- Jan 2 Jānis Ķepītis, Latvian pianist, conductor, and composer, born in Beverīna, Latvia (d. 1989)
- Jan 6 Menachem Avidom, Israeli composer, born in Stanislaviv, Austria-Hungary (d. 1995)
- Jan 7 (Henry) "Red" Allen, American jazz trumpeter, born in Algiers, Louisiana (d. 1967)
- Jan 12 José Limón, Mexican-American dancer and choreographer (The Moor's Pavane; I, Odysseus), born in Culiacán, Mexico (d. 1972)
- Jan 14 (Ruggiero) "Russ" Columbo, American pop baritone singer ("You Call It Madness, But I Call It Love"), songwriter ("Prisoner of Love"), actor (Wake Up And Dream), and violinist, born in Camden, New Jersey (d. 1934)
- Jan 15 Roberta Bitgood, American organist and composer, born in New London, Connecticut (d. 2007)
Ethel Merman (1908-1984)
Jan 16 American Tony and Grammy Award-winning stage and screen singer ("There's No Business Like Show Business"), and actress (It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World), born in Astoria, New York City
- Jan 20 Wilfred Conwell Bain, American music educator (Insian University, 1947-73), born in Shawville, Quebec (d. 1997)
- Jan 22 Hammie Nixon [Nickerson], American blues harmonica player (Sleepy John Estes), born in Brownsville, Tennessee (d. 1984)
- Jan 22 Melle Weersma, Dutch jazz arranger and composer ("Penny Serenade"), born in Harlingen, Netherlands (d. 1988)
- Jan 26 Stéphane Grappelli, French jazz violinist (Quintette du Hot Club de France), born in Paris, France (d. 1997)
- Jan 27 Oran "Hot Lips" Page, American jazz trumpeter, singer, and bandleader, born in Dallas, Texas (d. 1954)
- Jan 28 Paul Misraki [Misrachi], French jazz pianist, songwriter, and film score composer (Jean Renoir), born in Constantinople, Ottoman Empire (d. 1998)
- Jan 31 Atahualpa Yupanqui, Argentine folk musician, born in Pergamino, Argentina (d. 1992)
About January 1908
How Old? 116 years old
Generation: Greatest Generation
Leap Year: Yes
Chinese Zodiac: Goat/Sheep
Star Signs: Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19), Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)
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Jazz Musicians
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