1958 in music

right|thumb|[[André Claveau (right) wins at Eurovision 1958]]

This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1958.

Specific locations

1958 in British music
1958 in Norwegian music

Specific genres

1958 in country music
1958 in jazz

Events

January – Maria Callas, opening the Rome Opera House season with Norma with Italy's president, Giovanni Gronchi, in the audience, cancels after the first act because of voice problems. Anita Cerquetti assumes the role in Rome while simultaneously singing Norma in Naples, to great acclaim.
January 24 – Paul McCartney makes his first appearance at The Cavern Club in Liverpool with The Quarrymen.
February – 45,000 people in one week watch performances of "rokabirī" music by Japanese singers at the first Nichigeki Western Carnival.
February 14 – The Iranian government bans rock & roll, claiming that this form of music is against the concepts of Islam and is a health hazard. Iranian doctors warn of the risk of injuries to the hips from the "extreme gyrations" of rock & roll dances.
February 19 – In the United States:
Singer-songwriter Carl Perkins leaves Sun Records and moves to Columbia Records.
Motown releases its first record, "Got a Job" by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles.
March 5 – Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia premieres Fantasía para un gentilhombre (Fantasia for a Gentleman) by composer Joaquín Rodrigo at the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Enrique Jordá.
March 12
Billie Holiday is given a year's probation by a Philadelphia court following her arrest and guilty plea on narcotics possession charges in 1956.
In Hilversum, Netherlands, "Dors, mon amour" sung by André Claveau (music by Pierre Delanoë, lyrics by Hubert Giraud) wins the third annual Eurovision Song Contest for France. Domenico Modugno places third for Italy with "Nel blu, dipinto di blu" which, retitled "Volare", will reach No. 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100, and will win two Grammy Awards next year for Record of the Year and Song of the Year for 1958.
March 24 – Elvis Presley enters the U.S. Army.
April 10 – English singer Cleo Laine marries bandleader John Dankworth.
May 30 – Béla Bartók's Violin Concerto No. 1 is premiered in Basel, 50 years after it was composed
c. July 12 – The Quarrymen (Paul McCartney, John Lennon (lead vocals), George Harrison, Colin Hanton (drums) and John Lowe (piano)) record a single 78 rpm shellac acetate disc at Phillips' Sound Recording Services in Liverpool: "In Spite of All the Danger" (McCartney–Harrison) and a cover of Buddy Holly's "That'll Be the Day".
The Festival dei Due Mondi is founded by Gian Carlo Menotti.
Kenny Rogers signs his first recording contract with a major record label and makes his first national TV performance on American Bandstand.
Marvin Gaye begins recording with his first group.
Otis Williams & the Distants begin their musical career. They will later join with The Primes and become The Temptations.
Phil Spector begins his recording career.
Dalida receives the Music Hall "Bravos" along with Yves Montand.
RCA introduces its first stereo LPs.
The major record labels begin to cease production of 78 rpm records.
Fred Foster opens Monument Records in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
Singer Ernesto Bonino leaves the United States and returns to Italy.
Bob Bogle and Don Wilson founded the #1 instrumental group of all time The Ventures.
Singer Júnior joins the pioneering Spanish electric guitar group Jump.
The Country Music Association (CMA) is founded as the first trade association dedicated to a single music genre.

Albums released

Andy Williams – Andy Williams
Andy Williams Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein – Andy Williams
Anita Sings the Winners – Anita O'Day
Around the World – Bing Crosby
As Long As There's Music – Eddie Fisher
Ascenseur pour l'échafaud (soundtrack) – Miles Davis
The Atomic Mr. Basie – Count Basie
Bo Diddley – Bo Diddley
Buddy Holly – Buddy Holly
Breezin' Along – The Four Lads
C'est ça – Charles Aznavour
Chicago Musette – John Serry and His Accordion – John Serry Sr.
Closer Than a Kiss – Vic Damone
Cole Español – Nat King Cole
Come Fly with Me – Frank Sinatra
Destination Moon – The Ames Brothers
Dream – The Mills Brothers
Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday at Newport – Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday
Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Songbook – Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Swings Lightly – Ella Fitzgerald
Ellington Indigos – Duke Ellington
Elvis' Golden Records – Elvis Presley
The Everly Brothers – The Everly Brothers
The Fabulous Johnny Cash – Johnny Cash
Fancy Meeting You Here – Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney
For Musicians Only – Stan Getz
For Teenagers In Love – Teresa Brewer
Foreign Affair – Frankie Laine and Michel LeGrand
Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely – Frank Sinatra
Freedom Suite – Sonny Rollins
Give Him the Ooh-La-La – Blossom Dearie
Gogi Grant – Welcome To My Heart – Gogi Grant
Gondolier – Dalida
Greatest Hits – Frankie Laine
A Guy in Love – Guy Mitchell
Have 'Twangy' Guitar Will Travel – Duane Eddy (debut)
He's So Fine – Jackie Wilson
Hooray for Hollywood – Doris Day
John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio – John Coltrane
Johnny Horton Sings Free And Easy – Johnny Horton
Johnny's Greatest Hits – Johnny Mathis
Julie Is Her Name, Volume II – Julie London
Kate Smith Sings Folk Songs – Kate Smith
King Creole (OST) – Elvis Presley
King of Suriname – Ramdew Chaitoe
The Kingston Trio – The Kingston Trio
Last Night When We Were Young – Art Farmer
Les Gitans – Dalida
London by Night – Julie London
Milestones – Miles Davis
The Mills Brothers In Hi-Fi – The Mills Brothers
The Mills Brothers Sing – The Mills Brothers
Miss Music – Teresa Brewer
Mmmm, The Mills Brothers – The Mills Brothers
Music! Music! Music! – Teresa Brewer
My Happiness – Connie Francis
No Count Sarah – Sarah Vaughan
One Dozen Berrys – Chuck Berry
Our Gal Sal – Sally Starr (with The Comets)
Paris Holiday – Bing Crosby
Rhonda – Rhonda Fleming
Ricky Nelson – Ricky Nelson
Rockin' Around the World – Bill Haley & His Comets
Rockin' the Joint – Bill Haley & His Comets
Rockin' With Kay Starr – Kay Starr
Salut les copains – Gilbert Bécaud
Saturday Night with Mr. C – Perry Como
Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous – Johnny Cash
Smoochin' Time – The Ames Brothers
Some Pleasant Moments In The 20th Century – Oscar Levant
Songs I Wish I Had Sung – Bing Crosby
Songs Our Daddy Taught Us – Everly Brothers
South Pacific – Original soundtrack
Star Dust – Pat Boone
Surprise Package – The Crew Cuts
Swingin' Down Broadway – Jo Stafford
Teresa – Teresa Brewer
Teresa Brewer At Christmas Time – Teresa Brewer
Them There Eyes – Kay Starr
This Is Sinatra Volume 2 – Frank Sinatra
Til Morning – Johnnie Ray
Time For Teresa – Teresa Brewer
Torchin' – Frankie Laine
Tormé – Mel Tormé
Wheelin' & Dealin – Mal Waldron, John Coltrane and Frank Wess
When You Come to the End of the Day – Perry Como
Who's Sorry Now? – Connie Francis
Yes Indeed! – Pat Boone

Biggest hit singles

The following songs achieved the highest chart positions

in the charts for the longest time in 1958, in their respective countries.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

! <big>#</big>

! <big>Artist</big>

! <big>Title</big>

! Year

! Country

! Chart Entries

| 1 || Domenico Modugno || Volare || 1958 || || US BB 1 – Aug 1958, US CashBox 1 of 1958, Italy 1 of 1958, Australia 1 for 5 weeks Mar 1958, Grammy in 1958, Canada 2 – Jul 1958, Norway 2 – Oct 1958, South Africa 5 of 1958, Australia 6 of 1958, UK 10 – Sep 1958, RYM 29 of 1958, Europe 34 of the 1950s, DDD 56 of 1958

| 2 || The Kingston Trio || Tom Dooley || 1958 || || US BB 1 – Oct 1958, Canada 1 – Oct 1958, Norway 1 – Jan 1959, Australia 1 for 10 weeks May 1958, UK 5 – Nov 1958, Australia 5 of 1958, Italy 5 of 1959, South Africa 8 of 1958, Europe 18 of the 1950s, US CashBox 20 of 1958, US BB 37 of 1958, POP 37 of 1958, RYM 89 of 1958, DDD 94 of 1958, RIAA 197, Acclaimed 1001

| 3 || The Everly Brothers || All I Have to Do is Dream || 1958 || || UK 1 – May 1958 (7 weeks at No.1), US Billboard 1 – Apr 1958 (17 weeks), Canada 1 – Apr 1958 (15 weeks), Record Mirror 1 for 9 weeks – Jun 1958, South Africa 1 of 1958, Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004 (1958), US BB 2 of 1958, US CashBox 4 of 1958, Your Hit Parade 4 of 1958, DDD 14 of 1958, US invalid BB 26 of 1958, POP 26 of 1958, Europe 28 of the 1950s (1958), UKMIX 45, nuTsie 89 of 1950s, DMDB 98 (1958), Rolling Stone 141, Acclaimed 160 (1958), RYM 5 of 1958, NY Daily Love list 13, one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 500

| 4 || The Everly Brothers || Bird Dog || 1958 || || Canada 1 – Aug 1958 (13 weeks), Record Mirror 1 for 3 weeks – Nov 1958, Australia 1 for 3 weeks – Oct 1958, UK 2 – Sep 1958 (16 weeks), US Billboard 2 – Aug 1958 (18 weeks), Australia 2 of 1958, US CashBox 5 of 1958, Your Hit Parade 5 of 1958, Norway 5 – Oct 1965 (3 weeks), Flanders 12 – Dec 1958 (3 months), US BB 13 of 1958, US invalid BB 25 of 1958, POP 25 of 1958, Europe 33 of the 1950s (1958), DDD 35 of 1958, D.Marsh 40 of 1958, Italy 88 of 1959, UKMIX 341, Acclaimed 1925 (1958), RYM 30 of 1958

Top Hits on record

Published popular music

"16 Candles" w.m. Luther Dixon & Allyson R. Khent
"All I Have to Do is Dream" w.m. Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
"Am I That Easy to Forget" w.m. Carl Belew, W. S. Stevenson & Shelby Singleton
"Any Way The Wind Blows" w.m. William Dunham, Joseph Hooven & Marilyn Hooven
"Are You Really Mine?" w.m. Al Hoffman, Dick Manning & Mark Markwell
"A Big Hunk O' Love" w.m. Aaron Schroeder & Sid Wyche
"Bird Dog" w.m. Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
"Broken Hearted Melody" w. Hal David m. Sherman Edwards
"A Certain Smile" w. Paul Francis Webster m. Sammy Fain
"Chantilly Lace" w.m. Jiles Perry Richardson
"C'mon Everybody" w.m. Eddie Cochran & Jerry Capeheart
"Devoted to You" w.m. Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
"Do You Want to Dance" w.m. Bobby Freeman
"Donna" w.m. Ritchie Valens
"Don't" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"Enchanted Island" w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
"Everybody Loves a Lover" w. Richard Adler m. Robert Allen
"French Foreign Legion" w. Aaron Schroeder m. Guy Wood
"Hoots Mon" Harry Robertson
"If I Had A Hammer" w.m. Pete Seeger & Lee Hays
"It's Only Make Believe" w.m. Conway Twitty & Jack Nance
"Johnny B. Goode" w.m. Chuck Berry
"Kewpie Doll" w.m. Sid Tepper & Roy C. Bennett
"Kumbayah" recorded by Joe Hickerson and by Pete Seeger
"Left Right Out Of Your Heart" w. Earl Shuman m. Mort Garson
"The Little Serenade" w.m. Antonio Amurri, Paolo Esposito, Geoffrey C. Parsons & James J. T. Phillips
"Little Star" w.m. Vito Picone & Arthur Venosa
"Make Me A Miracle" Al Hoffman, Dick Manning, Mark Markwell
"Maybe Baby" w.m. Norman Petty & Charles Hardin
"Moon Talk" w.m. Al Hoffman & Dick Manning
"My True Love" w.m. Jack Scott
"Oh-Oh, I'm Falling In Love Again" w.m. Al Hoffman, Dick Manning & Mark Markwell
"Once Upon A Summertime" (Original title "La Valse des Lilas") Eddie Barclay, Michel Legrand, Eddy Marnay, Johnny Mercer
"Padre" w. (Eng) Paul Francis Webster (Fr) Marcel Algeron & Jacques Larue m. Alain C. Romans
"Patricia" w. Bob Marcus m. Perez Prado
"Peter Gunn" m. Henry Mancini
"Poor Little Fool" w.m. Shari Sheeley
"The Purple People Eater" w.m. Sheb Wooley
"Raining In My Heart" w.m. Felice and Boudleaux Bryant
"Rave On!" w.m. Norman Petty, Bill Tilghman & Sunny West
"Rawhide" w. Ned Washington m. Dimitri Tiomkin. Title tune of the TV series performed by Frankie Laine.
"Secretly" w.m. Al Hoffman, Dick Manning & Mark Markwell
"Splish Splash" w.m. Bobby Darin & Jean Murray
"Stupid Cupid" w. Howard Greenfield m. Neil Sedaka
"Sugartime" w.m. Charlie Phillips & Odis Echols
"Summertime Blues" Eddie Cochran, J. Capehart
"Sweet Little Sixteen" w.m. Chuck Berry
"Tears On My Pillow" w.m. Sylvester Bradford & Al Lewis
"Tequila" w.m. Chuck Rio
"There's Only One Of You" w. Al Stillman m. Robert Allen
"Tom Dooley" trad arr. Dave Guard
"Volare" w. (Eng) Mitchell Parish (Ital) Domenico Modugno & Franco Migliacci m. Domenico Modugno
"We Belong Together", S. Weiss, Robert Carr, Johnny Mitchell
"When" w.m. Jack Reardon & Paul Evans
"Witch Doctor" w.m. Ross Bagdasarian
"Yakety Yak" w.m. Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller
"You Are My Destiny" w.m. Paul Anka
"Young and Warm and Wonderful" w. Hy Zaret m. Lou Singer

Other notable songs

"The Bells of Rhymney" by Pete Seeger and Idris Davies
"Devojko mala" w. B. Timotijević m. D. Kraljić, sung by Vlastimir "Đuza" Stojiljković in the film Ljubav i moda
"Mera naam Chin Chin Chu" w. Qamar Jalalabadi m. O.P. Nayyar, sung by Geeta Dutt in the film Howrah Bridge
"Pod sjajem zvezda" w. Mirjana Savić m. Predrag Ivanović
"Majulah Singapura" by Zubir Said (national anthem of Singapore)

Classical music

Premieres

{| class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Sortable table

! Composer !! Composition !! Date !! Location !! Performers

| Archer, Violet || Piano Trio No. 2 || 1958-04-20 || Washington DC (IAFCM) || Balsam, Gottlieb, Klein

| Ardévol, José || Music for Little Orchestra || 1958-04-19 || Washington FC (IAFCM) || Mexico National Symphony – Herrera de la Fuente

| Caamaño, Roberto || Piano Concerto || 1958-04-18 || Washington DC (IAFCM) || Caamaño / USA National Symphony – Mitchell || [Unknown performers]

| Ginastera, Alberto || String Quartet No. 2 || 1958-04-19 || Washington DC (IAFCM) || Juilliard Quartet

| Lajtha, Lászlo || Revolution Symphony (Symphony No. 7) || 1958-04-26 || Paris || Hungarian Radio Orchestra – Lehel

| Larsson, Lars-Erik || Concertini: No. 5, for Horn || 1958-01-24 || Malmö || Lanzky-Otto / Malmö Symphony – Axelsson

| Larsson, Lars-Erik || Concertini: No. 8, for Violin || 1958-03-13 || Gothenburg || Berlin / Gothenburg Symphony – Eckerberg

| Ligeti, György || Métamorphoses nocturnes (String Quartet No. 1) || 1958-05-08 || Vienna || Ramor Quartet

| Martinu, Bohuslav || The Epic of Gilgamesh, oratorio || 1958-01-24 || Basel || Basel Chamber Orchestra and Choir – Sacher

| Orrego-Salas, Juan || String Quartet No. 1 || 1958-04-19 || Washington DC (IAFCM) || Juilliard Quartet

| Porter, Quincy || New England Episodes || 1958-04-18 || Washington DC (IAFCM) || USA National Symphony – Mitchell

| Stockhausen, Karlheinz || Gruppen for three orchestras || 1958-03-24 || Cologne-Deutz (Koelnmesse, Musik der Zeit) || Cologne Radio Symphony – Stockhausen, Maderna, Boulez

| Vaughan Williams, Ralph || Symphony No. 9 || 1958-04-02 || London || RPO – Sargent

| Vega, Aurelio de la || String Quartet || 1958-04-20 || Washington DC (IAFCM) || Claremont Quartet

March 1 – Nik Kershaw, English pop singer-songwriter
March 5 – Andy Gibb, English pop singer-songwriter, performer and teen idol (Bee Gees) (died 1988)
March 8 – Gary Numan, English new wave synth-pop singer
March 9 – Martin Fry, English pop singer-songwriter (ABC)
March 10 – Frankie Ruiz, Puerto Rican salsa singer (died 1998)
March 28 – Edesio Alejandro, Cuban composer (died 2025)
April 10
Yefim Bronfman, Russian-born pianist
Errollyn Wallen, Belize-born composer
April 11 – Stuart Adamson, rock singer and guitarist (Big Country) (died 2001)
April 12 – Will Sergeant, rock guitarist (Echo & the Bunnymen)
April 14 – Aprile Millo, American operatic soprano of Italian and Irish ancestry
April 18 – Les Pattinson, rock bassist and songwriter (Echo & the Bunnymen)
April 21 – Andranik Madadian, Armenian/Iranian singer-songwriter
April 25 – Fish, Scottish singer (Marillion)
May 2 – Mayumi Horikawa, Japanese singer-songwriter and model
May 6 – Lolita Flores, Spanish actress and singer
May 9 - Kim Hye-ok, South Korean actress
May 10 – Vlada Divljan, Serbian singer-songwriter and guitarist (Idoli and Apartchiks) (died 2015)
May 11 – Sayuri Kume, Japanese singer-songwriter
May 12 – Eric Singer, American drummer and songwriter
May 16 – Glenn Gregory, English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (Heaven 17)
May 18 – Toyah Willcox, English singer and actress
May 21 – Mike Barson (Madness)
May 23 – Shelly West, American country singer
May 25 – Paul Weller, singer-songwriter The Jam, Style Council
May 26 – Wayne Hussey, English rock guitarist (The Sisters of Mercy) and singer (The Mission)
May 27 – Neil Finn, singer-songwriter, Split Enz, Crowded House
May 30 – Marie Fredriksson, pop singer-songwriter (Roxette) (died 2019)
June 2 – Karl Gottfried Brunotte, German composer and music philosopher
June 3 – Roger Redgate, British composer-conductor
June 7 – Prince, American singer-songwriter, multi instrumentalist, record executive, record producer, musician and film maker (died 2016)
June 12 – Meredith Brooks, American singer-songwriter and guitarist
June 17 – Jello Biafra, American singer (Dead Kennedys)
June 21
Jennifer Larmore, American operatic mezzo-soprano
Steve Lieberman, American punk musician (Gangsta Rabbi)
June 22 – Rocío Banquells, Mexican pop singer and actress
June 24
Levi Roots, Jamaican reggae musician
Kathy Troccoli, American singer and author
June 27
Lisa Germano, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (OP8 and Eels)
Brian Helicopter, English bass player (The Shapes, HellsBelles and Rogue Male)
Magnus Lindberg, Finnish pianist and composer
Jeffrey Lee Pierce, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Gun Club) (died 1996)
June 28 – Félix Gray, French singer-songwriter
June 29
Jeff Coopwood, American actor and singer
Mark Radcliffe, English radio host and folk rock singer (Shirehorses and The Family Mahone)
June 30
Kalevi Kiviniemi, Finnish concert organist (died 2024)
Esa-Pekka Salonen, Finnish composer-conductor
July 3 – Aaron Tippin, country singer
July 5 – Paul Daniel, operatic and orchestral conductor
July 7 – Michala Petri, recorder virtuoso
July 18 – Bent Sørensen, composer
July 25 – Thurston Moore, rock guitarist and singer-songwriter (Sonic Youth)
July 26 – Angela Hewitt, classical pianist
July 27 – Kimmo Hakola, Finnish composer
July 30 – Kate Bush, English singer-songwriter, musician, dancer and record producer
July 31
Bill Berry, alternative rock drummer (R.E.M.)
Deborah Riedel, operatic soprano (died 2009)
August 3 – Rob Buck, alternative rock guitarist and songwriter (10,000 Maniacs)
August 4 – Ian Broudie, English musician and singer-songwriter (The Lightning Seeds)
August 6 – Randy DeBarge, soul singer and guitarist
August 7 – Bruce Dickinson, singer (Iron Maiden)
August 16 – Madonna, American singer-songwriter, actress, activist and businesswoman
August 17 – Belinda Carlisle, American singer-songwriter.
August 22
Ian Mitchell, British pop bassist (Bay City Rollers)
Vernon Reid, British-born rock guitarist and songwriter (Living Colour)
August 29 – Michael Jackson, American performer, pop singer-songwriter (died 2009)
September 3 – Radoslav Lorković, Croatian pianist and accordionist
September 6 – Buster Bloodvessel, vocalist (Bad Manners)
September 7 – Danny Chan, Hong Kong singer and actor
September 10 – Siobhan Fahey, Irish pop singer-songwriter (Bananarama, Shakespears Sister)
September 13 – Paweł Przytocki, Polish conductor
September 14 – Rachid Taha, Algerian-born singer and activist (died 2018)
September 19
Lita Ford, English-born American rock guitarist, actress, vocalist and songwriter (The Runaways)
Lucky Ali, singer, composer and actor
September 22
Andrea Bocelli, operatic tenor
Joan Jett, American alternative rock singer-songwriter, composer, musician, record producer and occasional actress (Joan Jett & the Blackhearts)
October 9 – Al Jourgensen, Cuban-American industrial rock singer-songwriter and producer (Ministry)
October 10 – Tanya Tucker, country singer
October 13 – Derri Daugherty, American alternative rock singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer (The Choir, The Lost Dogs)
October 14 – Thomas Dolby, English rock musician
October 20 - Mark King, bassist and singer (Level 42)
October 24 - Mathilde Santing, Dutch singer
October 27 – Simon Le Bon, vocalist (Duran Duran)
November 1 – Joe DeRenzo, American drummer, composer and producer
November 10 – Frank Maudsley (A Flock of Seagulls)
November 22 – Jason Ringenberg (Jason & the Scorchers)
November 27 – Tetsuya Komuro, Japanese songwriter and music producer
December 7 – Timothy Butler (The Psychedelic Furs)
December 9 – Nick Seymour, bassist (Crowded House)
December 11 – Nikki Sixx (Mötley Crüe)
December 12 – Dag Ingebrigtsen, Norwegian singer-songwriter and guitarist (The Kids and TNT)
December 14
Mike Scott (The Waterboys)
Spider Stacy, folk musician (The Pogues)
December 17 – Mike Mills (R.E.M.)
December 23 – Victoria Williams, American folk singer-songwriter and guitarist
December 25
Alannah Myles, Canadian singer-songwriter
Juancho Rois, Colombian vallenato accordionist and composer (died 1994)
probable – Fortuna, Brazilian singer

Deaths

January 20 – Ataúlfo Argenta, conductor, 44 (carbon monoxide poisoning)
February 5 – Lew Brown, lyricist, 64
March 24 – John Harvey Gahan, violinist, songwriter and actor, 69
March 25
Tom Brown, jazz trombonist, 69
Emerson Whithorne, composer and historian, 73
March 28 – W. C. Handy, blues composer, 84
April 1
Břetislav Bakala, pianist, conductor and composer, 61
Alfred Bryan, songwriter, 86
April 2 – Tudor Davies, operatic tenor, 65
April 10 – Chuck Willis, singer, 30 (during surgery for stomach ulcer)
April 16 – Margaret Burke Sheridan, operatic soprano, 68
May 20 – Irma Baltuttis, singer, 37 (suspected murder)
June 1 – Henri Pensis, violinist, conductor and composer, 57
June 3
Georges Boulanger, violinist, 65
Maude Nugent, songwriter, 81
June 15 – José Pablo Moncayo, Mexican percussionist and composer, 45
June 20 – Elfriede Trötschel, operatic soprano, 44
June 21 – Eduard Erdmann, pianist and composer, 62
June 23 – Armas Järnefelt, composer, 88
June 27 – Marie Sundelius, operatic soprano, 74
July 10 – Karl Erb, operatic tenor and lieder singer, 81
July 31
Eugène Goossens, fils, violinist and conductor, 91
Percy Scholes, musicologist, 81
August 5 – Joseph Holbrooke, composer, 80
August 15 – Big Bill Broonzy, blues musician and composer, 60
August 17 – Florent Schmitt, composer, 87
August 21 – Stevan Hristić, composer, 73
August 26 – Ralph Vaughan Williams, composer, 85
September 20 – Yvonne Arnaud, pianist, singer and actress, 65
September 23 – Alfred Piccaver, British-born American operatic tenor, 74
October 13 – Alexander Veprik, composer, 59
October 24 – Martin Shaw, composer, 83
October 25 – Artie Matthews, ragtime composer and songwriter, 69
October 27 – John Wooldridge, film composer, 39 (car accident)
October 29 – Vassili Nebolsin, conductor, 60
November 3 – Harry Revel, composer of musicals, 52
November 26 – Tiny Bradshaw, jazz and blues musician, 53 (stroke)
November 27 – Artur Rodziński, conductor, 66
December 1 – Boots Mallory, dancer, 45 (chronic throat disease)
December 8 – Julia Lee, blues singer, 56 (heart attack)
December 11 – Paul Bazelaire, cellist, 72
December 20 – Éva Gauthier, operatic soprano, 73
December 29 – Doris Humphrey, dancer and choreographer, 63
date unknown
Samuel Antek, violinist and conductor
John Strachan, ballad singer