1942 in music

Specific locations

• 1942 in British music
• 1942 in Norwegian music

  Specific genres

• 1942 in country music
• 1942 in jazz

  Events

• February 10 – Glenn Miller receives his first gold disc, for Chattanooga Choo Choo.
• March 5 – World première of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 7, given by the Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra conducted by Samuil Samosud at Kuybyshev in Russia and broadcast across the Soviet Union. Premières in Moscow, London and New York follow by the end of July.
• March 27 – Johnny Mercer, Buddy DeSylva, and Glenn Wallichs take the first legal steps towards founding Capitol Records in the United States.
• June 22 – The Paronyan Musical Comedy Theatre of Yerevan opens in Yerevan, Armenia.
• July 8 – Music variety show Uncle Walter's Doghouse is broadcast for the last time on NBC radio in the United States.
• July 21 – In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the Goldman Band performs a unique concert, playing all original works. This is the first time a concert of music originally composed for the wind ensemble has been performed.
• August 9 – Leningrad première of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 7 with the city still under siege.
• Autumn – Hans Krása's children's opera Brundibár is premiered in the Jewish orphanage in Prague after the composer has been transported to the Theresienstadt Ghetto.
• Bunk Johnson makes his first recordings.
• James Petrillo, leader of the American Federation of Musicians, orders a ban on musicians recording new material. The labels Decca and Capitol negotiate an end to the ban in 1943, but RCA Victor and Columbia Records hold out until 1944. The strike does not include live performances in concerts and on the radio.
• Marianne Oswald co-stars with John Serry Sr. at The Town Hall in New York City.

  Albums released

• Song Hits from Holiday Inn – Bing Crosby
• Selections from George Gershwin's Folk Opera Porgy and Bess – Various Artists

  Biggest hit songs

#	Artist	Title	Year	Country	Chart Entries
1	Bing Crosby	White Christmas	1942		US 1940s 1 – Oct 1942, US BB 1 of 1942, US 1 for 11 weeks Oct 1942, Global 1 – 1942, Oscar in 1942, RYM 1 of 1942, POP 1 of 1942, Europe 2 of the 1940s, RIAA 2, Scrobulate 2 of Christmas, UK 5 – Dec 1977, AFI 5, Norway 6 – Dec 1959, US BB 7 – Dec 1955, Acclaimed 306
2	Glenn Miller	Moonlight Cocktail	1942		US 1940s 1 – Feb 1942, US 1 for 10 weeks Feb 1942, US BB 6 of 1942, POP 6 of 1942, RYM 18 of 1942, Europe 55 of the 1940s
3	Glenn Miller	Kalamazoo	1942		US 1940s 1 – Aug 1942, US 1 for 7 weeks Sep 1942, US BB 10 of 1942, POP 10 of 1942, RYM 41 of 1942, Europe 44 of the 1940s
4	Jimmy Dorsey	Tangerine	1942		US 1940s 1 – Apr 1942, US 1 for 6 weeks May 1942, US BB 4 of 1942, POP 4 of 1942, Europe 82 of the 1940s
5	Kay Kyser	Jingle Jangle Jingle	1942		US 1940s 1 – Jul 1942, US 1 for 8 weeks Jul 1942, US BB 13 of 1942, POP 21 of 1942, Europe 66 of the 1940s

Top hit records

Published popular music

• "C Jam Blues" m. Duke Ellington
• ""Murder", He Says!" w. Frank Loesser m. Jimmy McHugh
• "Abraham" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "Ain't Got A Dime To My Name" w. Johnny Burke m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "At Last" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "Baltimore Oriole" w. Paul Francis Webster & Hoagy Carmichael
• "Be Careful, It's My Heart" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "Be Like The Kettle And Sing" w.m. Connor, O'Connor & Ridley
• "Boom Shot" w. Glenn Miller & Billy May, under pseudonym Arletta May
• "Born To Lose" w.m. Frankie Brown
• "Constantly" w. Johnny Burke m. Jimmy Van Heusen. Introduced by Bing Crosby in the film Road to Morocco
• "Cow-Cow Boogie" w.m. Don Raye, Gene de Paul & Benny Carter
• "Dearly Beloved" w. Johnny Mercer m. Jerome Kern
• "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" w. Bob Russell m. Duke Ellington
• "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" w. Lew Brown & Charles Tobias m. Sam H. Stept
• "Ev'rything I've Got" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers from the musical By Jupiter
• "Glissando" m. John Serry, Sr.
• "Happiness Is Just A Thing Called Joe" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Harold Arlen
• "Happy Holiday" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "Holiday for Strings" m. David Rose
• "The House I Live In" w.m. Earl Robinson & Lewis Allan
• "I Came Here To Talk For Joe" w. Charles Tobias & Lew Brown m. Sam H. Stept
• "I Get the Neck of the Chicken" w. Frank Loesser m. Jimmy McHugh. Introduced by Marcy McGuire in the film Seven Days' Leave
• "I Had the Craziest Dream" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren. Introduced by Helen Forrest with Harry James and his Music in the film Springtime in the Rockies.
• "I Heard You Cried Last Night" w. Jerrie Kruger m. Ted Grouya
• "I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "I Lost My Sugar In Salt Lake City" w.m. Leon René & Johnny Lange
• "I Threw A Kiss In The Ocean" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "If You Are But A Dream" w.m. Moe Jaffe, Jack Fulton & Nat Bonx
• "If You Build A Better Mousetrap" Johnny Mercer, Victor Schertzinger
• "I'll Be Around" w.m. Alec Wilder
• "I'll Capture Your Heart" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "I'll Take Tallulah" w. E. Y. Harburg m. Burton Lane
• "I'm Getting Tired So I Can Sleep" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "I'm Old Fashioned" w. Johnny Mercer m. Jerome Kern
• "In The Blue Of Evening" w. Tom Adair m. Alfred D'Artega
• "It Must Be Jelly " w. Sunny Skylar m. Chummy MacGregor & George Williams
• "It Started All Over Again" w. Bill Carey m. Carl Fischer
• " Kalamazoo" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "I've Heard That Song Before" w. Sammy Cahn m. Jule Styne
• "Jingle Jangle Jingle" w. Frank Loesser m. Joseph J. Lilley
• "Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose In Ireland" w. Kay Twomey m. Al Goodhart
• "Juke Box Saturday Night" w. Al Stillman m. Paul McGrane
• "The Lamplighter's Serenade" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Hoagy Carmichael
• "Let's Get Lost" w. Frank Loesser m. Jimmy McHugh
• "Let's Start The New Year Right" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "Lover Man" w.m. Jimmy Davis, Roger "Ram"Ramirez & Jimmy Sherman
• "Mad About Him, Sad About Him, How Can I Be Glad About Him Blues" w.m. Larry Markes & Dick Charles
• "Mister Five By Five" w.m. Don Raye & Gene de Paul
• "Moonlight Becomes You" w. Johnny Burke m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "My Devotion" w.m. Roc Hillman & Johnny Napton
• "One Dozen Roses" w. Roger Lewis & Country Washburn m. Dick Jurgens & Walter Donovan
• "Pennsylvania Polka" w.m. Lester Lee & Zeke Manners
• "People Like You And Me" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "Perdido" w. Hans Lengsfelder & Ervin Drake m. Juan Tizol
• "Pistol Packin' Mama" w.m. Al Dexter
• "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition" w.m. Frank Loesser
• "Put Your Dreams Away" w.m. Ruth Lowe, Stephan Weiss & Paul Mann
• "The Road To Morocco" w. Johnny Burke m. Jimmy Van Heusen
• "Rose Ann Of Charing Cross" w. Kermit Goell m. Mabel Wayne
• "Serenade in Blue" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "Skylark" w. Johnny Mercer m. Hoagy Carmichael
• "Strip Polka" w.m. Johnny Mercer
• "That Old Black Magic" w. Johnny Mercer m. Harold Arlen
• "That's Sabotage" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "There Are Such Things" w.m. Stanley Adams, Abel Baer & George W. Meyer
• "There Will Never Be Another You" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Warren
• "There's A Star Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere" w.m. Paul Roberts & Shelby Darnell
• "This Is The Army, Mr Jones" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "This Is Worth Fighting For" w. Eddie De Lange m. Sam H. Stept
• "Three Little Sisters" w.m. Irving Taylor & Vic Mizzy
• "Trav'lin' Light" w. Sidney Clare m. Harry Akst
• "Tweedle-O-Twill" w.m. Gene Autry & Fred Rose
• "Wait Till You See Her" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers. Introduced by Ronnie Graham in the musical By Jupiter
• "Warsaw Concerto" m. Richard Addinsell
• "Well, Git It!" m. Sy Oliver
• "When the Lights Go On Again" w.m. Eddie Seiler, Sol Marcus & Bennie Benjamin
• "White Christmas" w.m. Irving Berlin
• "Who Wouldn't Love You?" w. Bill Carey m. Carl Fischer
• "Why Don't You Do Right?" w.m. Joe McCoy
• "Why Don't You Fall In Love With Me?" w. Al Lewis m. Mabel Wayne
• "You Were Never Lovelier" w. Johnny Mercer m. Jerome Kern
• "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To" w.m. Cole Porter. Performed in the 1943 musical film Something to Shout About by Don Ameche and Janet Blair.

  Classical music

Premieres

Compositions

• Arthur Benjamin – Concerto for Oboe on Themes by Cimarosa
• Alessandro Casagrande – Messa, in re minore, per soli coro e orchestra
• Aaron Copland
• *Fanfare for the Common Man
• *Rodeo
• *Lincoln Portrait
• Gerald Finzi – Let Us Garlands Bring Op. 18, song cycle on texts by Shakespeare
• Camargo Guarnieri – Abertura Concertante
• Carlos Guastavino – Once Upon A Time
• Roy Harris – Symphony No. 5
• Paul Hindemith – "Abendständchen," "Abendwolke"
• Aram Khachaturian – Gayane
• Paul von Klenau
• * Symphony No. 8 Im Alten Stil
• * String Quartet No. 2
• Raoul Koczalski – Kleine Sonate, Op. 146
• Charles Koechlin
• *Fourteen pieces for oboe and piano, Op. 179
• *Fifteen pieces for horn and piano, Op. 180
• *Three sonatines for solo flute, Op. 184
• *Suite for solo English horn, Op. 185
• *Twenty-four duos for two saxophones Op. 186
• Bohuslav Martinů
• *Madrigal-Sonata, H. 291
• *Piano Quartet No. 1
• *Variations on a Theme of Rossini, H. 290
• Selim Palmgren
• *Sun & Clouds, 12 Pieces for Piano, Op. 102
• *Jouluaatto for Chorus and Orchestra, Op. 103a
• Robert de Roos – String Quartet No. 2
• Arnold Schoenberg – Piano Concerto, Op. 42
• John Serry Sr. – Tarantella for Stradella Accordion
• Nikos Skalkottas
• * Double Bass Concerto
• * Little Suite for strings
• Richard Strauss – Horn Concerto No. 2, TrV 283
• Igor Stravinsky – Four Norwegian Moods
• Heitor Villa-Lobos – String Quartet No. 7

  [Opera]

• Dmitri Kabalevsky – In the Fire

  [Jazz]

[Musical theater]

• By Jupiter, Broadway production opened at the Shubert Theatre on June 2 and ran for 421 performances
• Du Barry Was A Lady, London production opened at His Majesty's Theatre on October 22 and ran for 178 performances
• Let's Face It!, London production opened at the Hippodrome on November 19 and ran for 348 performances
• Priorities of 1942 Broadway Revue opened March 12 at the 46th Street Theatre and ran for 353 performances.
• Show Time Broadway Revue opened September 16 at the Broadhurst Theatre and ran for 342 performances.
• Star and Garter Broadway Revue opened on June 24 at the Music Box Theatre and ran for 605 performances.
• Stars on Ice Broadway Revue opened July 2 at the Center Theatre and ran for 827 performances.
• This Is the Army Broadway Revue opened July 4 at the Broadway Theatre and ran for 113 performances.

  [Musical film]s

• Academia El Tango Argentino, starring Warly Ceriani.
• Almost Married, starring Jane Frazee, Robert Paige, Eugene Pallette and Elizabeth Patterson. Directed by Charles Lamont.
• Bala Nagamma, starring Kanchanamala.
• The Balloon Goes Up, starring Ethel Revnell, Gracie West, Donald Peers and Ronald Shiner. Directed by Redd Davis.
• Bambi
• Behind the Eight Ball, starring The Ritz Brothers, Carol Bruce, Dick Foran, Grace McDonald, Johnny Downs and William Demarest. Directed by Edward F. Cline.
• Bhakta Potana, starring Chittor V. Nagaiah.
• Born To Sing, starring Virginia Weidler, Ray McDonald, Leo Gorcey and Rags Ragland. Directed by Edward Ludwig.
• Broadway, starring George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Janet Blair, Broderick Crawford and Marjorie Rambeau. Directed by William A. Seiter.
• Cairo, starring Jeanette MacDonald, Robert Young and Ethel Waters.
• The Fleet's In, starring Dorothy Lamour, William Holden, Eddie Bracken and Betty Hutton, and featuring Jimmy Dorsey & his Orchestra with vocals by Bob Eberly and Helen O'Connell.
• Footlight Serenade, starring Betty Grable and John Payne.
• For Me and My Gal, starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly.
• Get Hep to Love, starring Gloria Jean, Donald O'Connor, Jane Frazee, Robert Paige, Peggy Ryan and Cora Sue Collins
• Give Out, Sisters, starring Laverne Andrews, Patty Andrews, Maxene Andrews, Dan Dailey and Donald O'Connor
• I Married An Angel, starring Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy and Edward Everett Horton.
• Joan of Ozark, starring Judy Canova, Joe E. Brown and Eddie Foy Jr.
• King Arthur Was a Gentleman, starring Arthur Askey, Evelyn Dall and Anne Shelton
• Melodías de América, directed by Eduardo Morera
• Moonlight in Havana, starring Allan Jones and Jane Frazee
• My Favorite Spy, starring Kay Kyser & his Band, Ellen Drew and Jane Wyman. Directed by Tay Garnett.
• Orchestra Wives, starring Ann Rutherford, George Montgomery, and Glenn Miller.
• Panama Hattie, starring Red Skelton, Ann Sothern, Virginia O'Brien and Dan Dailey, and featuring Lena Horne.
• Priorities on Parade, starring Ann Miller, Johnnie Johnston, Jerry Colonna and Betty Jane Rhodes
• Rhythm Parade, starring Nils T. Grunland, Gale Storm, Robert Lowery, The Mills Brothers and Ted Fio Rito and his Orchestra. Directed by Dave Gould and Howard Bretherton.
• Ride 'Em Cowboy, starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello and Dick Foran and featuring Ella Fitzgerald and The Merry Macs.
• Rio Rita, starring Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Kathryn Grayson and John Carroll
• Road To Morocco, starring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour.
• Rose of Tralee, starring John Longden, Lesley Brook and Angela Glynne.
• Seven Days' Leave, starring Victor Mature, Lucille Ball and Buddy Clark and featuring Ginny Simms, Les Brown & his Orchestra and Freddy Martin & his Orchestra
• Ship Ahoy, starring Eleanor Powell and Red Skelton.
• Sleepytime Gal, released March 5, starring Judy Canova and Ruth Terry and featuring Skinnay Ennis & his Orchestra.
• Springtime in the Rockies, released November 6, starring Carmen Miranda, Betty Grable and John Payne and featuring Harry James and his Music and Six Hits and a Miss.
• Star Spangled Rhythm, starring Betty Hutton and Eddie Bracken, and featuring Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Paulette Goddard, Veronica Lake, Mary Martin, Dick Powell and Vera Zorina.
• Strictly in the Groove, starring Mary Healy, Richard Davies and Leon Errol and featuring Martha Tilton, The Dinning Sisters and Ozzie Nelson & his Band
• Sweater Girl, released July 13, starring Eddie Bracken and June Preisser and featuring Betty Jane Rhodes.
• We'll Smile Again, starring Bud Flanagan, Chesney Allen and Meinhart Maur.
• Yankee Doodle Dandy, starring James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Irene Manning and Frances Langford.
• You Were Never Lovelier, starring Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth.

  Births

• January 1
• *F. R. David, French musician
• *Kornelije Kovač, Serbian composer
• *Country Joe McDonald, singer
• *Judy Stone, Australian singer-songwriter
• January 4 – Precious Bryant, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• January 5 – Maurizio Pollini, pianist
• January 8 – John Petersen
• January 11 – Clarence Clemons, musician
• January 16
• *William Francis
• *Barbara Lynn, R&B guitarist and singer
• January 18 – Bobby Goldsboro, singer-songwriter
• January 19 – Nara Leão, Brazilian singer
• January 20 – William Powell
• January 21 – Edwin Starr, singer
• January 30 – Marty Balin, vocalist
• February 2 – Graham Nash, singer-songwriter
• February 5 – Cory Wells, vocalist
• February 8 – Terry Melcher, American singer-songwriter and producer
• February 9 – Carole King, singer-songwriter
• February 11 – Otis Clay, gospel/R&B-singer
• February 13 – Peter Tork, musician/actor
• February 19 – Phil Coulter, folk musician and songwriter
• February 28 – Brian Jones
• March 2
• *Lou Reed, singer-songwriter
• *Meir Ariel, Israeli musician
• *
• March 3 – Mike Pender, vocalist
• March 13
• *Meic Stevens, singer-songwriter
• *Scatman John, American music artist, known for scat singing and dance music fusion
• March 15 – Jerry Jeff Walker, country singer
• March 20 – Robin Luke, rockabilly singer
• March 25 – Aretha Franklin, soul singer
• March 28 – Samuel Ramey, operatic bass
• April 1
• *Alan Blakely
• *Phil Margo
• *Danny Brooks
• April 2
• *Phil Castrodale
• *Leon Russell, singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist
• April 3
• *Wayne Newton, singer
• *Billy Joe Royal, singer
• April 4 – Major Lance, R&B singer
• April 5 – Allan Clarke, singer
• April 8 – Roger Chapman, vocalist
• April 18 – Mike Vickers
• April 19
• *Alan Price, singer-songwriter and keyboard player
• *Clive Strutt, composer
• April 24 – Barbra Streisand, US singer and actress
• April 26 – Bobby Rydell, US singer and sometime actor
• April 27 – Jim Keltner, US rock session drummer
• April 29 – Vini Poncia, songwriter
• May 1 – Charlie Allen, singer-songwriter
• May 4 – Nick Ashford
• May 5 – Tammy Wynette, country singer
• May 6 – Colin Earl
• May 9 – Tommy Roe, singer
• May 12
• *Ian Dury, singer-songwriter
• *Billy Swan, singer and songwriter
• May 18 – Albert Hammond, singer-songwriter
• May 20 – Jill Jackson, singer
• May 23 – Fred Wedlock, folk singer
• May 26 – Ray Ennis
• June 3 – Curtis Mayfield, singer, songwriter and record producer
• June 6 – Paul Esswood, countertenor
• June 8 – Chuck Negron
• June 12 – Len Barry, singer
• June 15 – Birgitte Alsted, Danish violinist, teacher and composer
• June 16 – Edward Levert
• June 18
• *Paul McCartney, singer, songwriter and composer
• *Hans Vonk, Dutch conductor
• June 19
• *Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane
• *Ralna English, American singer
• June 20 – Brian Wilson, songwriter
• June 24 – Mick Fleetwood, drummer
• June 27 – Bruce Johnston, American musician
• June 28 – David Miner, musician and record producer
• July 4 – Peter Rowan, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
• July 5 – Matthias Bamert, conductor
• July 11 – Tomasz Stańko, free jazz trumpeter
• July 12
• *Swamp Dogg, soul singer
• *Steve Young, country singer
• July 13
• *Stephen Jo Bladd
• *Roger McGuinn
• *Jay Uzzell
• July 18 – Bobby Susser, American songwriter and producer
• July 25 – Bruce Woodly
• July 27 – Kim Fowley, record producer and songwriter
• August 1 – Jerry Garcia, guitarist
• August 5 – Rick Huxley, pop bass guitarist
• August 7
• *B. J. Thomas, singer
• *Caetano Veloso, Brazilian singer/songwriter
• August 8 – Jay David
• August 11
• *Mike Hugg, singer, songwriter and instrumentalist
• *Guy Villari
• August 16 – Barbara George, R&B singer-songwriter
• August 20 – Isaac Hayes, soul and funk musician
• August 22 – Joseph Chambers
• August 25 – Walter Williams
• August 27 – Daryl Dragon
• August 29 – Sterling Morrison
• September 3 – Al Jardine
• September 4 – Merald "Bubba" Knight
• September 8 – Sal Valentino
• September 10 – Danny Hutton
• September 15 – Lee Dorman, bassist
• September 16 – Bernie Calvert
• September 19
• *Danny Kalb
• *Freda Payne, singer
• September 21
• *Jill Gomez, soprano
• *U-Roy, reggae musician
• September 24
• *Phyllis Allbut
• *Ilkka "Danny" Lipsanen, Finnish singer
• *Gerry Marsden, singer and actor
• September 27 – Alvin Stardust, singer
• September 28 – Tim Maia, Brazilian singer and songwriter
• September 29 – Jean-Luc Ponty, violinist
• September 30
• *Gus Dudgeon, record producer
• *Mike Harrison,
• *Frankie Lymon, singer
• October 5 – Richard Street
• October 12
• *Melvin Franklin
• *Daliah Lavi, Israeli actress and singer
• October 17 – Gary Puckett, singer
• October 21 – Elvin Bishop, guitarist
• October 22
• *Annette Funicello, singer and actress
• *Bobby Fuller
• October 24 – Don Gant, singer/songwriter, record producer
• October 26 – Milton Nascimento, Brazilian singer/songwriter
• October 27 – Lee Greenwood, country singer-songwriter
• November 5 – Pierangelo Bertoli, Italian singer-songwriter
• November 7 – Johnny Rivers, singer, songwriter, guitarist and record producer
• November 13
• *John P. Hammond, blues singer and guitarist
• *Roger Lee Hall, composer and musicologist
• November 15 – Daniel Barenboim, pianist and conductor
• November 17 – Bob Gaudio
• November 20
• *Norman Greenbaum, singer
• *Meredith Monk, composer
• November 27 – Jimi Hendrix, rock guitarist
• December 4 – Chris Hillman
• December 7 – Harry Chapin, singer-songwriter
• December 8 – Bobby Elliott, drummer
• December 13 – Neil Aspinall, road manager for the Beatles
• December 15 – Dave Clark
• December 17 – Paul Butterfield, blues musician and singer
• December 29
• *Dinah Christie, English-born Canadian actress and singer
• *Jerry Summers
• December 30 – Michael Nesmith, singer-songwriter
• December 31 – Andy Summers, guitarist,

  Deaths

• January 1 – Jaroslav Ježek, composer, 35
• January 2 – Henriette Gottlieb, operatic soprano, 57
• January 14
• *Harry Champion, music hall composer, 76
• *Fred Fisher, songwriter, 66
• February 15 – Stanislav Binički, Serbian composer, conductor and music teacher, 69
• February 22
• *Vera Timanova, Russian pianist, 87
• *Stefan Zweig, Jewish librettist of Richard Strauss, 60
• February 25 – Leo Ascher, composer and songwriter, 61
• March 2 – Charlie Christian, jazz guitarist, 25
• March 15 – Alexander von Zemlinsky, conductor and composer, 70
• March 20 – Aksel Agerby, composer, organist, and music administrator, 52
• April 3 – Paul Gilson, composer, 76
• April 11 – Frederick Hobbs, singer, actor and theatre manager, 61
• April 27 – Emil von Sauer, pianist and composer, 79
• May 7 – Felix Weingartner, editor and conductor,
• May 14 – Frank Churchill, US composer, 40
• May 15 – T-Bone Slim, poet and songwriter
• May 26 – Libero Bovio, Neapolitan lyricist, 68
• June 2 – Bunny Berigan, jazz trumpeter, 33
• June 12
• *Ernst Heuser, composer, 79
• *Walter Leigh, composer, 36
• June 17 – Jessie Bond, singer and actress in Gilbert & Sullivan, 89
• June 18
• *Arthur Pryor, trombonist and bandleader, 71
• *Daniel Alomía Robles, Peruvian composer and musicologist, 71
• July 30
• *Jimmy Blanton, jazz double-bassist, 23
• *Dorothy Silk, soprano, 59
• August 12 – Pasquale Amato, operatic baritone, 64
• August 18 – Erwin Schulhoff, pianist and composer, 48
• August 22 – Michel Fokine, dancer and choreographer, 62
• August 28 – Caleb Simper, organist and composer, 85
• September 9 – William Murdoch, arranger and pianist
• October 7 – Norman Gale, lyricist and writer
• October 15 – Dame Marie Tempest, opera and musical comedy singer, 78
• October 23 – Ralph Rainger, US composer and pianist, 41
• November 1 – Hugo Distler, composer, 34
• November 5 – George M. Cohan, songwriter and music hall star, 64
• November 24 – Peadar Kearney, lyricist of the Irish national anthem, 58
• December 3 – Wilhelm Peterson-Berger, Swedish composer
• December 18 – António D'Andrade, opera singer, 88
• December 20 – Jean Gilbert, composer and conductor, 63
• December 21 – Francis Bousquet, French composer of classical music, 52
• December 23 – Konstantin Balmont, dedicatee and lyricist, 75
• December 25 – George L. Cobb, ragtime composer, 56