1937 in music

Events

January 21 – Paul Sacher conducts the world première of Béla Bartók's Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta in Basel.

January 24 – Ernest John Moeran completes the revised version of his Symphony in G minor, dedicated to conductor Hamilton Harty.

March 6 – Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears first meet, in London.

May 12 – At the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in Westminster Abbey, William Walton's ceremonial march, "Crown Imperial", originally written for his predecessor, King Edward VIII, is performed for the first time.

June 2 – The incomplete version of Alban Berg's opera Lulu is premièred in Zürich (it is later completed in a version premiered in 1979)

June 8 – Première of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana in Frankfurt, Germany.

August 27 – Benjamin Britten's string orchestral work Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge, Op. 10, receives its concert première at the Salzburg Festival, bringing the composer to international attention.

November 30 – Ruth Etting divorces Martin Snyder.

December 25 – At the age of 70, legendary Italian-born conductor Arturo Toscanini conducts the NBC Symphony Orchestra on U.S. radio for the first time, beginning his successful 17-year tenure with that orchestra. This first concert consists of music by Vivaldi (at a time when he is seldom played), Mozart, and Brahms. Millions tune in to listen, including U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

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.

Top hit recordings

"Boo Hoo" – Guy Lombardo

"Goodnight, My Love" – Benny Goodman

"It Looks Like Rain in Cherry Blossom Lane" – Guy Lombardo

"Je chante/Fleur bleue" – Charles Trenet

"On a Little Bamboo Bridge" by Louis Armstrong written by Abner Silver and Al Sherman

"Once in a While" – Tommy Dorsey

"Peace in the Valley" – Mahalia Jackson, gospel music hit written by Thomas A. Dorsey

"September In the Rain" – Guy Lombardo

"Sweet Leilani" – Bing Crosby

"That Old Feeling" – Shep Fields

"The Dipsy Doodle" – Tommy Dorsey

"The Moon Got In My Eyes" – Bing Crosby

"Whispers In the Dark" – Bob Crosby

"Vieni Vieni" – Rudy Vallee

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

"Community Swing" m. Glenn Miller

"Dear Mr Gable (You Made Me Love You)" 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

"The Morning After" w.m. Tommy Dorsey, Moe Jaffe & Clay Boland

"My Fine Feathered Friend" w. Harold Adamson m. Jimmy McHugh

"My Funny Valentine" w. Lorenz Hart m. Richard Rodgers

"Never in a Million Years" w. Mack Gordon m. Harry Revel

"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

Compositions

Luciano Berio – Pastorale for piano

Arthur Bliss – Checkmate (ballet)

Rutland Boughton – Symphony No. 3 in B minor

Benjamin Britten – Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge

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 (composed 1929–35; incomplete opera premiered 1937)

Walter Damrosch – The Man without a Country

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.

Chintamani, starring M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar

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.

Duniya Na Mane, starring Shanta Apte

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

La Habanera, starring Zarah Leander

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.

Mayfair Melody, starring Keith Falkner, Chili Bouchier and Bruce Lester.

Maytime, starring Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy and John Barrymore.

Melodías porteñas, starring Enrique Santos Discépolo

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.

My Song Goes Forth, starring Paul Robeson

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 at Midnight, directed by Ma-Xu Weibang.

Song of the Forge, starring Stanley Holloway.

Stardust, starring Ben Lyon and Lupe Vélez.

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 29– Bobby Scott, American singer-songwriter, pianist, and producer (died 1990)

January 31 – Philip Glass, composer

February 1

Don Everly (Everly Brothers)

Ray Sawyer (Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show)

February 2 – Martina Arroyo, operatic soprano

February 8 – Joe Raposo, composer and lyricist (Clark Gesner, Nile Rodgers)

February 9 – Hildegard Behrens, operatic soprano (died 2009)

February 10 – Don Wilson (The Ventures)

February 14 – Magic Sam, American singer and guitarist (died 1969)

February 20 – Nancy Wilson, singer

February 27 – David Ackles, singer-songwriter (died 1999)

March 1 – Jimmy Little, Australian guitarist, actor and educator (died 2012)

March 17 – Adam Wade, singer, drummer and actor

March 20 – Jerry Reed, country musician (Smokey and the Bandit)

March 24 – Billy Stewart, scat singer (died 1970)

April 5 – Marisa Robles, harpist

April 17 – Don Buchla, pioneer of the synthesizer (died 2016)

May 1 – Bo Nilsson, composer and lyricist

May 4 – Dick Dale, surf rock guitarist

May 5

Delia Derbyshire, electronic composer (died 2001)

Johnnie Taylor, blues and soul 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) (died 2005)

June 15 – Waylon Jennings, country singer (died 2002)

June 30 - Larry Henley, American singer-songwriter (The Newbeats) (died 2014)

July 6

Gene Chandler, singer-songwriter

Vladimir Ashkenazy, pianist and conductor

July 12 – Guy Woolfenden, composer (died 2016)

July 22 – Chuck Jackson, R&B singer

July 26 – Al Banks (The Turbans)

July 31 – Bonnie Brown (The Browns)

August 2 – Garth Hudson, Canadian keyboard player, songwriter, and producer (The Band and The Call)

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 9 – Joan Carden, operatic soprano

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 (died 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 28 – Rita Orlandi-Malaspina, operatic soprano

December 30 – John Hartford, folk and country musician and composer (died 2001)

date unknown – Farhad Fakhreddini, conductor and composer, founder of Iran's National Orchestra

Deaths

February 14 – Erkki Melartin, Finnish composer (born 1875)

March 12

Charles-Marie Widor, composer (b. 1844)

Jenő Hubay, composer and violinist (b. 1858)

March 22 – Thorvald Aagaard, composer (b. 1877)

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 6 – Blind Uncle Gaspard, Cajun vocalist and guitarist (b. 1878)

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)

November 29 – Ferdinand Buescher, instrument manufacturer (b. 1861)

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)