- May 1 Heinz Roemheld, American film composer (Yankee Doodle Dandy; Ruby Gentry), born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1985)
- May 5 Blind Willie McTell, American ragtime singer and guitarist, born in Thomson, Georgia (d. 1959)
- May 7 Marcel Poot, Belgian baron and composer, born in Vilvoorde, Belgium (d. 1988)
- May 12 Hyam Greenbaum, British violinist, composer and conductor of the 1st TV orchestra (BBC), born in England (d. 1942)
- May 15 Edmond Hall, American jazz clarinetist (Red Allen; Teddy Wilson), bandleader (Café Society Band), and composer (Profoundly Blue), born in Reserve, Louisiana (d. 1967)
- May 17 Werner Egk, German composer (Die Zaubergeige), born in Donauwörth, Germany (d. 1983)
- May 18 Harry Robert Wilson, American composer, born in Salina, Kansas (d. 1968)
- May 18 Henri Sauguet [Poupard], French organist and composer (Symphonie Expiatoire; La Chotta), born in Bordeau, France (d. 1989)
- May 19 Manuel Ivo Cruz, Portuguese composer and founder of Philharmonic Orchestra of Lisbon, born in Corumbá, Brazil (d. 1985)
- May 21 Horace Heidt, American orchestra leader (Swift Show Wagon), born in Alameda, California (d. 1986)
- May 21 Sam Jaffe, American music and film producer (Born Free, The Fighting Sullivans), born in Harlem, New York (d. 2000)
- May 23 Edmund Rubbra, English composer (Morning Watch), born in Semilong, Northampton, England (d. 1986)
- May 24 Frank Signorelli, American swing jazz pianist (Original Dixieland Jazz Band; Joe Venuti's Blue Four), and songwriter (Stairway to the Stars), born in New York City (d. 1975)
- May 25 Milenko Živković, Serbian composer, conductor, and pedagogue, born in Belgrade, Kingdom of Serbia (d. 1964)
- May 31 Alfredo Antonini, Italian-American Emmy Award-winning conductor (CBS Symphony; Columbia Pan-American Orchestra), and composer (The Great City), born in Alessandria, Kingdom of Ital (d. 1983)
About May 1901
How Old? 122 years old
Generation: Greatest Generation
Leap Year: No
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