•
January 3 –
Van Dyke Parks, singer, arranger and composer •
January 9 •
Joan Baez, folk singer •
Roy Head, singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2020) •
January 11 –
Dave Edwards, American musician (died
2000) •
January 12 –
Long John Baldry, R&B singer (Blues Incorporated) (died
2005) •
January 15 –
Captain Beefheart, musician and artist (died 2010) •
January 18 –
David Ruffin, soul singer (
The Temptations) (died 1991) •
January 20 –
Ron Townson, pop singer (
The 5th Dimension) (died 2001) •
January 21 •
Plácido Domingo, operatic tenor •
Richie Havens, folk singer (died
2013) •
January 24 •
Michael Chapman, folk guitarist and singer-songwriter (died 2021) •
Neil Diamond, singer-songwriter •
Aaron Neville, R&B and soul vocalist and musician (
The Neville Brothers) •
January 27 –
Bobby Hutcherson, American jazz musician (died
2016) •
January 28 –
Cash McCall, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died
2010) •
February 4 –
John Steel, rock drummer
The Animals •
February 5 •
Henson Cargill, country singer (died 2007) •
Barrett Strong, Motown singer-songwriter (died 2023) •
Cory Wells, rock singer (
Three Dog Night) (died 2015) •
February 11 • Earl Lewis, doo-wop singer-songwriter (
The Channels) •
Sérgio Mendes, Brazilian keyboard player and Latin American musician (died 2024) •
Tom Rush, folk & blues singer •
February 12 –
Dominguinhos, Brazilian composer, accordionist and singer (died 2013) •
February 15 –
Brian Holland, songwriter •
February 17 –
Gene Pitney, pop singer-songwriter (died 2006) •
February 18 •
Herman Santiago, rock & roll singer-songwriter (
Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers) •
Irma Thomas, soul singer •
February 20 –
Buffy Sainte-Marie, singer and composer •
February 24 –
Joanie Sommers, singer and actress •
March 5 –
Alain Boublil, librettist •
March 6 –
Palle Mikkelborg, jazz trumpeter and composer •
March 8 –
Ivana Loudová, composer (died 2017) •
March 12 –
Paul Kantner, psychedelic rock guitarist (
Jefferson Airplane,
KBC Band) (died 2016) •
March 15 –
Mike Love, rock singer (
The Beach Boys) •
March 18 –
Wilson Pickett, soul singer (died 2006) •
March 22 –
Jeremy Clyde, singer (
Chad and Jeremy) •
March 24 –
Michael Masser, songwriter, composer and producer of popular music (died
2015) •
March 28 –
Alf Clausen, orchestra conductor (
The Simpsons) •
March 30 –
Graeme Edge (
The Moody Blues) (died 2021) •
April 3 •
Jan Berry, American singer (
Jan & Dean) (died
2004) •
Jorma Hynninen, Finnish baritone •
Philippé Wynne, American musician (died
1984) •
April 5 •
David LaFlamme, born Gary Posie, American classical and rock violinist (
It's a Beautiful Day) •
Dave Swarbrick, English folk rock fiddle player (
Fairport Convention) (died
2016) •
April 9 –
Kay Adams, American country singer •
April 17 –
Adolphus Hailstork, American composer and educator •
April 19 –
Roberto Carlos, Brazilian singer •
April 21 –
Jim Owen, American country singer-songwriter (died
2020) •
April 22 –
Dieter Kaufmann, Austrian composer (died
2025) •
April 28 •
Peter Anders, American songwriter (
The Tradewinds) •
Ann-Margret, Swedish-born American actress and singer •
April 30 –
Johnny Farina, American rock and roll musician (
Santo & Johnny) •
May 4 – Richard Burns (
The Hondells) •
May 8 –
John Fred, vocalist (
John Fred & His Playboy Band) (died
2005) •
May 9 •
Peter Birrell (
Freddie & The Dreamers) •
Danny Rapp, American singer (
Danny and the Juniors) (died 1983) •
May 11 –
Eric Burdon, R&B singer (
The Animals) •
May 13 •
Joe Brown, singer and guitarist •
Ritchie Valens, singer (died 1959) •
May 18 –
Lobby Loyde, Australian guitarist, songwriter and producer (
Billy Thorpe & the Aztecs,
Purple Hearts,
Wild Cherries and
Rose Tattoo) (died 2007) •
May 21 –
Ronald Isley (
The Isley Brothers) •
May 24 • Konrad Boehmer, composer •
Bob Dylan, folk singer-songwriter •
May 27 –
Teppo Hauta-aho, Finnish double bassist and composer •
June 1 –
Edo de Waart, conductor •
June 2 •
William Guest, R&B/soul singer (
Gladys Knight & the Pips) (died 2015) •
Charlie Watts, rock drummer (
The Rolling Stones) (died 2021) •
June 5 –
Martha Argerich, pianist •
June 7 –
Jaime Laredo, Bolivian-American violinist and conductor •
June 8 –
Fuzzy Haskins, musician (died 2023) •
June 9 –
Jon Lord, rock keyboard player and composer (
Deep Purple) (died
2012) •
June 10 •
Mickey Jones, rock drummer and character actor (died
2018) •
Shirley Owens, soul singer (
The Shirelles) •
Aida Vedishcheva, Soviet and Russian singer •
June 12 •
Chick Corea, jazz musician (died 2021) •
Roy Harper, folk rock singer-songwriter •
Reg Presley, rock singer-songwriter (
The Troggs) (died 2013) •
June 13 –
Esther Ofarim, singer •
June 15 –
Harry Nilsson, singer-songwriter (died
1994) •
June 16 –
Lamont Dozier, songwriter (died
2022) •
June 23 –
Robert Hunter, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (
The Grateful Dead) (died 2019) •
June 24 –
Erkin Koray, Turkish musician •
July 5 –
Terry Cashman, record producer and singer-songwriter •
July 7 –
Jim Rodford, bass guitarist (
Argent) (died 2018) •
July 16 –
Desmond Dekker, reggae musician (died 2006) •
July 17 •
Spencer Davis, instrumentalist (
The Spencer Davis Group) (died 2020) •
Gribouille, chanteuse (died 1968) •
July 18 •
Lonnie Mack, rock and blues guitarist (died 2016) •
Martha Reeves, vocalist •
July 19 –
Vicki Carr, singer •
July 22 •
Estelle Bennett (
The Ronettes) (died
2009) •
George Clinton, American musician •
July 25 –
Manny Charlton, hard rock lead guitarist and record producer (
Nazareth) (died
2022) •
July 26 –
Brenton Wood, singer-songwriter •
July 27 –
Johannes Fritsch, composer and violist (died 2010) •
July 28 –
Riccardo Muti, conductor •
July 30 –
Paul Anka, singer-songwriter •
August 2 –
Doris Coley (
The Shirelles) (died 2000) •
August 3 –
Beverly Lee (
The Shirelles) •
August 14 •
David Crosby, rock singer-songwriter (
The Byrds,
Crosby, Stills & Nash) (died 2023) •
Connie Smith, country singer-songwriter •
August 20 –
Dave Brock (
Hawkwind) •
August 21 •
Tom Coster (
Santana) •
Jackie DeShannon, singer-songwriter •
August 22 –
Marvell Thomas, African-American Memphis blues keyboardist (died 2017) •
August 24 –
Kenny Rogers, country musician (died 2020) •
August 26 –
Chris Curtis (
The Searchers) (died 2005) •
August 27 –
Cesária Évora,
morna vocalist (died 2011) •
August 28 –
Joseph Shabalala, choral director (
Ladysmith Black Mambazo) (died 2020) •
August 30 –
John McNally (
The Searchers) •
September 9 –
Otis Redding, soul singer (died 1967) •
September 10 –
Christopher Hogwood, conductor and harpsichordist (died 2014) •
September 13 –
David Clayton-Thomas, vocalist (
Blood, Sweat & Tears) •
September 14 •
Alberto Naranjo, arranger and composer (died 2020) •
James Anthony Carmichael, American musician •
September 19 –
Cass Elliot, singer (died 1974) •
September 24 –
Linda McCartney (
Wings) (died 1998) •
September 26 –
Salvatore Accardo, Italian violinist and conductor •
October 2 –
Ron Meagher (
The Beau Brummels) •
October 3 –
Chubby Checker, singer •
October 4 –
Mighty Shadow, Trinidadian calypsonian (died
2018) •
October 13 –
Paul Simon, singer-songwriter •
October 17 • Alan Howard (
The Tremeloes) •
James Seals (
Seals and Crofts) (died 2022) •
October 21 –
Steve Cropper, R&B guitarist and songwriter (
Booker T. & the M.G.'s) (died 2025) •
October 24 –
Helen Reddy, singer (died 2020) •
October 28 •
Curtis Lee, singer (died 2015) •
Hank Marvin, guitarist (
The Shadows) •
October 30 –
Otis Williams, vocalist (
The Temptations) •
November 2 •
Brian Poole, singer (
The Tremeloes) •
Bruce Welch, guitarist and singer (
The Shadows) •
November 5 –
Art Garfunkel, singer (
Simon and Garfunkel) •
November 6 •
James Bowman, countertenor (died 2023) •
Guy Clark, folk singer-songwriter (died 2016) •
Doug Sahm, Tex-Mex musician (
Sir Douglas Quintet) (died 1999) •
November 8 –
Simon Standage, baroque violinist •
November 9 –
Tom Fogerty, rock rhythm guitarist (
Creedence Clearwater Revival) (died 1990) •
November 13 –
Odia Coates, singer (died 1991) •
November 16 –
Dan Penn, American singer-songwriter and producer •
November 20 –
Dr. John, American singer-songwriter and musician (died 2019) •
November 21 –
David Porter, American soul musician •
November 24 •
Pete Best, rock drummer (
The Beatles, original lineup) •
Donald "Duck" Dunn, rock bass guitarist (
Booker T. & the M.G.'s,
The Blues Brothers) (died 2012) •
November 27 –
Eddie Rabbitt, country singer-songwriter (
Amos Garrett) (died 1998) •
November 29 –
Denny Doherty, folk singer (
The Mamas & the Papas) (died 2007) •
December 2 –
Tom McGuinness, English pop guitarist (
Manfred Mann) •
December 8 -
Bobby Elliott, drummer (
The Hollies) •
December 10 •
Kyu Sakamoto, Japanese singer and actor (died 1985) •
Peter Sarstedt, Indian-born British singer-songwriter (died 2017) •
Chad Stuart, English folk rock singer (
Chad & Jeremy) (died 2020) •
December 12 –
Tim Hauser, American singer (
The Manhattan Transfer) (died 2014) •
December 18 –
Sam Andrew, American rock musician (
Big Brother & The Holding Company) (died 2015) •
December 19 –
Maurice White, American R&B musician (
Earth, Wind and Fire) (died 2016) •
December 27 •
Les Maguire, English pop pianist (
Gerry & the Pacemakers) •
Mike Pinder, English rock keyboard player (
The Moody Blues) •
December 29 –
Ray Thomas, English rock flautist and singer-songwriter (The Moody Blues) (died 2018) ==Deaths==