- Jan 1 Arthur Prysock, American jazz and R&B singer ("I Didn't Sleep a Wink Last Night"; "In The Rain"), born in Spartanburg, South Carolina (d. 1997) (some sources state year as 1929)
- Jan 3 Nell Rankin, American operatic mezzo-soprano (Carmen; Metropolitan Opera, 1951-76), born in Montgomery, Alabama (d. 2005)
- Jan 6 Earl Scruggs, American bluegrass banjo player (Flatt & Scruggs - "Foggy Mountain Breakdown"; "Ballad of Jed Clampett"), born in Flint Hill, North Carolina (d. 2012)
- Jan 8 Benjamin Lees [Lysniansky], American composer (Kalmar Nyckel; Memorial Candles), born in Harbin, Manchuria, China (d. 2010)
- Jan 8 Robert Starer, Austrian-born American composer, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2001)
- Jan 8 Ron Moody [Moodnick], British composer, singer and actor (The 12 Chairs; Oliver!), born in London, England (d. 2015)
- Jan 10 Ludmilla Chiraeff, Latvian-born Canadian ballet dancer, born in Riga, Latvia (d. 1996)
- Jan 10 Max Roach, American jazz drummer, born in Newland, North Carolina (d. 2007)
- Jan 11 Kai Laursen, Danish concert violinist, born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 1996)
- Jan 11 Slim Harpo [James Moore], American blues musician ("I'm a King Bee, Baby"; "Scratch My Back"), born in Lobdell, Louisiana (d. 1970)
- Jan 20 Yvonne Loriod, French pianist, composer (Mélopées africaines), and teacher, born in Houilles, France (d. 2010)
- Jan 22 J. J. Johnson, American composer and jazz trombonist, born in Indianapolis, Indiana (d. 2001)
- Jan 24 David Craighead, American organist and educator, born in Strasburg, Pennsylvania (d. 2012)
- Jan 25 (Wesley) "Speedy" West, American, Country Music Hall of Fame steel guitar player, and record producer, born in Springfield, Missouri (d. 2003)
- Jan 26 Alice Babs [Nilson], Swedish jazz singer (The Swe-Danes; Duke Ellington's Sacred Concerts), and actress (Swing It, Teacher!), born in Västervik, Sweden (d. 2014)
- Jan 26 Warren Frank Benson, American composer (The Leaves Are Falling), and educator (Eastman School, 1967-1993), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2005)
- Jan 27 Alexander Chugayev, Soviet Russian composer, born in Yeysk, USSR (d. 1990)
- Jan 29 Luigi Nono, Italian avant-garde composer (Canonic Variations), born in Venice, Kingdom of Italy (d. 1990)
About January 1924
How Old? 100 years old
Generation: Greatest Generation
Leap Year: Yes
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers