1943 in music

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

• Oklahoma - Original soundtrack
• Reveille with Beverly - Original soundtrack

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

Clarinetist and bandleader Benny Goodman in 1943

Trumpeter and bandleader Harry James, 1943

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

Published popular music

• "All Er Nuthin'" w. Oscar Hammerstein II m. Richard Rodgers
• "Amor" w. (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
• "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
• "If You Please" w. Johnny Burke m. James 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. James 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. Harry Warren
• "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. Hugh 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. James Van Heusen
• "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

Yehudi Menuhin in 1943

• Béla Bartók - Concerto for Orchestra
• Benjamin Britten - Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings
• Reinhold Glière - 25 let Krasnoj Armii (25 Years of the Red Army), Ouverture for wind-orchestra op. 84
• Paul Hindemith
  • Symphonic Metamorphoses on Themes of Weber for orchestra
  • Ludus Tonalis, for piano
• Joaquin Homs - Choral Mass
• Rued Langgaard - Concerto in one movement for violin and orchestra
• Bohuslav Martinů
  • Symphony No. 2
  • In Memory of Lidice
  • Concerto for Two Pianos
  • Violin Concerto
• Vítězslav Novák - May Symphony, for soli, chorus and orchestra
• Carl Orff - Catulli Carmina (revised version)
• Walter Piston - Symphony No. 2
• Manuel Ponce - Viola Concerto
• Sergei Prokofiev - Flute Sonata in D Major
• William Schuman - Symphony No. 5, for strings
• Dmitri Shostakovich - Symphony No. 8
• Eduard Tubin - Suite on Estonian Dances for Violin and Piano
• Ralph Vaughan Williams - Symphony No. 5 in D Major
• William Walton - The Quest (ballet)

Opera

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

Musical theater

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

Musical films

• 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 (d. 1973)
• January 14 - Mariss Jansons, conductor
• January 16
  • Brian Ferneyhough, composer
  • Gavin Bryars, composer
• January 17 - Chris Montez, singer
• January 18 - Dave Greenslade, keyboard player (Thunderbird, Colisseum, Greenslade)
• January 19 - Janis Joplin, blues singer (d. 1971)
• January 29 - Tony Blackburn, British radio DJ and singer
• January 30 - Marty Balin, American rock musician (Jefferson Airplane)
• February 3
  • Dennis Edwards (The Temptations)
  • Shawn Phillips, folk-rock musician
• February 5 - Chuck Winfield (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
• February 6 - Fabian, teen idol singer
• February 8 - Creed Bratton (The Grass Roots)
• February 9 - Barbara Lewis, singer and songwriter
• February 14 - Eric Andersen, singer-songwriter
• February 19 - Lou Christie, singer
• February 21 - David Geffen, record executive
• February 23 - Moshe Cotel, American composer and pianist (d. 2008)
• February 25 - George Harrison, guitarist, singer and songwriter, member of The Beatles (d. 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 - Jim Pons (The Turtles, The Mothers Of Invention)
• March 18 - Dennis Linde, songwriter
• March 21 - Vivian Stanshall, English singer-songwriter (The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band) (d. 1995)
• March 22 - Keith Relf, British rock musician (The Yardbirds) (d. 1976)
• March 25 - Royston Maldoom OBE, British choreographer
• March 29
  • Eric Idle, English actor, writer, and composer
  • Vangelis, Greek musician and composer

April–June

• April 2
  • Larry Coryell
  • Glen Dale (The Fortunes)
• April 3
  • Richard Manuel (The Band)
  • Joe Vann (The Duprees)
• April 7 - Mick Abrahams, guitarist (Jethro Tull)
• April 9 - Terry Knight, music producer, singer and songwriter (d. 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
  • Terry Allen, American country music singer
  • Rick West, The Tremeloes
• May 8
  • Paul Samwell-Smith, The Yardbirds, Renaissance
  • Toni Tennille, The Captain & Tennille
• May 9 - Bruce Milner, Every Mother's Son
• May 11
  • Les Chadwick, Gerry & The Pacemakers
  • Arnie Satin, The Dovells
• May 13 - Mary Wells, singer (d. 1992)
• May 14
  • Derek Leckenby (Herman's Hermits)
  • Jack Bruce, guistarist (Cream)
• May 25 - Leslie Uggams, US singer
• May 26 - Levon Helm, The Band
• May 27 - Cilla Black, singer and entertainer
• May 28 - Tony Mansfield, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
• June 2 - Jimmy Castor
• 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, singer, pianist, arranger and songwriter
• June 23 - James Levine, conductor and pianist
• June 26 - Georgie Fame, R & B musician
• June 28 - Bobby Harrison, Procol Harum
• June 29 - Little Eva (d. 2003)
• June 30 - Florence Ballard, The Supremes (d. 1976)

July–September

• July 1 - Jeff Wayne, American musician
• July 3 - Judith Durham, singer (The Seekers)
• July 4
  • Alan Wilson (Canned Heat) (d. 1970)
  • Conny Bauer, jazz trombonist
• July 12 - Christine McVie, singer (Fleetwood Mac)
• July 18
  • Robin MacDonald, Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas
  • Bobby Sherman
• 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 (Pink Floyd) (d. 2008)
• August 2
  • Patrick Adiarte, American actor and dancer
  • Kathy Lennon, American singer (The Lennon Sisters)
• August 4 - David Carr, keyboardist (The Fortunes)
• August 10 - Ronnie Spector, singer
• August 11 - Denis Payton, saxophonist (The Dave Clark Five)
• August 19 - Billy J. Kramer, singer (Billy J. Kramer & The Dakotas)
• August 24 - John Cipollina (Quicksilver Messenger Service) (d. 1989)
• August 26 - Dori Caymmi, Brazilian singer/songwriter
• August 28
  • Honey Lantree, drummer (The Honeycombs)
  • David Soul, singer and actor
• August 29 - Dick Halligan (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
• September 2
  • Rosalind Ashford, vocalits (Martha and the Vandellas)
  • Joe Simon
• September 5 - Joe Speedo Frazier (The Impalas)
• September 6 - Roger Waters (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
  • Steve Boone (The Lovin' Spoonful)
  • Julio Iglesias, singer
• September 25
  • John Locke (Spirit)
  • Gary Alexander (The Association
• September 26 - Georgie Fame, R&B singer)
• September 27 - Randy Bachman (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 (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 (Pentangle)
• November 7 - Joni Mitchell, singer-songwriter
• November 12
  • Brian Hyland, singer
  • Jimmy Hayes, The Persuasions
• November 12 - John Maus, vocalist (The Walker Brothers)
• November 16 - Winifred Lovett (The Manhattans)
• November 28 - Randy Newman, singer-songwriter
• November 30
  • Leo Lyons (Ten Years After)
  • Rob Grill (The Grass Roots)
• December 6 - Mike Smith, singer-songwriter (The Dave Clark Five) (d. 2008)
• December 8 - Jim Morrison, singer (The Doors) (d. 1971)
• December 9 - Rick Danko, The Band
• December 10 - Chad Stuart, singer (Chad and Jeremy)
• December 12
  • Dickey Betts, The Allman Brothers Band
  • Dave Munden The Tremeloes
  • Grover Washington, Jr.
• December 16 - Tony Hicks, guitarist (The Hollies)
• December 18 -
  • Keith Richards, Guitarist, The Rolling Stones
  • Bobby Keys, Saxaphonist
• December 23

Harry Shearer, actor, musician (This Is Spinal Tap)

• December 27 - Peter Sinfield, British lyricist and producer
• December 31
  • John Denver, singer-songwriter (d. 1997)
  • Peter Quaife (The Kinks)

Deaths

• February 7
  • Clara Novello Davies, singer, mother of Ivor Novello, 81
  • Sigrid Arnoldson, operatic soprano, 82
• February 17 - Armand J. Piron, jazz violinist, bandleader and composer, 54
• March 7 - Alma Moodie, violinist, 44 (drug overdose)
• March 8 - Alice Nielsen, Broadway performer and opera tic soprano, 70
• March 19 - Abel Decaux, composer, 74
• March 28
  • Ben Davies, operatic tenor, 85
  • Sergei Rachmaninoff, composer, 69
• April 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
  • Frank Crumit, US singer, 53
  • Karlrobert Kreiten, pianist
• 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
  • Jane Avril, can-can dancer
  • Max Bouvet, operatic baritone
  • Edoardo Garbin, operatic tenor
  • Harry Kandel, bandleader
  • Erhard Wechselmann, operatic baritone, 48 (killed in Auschwitz concentration camp)

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