- Jan 1 Hans Koessler, German composer, conductor and music teacher, born in Waldeck, Kingdom of Bavaria (d. 1926)
- Jan 3 Iwan Knorr, German composer, born in Mewe, Kingdom of Prussia (d. 1916)
- Jan 7 Nikolai Arkas, Ukrainian composer (Katerina), and musicologist, born in Nikolayev, Russian Empire (d. 1909)
- Feb 12 Bertram Luard-Selby, British organist and composer, born in Ightham, Kent, England (d. 1918)
- Mar 5 Arthur Foote, American classical composer, and a member of the "Boston Six" (Suite for Strings in E), born in Salem, Massachusetts (d. 1937)
- Mar 8 Edward Hubertus Joannes Keurvels, Flemish composer (Parisina), born in Antwerp, Belgium (d. 1916)
- Apr 5 Alfonso Rendano, Italian composer, born in Consenza, Italy (d. 1931)
- Apr 21 Charles Malherbe, French violinist and composer, born in Paris (d. 1911)
- May 1 Charles Lee Williams, English composer and organist, born in Winchester (d. 1935)
- May 26 Monroe Althouse, American composer, born in Centre Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania (d. 1924)
- May 29 Francesco Fanciulli, American-Italian composer, born in Porto Santo Stefano, Grand Duchy of Tuscany (now Italy) (d. 1915)
- May 30 Karl Valentin, Swedish composer, born in Gothenburg, Sweden (d. 1918)
- Jun 16 Emil Sjogren, Swedish composer and organist, born in Stockholm (d. 1918)
- Jun 28 Edwin Arthur Jones, American composer (Song of Our Saviour), born in Stoughton, Massachusetts (d. 1911)
- Jul 22 Victor Roger, French vaudeville-opérette composer (Les vingt-huit jours de Clairette), born in Montpellier, France (d. 1903)
- Jul 29 Henry Morton Dunham, American organist, composer, and educator (New England Conservatory), born in Brockton, Massachusetts (d. 1929)
- Aug 12 Jean Louis Nicodé, Prussian pianist and composer (Das Meer; Gloria!), born in Jeżyce (now Poznań), Poland (d. 1919)
- Oct 14 Ciprian Porumbescu, Romanian composer, born in Șipotele Sucevei, Duchy of Bukovina, Austrian Empire (d. 1883)
- Dec 13 Joseph Sickman Corsen, Curacao musician, composer and poet, born in Curacao (d. 1911)
- Dec 22 Teresa Carreño, Venezuelan classical pianist, soprano, composer, and conductor, born in Caracas, Venezuela (d. 1917)
- Dec 30 André Charles Prosper Messager, French organist, composer and conductor (Les Deux Pigeons, Véronique), born in Montluçon, France (d. 1929)
Country Singers
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