jerry Gray
• "Perfidia" w. (Eng) Milton Leeds m. Alberto Dominguez
• "Run Rabbit Run" w. Noel Gay & Ralph T. Butler m. Noel Gay
• "Scatterbrain" w.m. Johnny Burke, Carl Bean, Kahn Keene & Frankie Masters
• "She Had To Go And Lose It At The Astor" w.m. Don Raye & Hugh Prince
• "Sing A Song Of Sunbeams" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
• "Sing My Heart" w. Ted Koehler m. Harold Arlen. Introduced by Irene Dunne in the film Love Affair.
• "Somewhere In France With You" w.m. Michael Carr
• "South American Way" w. Al Dubin m. Jimmy McHugh
• "South Of The Border" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy & Michael Carr
• "Stairway To The Stars" w. Mitchell Parish m. Matty Malneck
• "Start The Day Right" w.m. Al Lewis, Maurice Spitalny & Charles Tobias
• "Strange Fruit" w.m. Lewis Allan
• "Sunrise Serenade" w. Jack Lawrence m. Frankie Carle
• "Sweet Potato Piper" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
• "'Tain't What You Do" w.m. Sy Oliver & Trummy Young
• "Tara's Theme" m. Max Steiner
• "That Sentimental Sandwich" w. Frank Loesser m. Frederick Hollander
• "That Sly Old Gentleman" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
• "They Would Wind Him Up And He Would Whistle" Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby
• "This Is It" w. Dorothy Fields m. Arthur Schwartz
• "Three Little Fishes" w.m. Saxie Dowell
• "Till The Lights Of London Shine Again" w.m. Tommie Connor, Eddie Pola
• "Too Romantic" w. Johnny Burke m. James V. Monaco
• "Traffic Jam" m. Teddy McRae & Artie Shaw
• "Tuxedo Junction" w. Buddy Feyne m. Erskine Hawkins, Williams Johnson & Julian Dash
• "Two Blind Loves" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen
• "Two O'Clock Jump" m. Harry James, Count Basie & Benny Goodman
• "Under a Blanket of Blue" w.m. Jerry Livingston, Al J. Neiburg, & Marty Symes
• "We'll Meet Again" w. Hugh Charles m. Albert Rostron Parker
• "Well, Did You Evah!" w. m. Cole Porter
• "We're Going to Hang out the Washing on the Siegfried Line" w.m. Jimmy Kennedy & Michael Carr
• "What's New?" w. Johnny Burke m. Bob Haggart
• "When You Wish upon a Star" w. Ned Washington m. Leigh Harline
• "Who's Taking You Home Tonight?" w.m. Manning Sherwin & Tommie Connor from the revue Shephard's Pie
• "Wish Me Luck" w.m. Harry Parr-Davies & Phil Park
• "Wishing (Will Make It So)" w.m. B. G. De Sylva
• "You Meet The Nicest People In Your Dreams" Al Hoffman, Al Goodhart, Manny Kurtz
• "You've Got That Look" w. Frank Loesser m. Frederick Hollander from the film Destry Rides Again

Classical music

• Agustín Barrios - Variations on a Theme of Tarrega
• Arnold Bax - Pastoral Fantasia for Viola and String Orchestra
• Arthur Bliss - Piano Concerto in B-flat
• Karl Amadeus Hartmann - Concerto funebre for Violin and String Orchestra
• Herbert Howells - Concerto for Strings
• Joaquín Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez
• Hilding Rosenberg - String Quartet No. 4
• William Schuman - American Festival Overture
• Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony No. 6 B minor, Op. 54
• Heitor Villa-Lobos - New York Sky-Line Melody
• William Walton - Violin Concerto

Opera

• Gian-Carlo Menotti - The Old Maid and the Thief (radio opera)
• Tolibjon Sadikov - Leili and Mejnun (opera)

Musical theater

• Black Velvet London revue opened at the Hippodrome Theatre on November 14 and ran for 620 performances
• The Dancing Years London production opened at the Drury Lane Theatre on March 23 and ran for 187 performances
• Du Barry Was A Lady Broadway production opened at the 46th Street Theatre on December 6 and ran for 408 performances
• Folies Bergère Broadway revue opened at the Broadway Theatre on December 25 and ran for 121 performances
• George White's Scandals of 1939 Broadway revue opened at the Alvin Theatre on August 28 and ran for 120 performances
• Haw-Haw (Music: Harry Parr Davies Words: Phil Park Script: Max Miller & Ben Lyon) opened at the Holborn Empire on December 22. Starring Bebe Daniels, Ben Lyon and Max Miller.
• The Little Revue London revue opened at The Little Theatre^{[disambiguation needed ]} on April 21 and ran for 415 performances
• Magyar Melody London production opened at His Majesty's Theatre on January 20 and ran for 105 performances
• New Pins And Needles Broadway revue (a renamed version of Pins and Needles which opened in 1937)
• Runaway Love opened at the Saville Theatre on November 3 and ran for 195 performances
• Shephard's Pie London revue opened at the Princes Theatre on December 21
• Stars in Your Eyes (Book: J. P. McEvoy Lyrics: Dorothy Fields Music: Arthur Schwartz) Broadway production opened at the Majestic Theatre on February 9 and ran for 127 performances.
• The Straw Hat Revue opened at the Ambassador Theatre on September 29 and ran for 75 performances
• The Streets of Paris Broadway revue opened at the Broadhurst Theatre on June 19 and ran for 274 performances
• Swingin' the Dream Broadway production opened at the Center Theatre on November 29 and ran for 13 performances. A musical version of A Midsummer Night's Dream starring Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman & his Sextet and Maxine Sullivan.
• Too Many Girls Broadway production opened at the Imperial Theatre on October 18 and ran for 249 performances.
• Very Warm for May Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on November 17 and ran for 59 performances

Musical films

Poster for The Wizard of Oz

• Babes In Arms starring Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland
• Balalaika released on December 15 starring Nelson Eddy and Ilona Massey
• East Side of Heaven starring Bing Crosby and Joan Blondell
• Hawaiian Nights starring Mary Carlisle, Constance Moore and Johnny Downs. Directed by Albert S. Rogell.
• Honolulu starring Eleanor Powell, Robert Young, George Burns and Gracie Allen
• Lambeth Walk starring Lupino Lane
• Love Affair starring Charles Boyer, Irene Dunne and Maria Ouspenskaya. Directed by Leo McCarey.
• Man About Town released June 29 starring Dorothy Lamour and Jack Benny, featuring Betty Grable, Phil Harris and Matty Malneck and his Orchestra.
• The Mikado starring Kenny Baker and Jean Colin
• Naughty but Nice starring Ann Sheridan and Dick Powell
• Paris Honeymoon starring Bing Crosby, Franciska Gaal, Shirley Ross and Edward Everett Horton
• Second Fiddle starring Sonja Henie, Tyrone Power, Rudy Vallee and Mary Healy. Directed by Sidney Lanfield.
• The Star Maker released on August 25 starring Bing Crosby
• Three Smart Girls Grow Up starring Deanna Durbin
• The Wizard of Oz starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Billie Burke, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr and Jack Haley.

Births

• January 3 - Gene Summers, singer-songwriter
• January 9 - Jimmy Boyd, singer and actor
• January 10 - Scott McKenzie, singer
• January 12 - William Lee Golden (The Oakridge Boys)
• January 19 - Phil Everly (The Everly Brothers)
• January 21 - Wolfman Jack, DJ
• February 11 - Gerry Goffin, songwriter
• February 12 - Ray Manzarek, keyboard player
• February 28
  • John Fahey, guitarist and composer (died 2001)
  • Tommy Tune, actor, singer and dancer
• March 1 - Warren Davis (The Monotones)
• March 8 - Robert Tear, tenor
• March 13 - Neil Sedaka, pianist and singer-songwriter
• April 1 - Rudolph Isley (The Isley Brothers)
• April 2 - Marvin Gaye, soul singer (died 1984)
• April 5 - Ronnie White (The Miracles)
• April 16 - Dusty Springfield, singer (died 1999)
• April 18 - Glen Hardin (The Crickets)
• April 20 - Johnny Tillotson, singer and songwriter
• April 21
  • Ernie Maresca, singer, songwriter and record industry executive
  • John McCabe - composer and pianist
• April 23 - Wizz Jones, guitarist, singer and songwriter
• May 1 - Judy Collins, singer
• May 7
  • Johnny Maestro), vocalist
  • Jimmy Ruffin, singer
• May 9 - Nokie Edwards (The Ventures)
• May 19
  • Nancy Kwan, dancer, singer and actress
  • Sonny Fortune, jazz musician
  • John Sheahan (The Dubliners)
• May 23 - Michel Colombier, composer and songwriter (d. 2004)
• June 6
  • Gary U.S. Bonds, singer and songwriter
  • Louis Andriessen, composer
• June 9 - Ileana Cotrubaş, operatic soprano
• June 16 - Billy "Crash" Craddock, country singer
• June 30 - Tony Hatch, composer, songwriter, pianist, music arranger and record producer
• July 1 - Delaney Bramlett (Delaney & Bonnie)
• July 2 - Paul Williams (The Temptations)
• July 3 - Brigitte Fassbaender, operatic mezzo-soprano
• July 14 - Vince Taylor, rock and roll singer (d. 1991)
• July 18
  • Dion DiMucci, singer-songwriter
  • Brian Auger, Trinity
• August 4 - Frankie Ford, singer
• August 9 - Billy Henderson (The Spinners) (d. 2007)
• August 17
  • Luther Allison, blues guitarist (d. 1997)
  • Ed Sanders (The Fugs)
• August 18 - Johnny Preston, singer
• August 19 - Ginger Baker, drummer
• August 24 - Ernie Wright (Little Anthony & the Imperials)
• August 25 – Robert Jager, American composer and theorist
• August 28 - Robert Aitken, composer
• August 30 - John Peel, influential disc jockey (d. 2004)
• August 31
  • Jerry Allison (The Crickets)
  • Cleveland Eaton, American jazz musician
• September 2
  • Sam Gooden (The Impressions)
  • Bobby Lee Dickey, singer
• September 5 - John Stewart, folk singer and songwriter (died 2008)
• September 6 - David Allan Coe, American musician
• September 8 – Guitar Shorty, American blues guitarist
• September 13 - Gene Page, arranger, producer and conductor
• September 17 – Shelby Flint, American singer
• September 18 - Frankie Avalon, singer and actor
• September 23 - Roy Buchanan, guitarist (died 1988)
• September 28 - Elbridge Bryant (The Temptations)
• September 30 - Len Cariou, Canadian actor and singer
• October 18 - Paddy Reilly, folk musician
• October 30
  • Eddie Holland, songwriter (Holland/Dozier/Holland)
  • Grace Slick, vocalist (Jefferson Airplane)
• October 31 - Gordon Bok, singer-songwriter
• November 12 - Ruby Nash Curtis (Ruby & the Romantics)
• November 17 - Yuya Uchida, singer
• November 18 - Tom Johnson, minimalist composer
• November 19 - Pete Moore (The Miracles)
• November 22 - Stefan Dimitrov, Bulgarian operatic bass
• November 23 - Jan Rooney, American singer and wife of Mickey Rooney
• November 26 - Tina Turner, singer
• November 28 - Gary Troxel (The Fleetwoods)
• December 1 – Dianne Lennon, American singer (The Lennon Sisters)
• December 4 – Freddy Cannon, American rock musician
• December 8 - Sir James Galway, flautist
• December 13 - Eric Flynn, British actor and singer (d. 2002)
• December 15 - Cindy Birdsong (The Supremes)
• December 16 - Barney McKenna (The Dubliners)
• December 17
  • Eddie Kendricks, vocalist (The Temptations)
  • James Booker, pianist and singer
• December 25 - Bob James, jazz keyboardist
• December 30 - Felix Pappalardi, rock producer and bassist (Mountain)

Deaths

• January - Abe Holzmann, composer, 64
• January 12 - Hariclea Darclée, operatic soprano, 78
• February 9 - Herschel Evans, saxophonist, 29 (heart disease)
• February 11 - Franz Schmidt, cellist, pianist and composer, 64
• February 17 - Willy Hess, violinist, 79
• March 6 - Emma Juch, operatic soprano, 77
• March 9 - Ernie Hare, US singer, 55 (bronchopneumonia)
• April 8 - Emilio Serrano y Ruiz, pianist and composer, 89
• April 21
  • Herman Finck, composer, 66
  • Joe Young, US lyricist, 49
• May 20 - Alexandra Čvanová, operatic soprano, 42 (car accident)
• June 4 - Tommy Ladnier, jazz trumpeter, 39 (heart attack)
• June 16 - Chick Webb, jazz drummer, 34
• August 3 - August Enna, composer, 80
• August 19 - Achille Fortier, composer, 74
• August 25 - Geneviève Vix, operatic soprano, 60
• October 9 - Evelyn Parnell, operatic soprano, 51 (appendicitis)
• October 14 - Polaire, singer and actress, 65
• October 16 - Ludolf Nielsen, pianist, violinist, conductor and composer, 63
• October 19 - Marie Renard, operatic mezzo-soprano, 75
• October 27 - Nelly Bromley, singer and actress, 89
• October 28 - Alice Brady, actress, 46
• October 29 - Giulio Crimi, operatic tenor, 54
• November 3 (or 4) - Charles Tournemire, organist and composer, 69
• November 9 - Charles Goulding, operatic tenor
• December 6 - Charles Dalmorès, operatic tenor, 68
• December 8 - Ernest Schelling, pianist, composer and conductor, 63
• December 18
  • Jeanne Granier, operatic soprano, 87
  • Grikor Suni, composer, 63
• December 22 - Ma Rainey, blues singer, 53 (heart attack)
• date unknown
  • Francisco de Paula Aguirre, composer of waltzes, 63
  • José Perches Enríquez, composer
  • Lena Wilson, blues singer