Musicians Born in 1927

Birthdays 1 - 200 of 203

Feb 7 John Buller, British contemporary classical composer (Proença,; Illusions), born in London, England (d. 2004)
Feb 7 Juliette Gréco, French singer (Sous le ciel de Paris) and actress, born in Montpellier, France (d. 2020) [1]
Feb 7 Laurence "Laurie" Johnson, British film and television score composer (Dr. Strangelove; The Avengers), born in Hampstead, England (d. 2024) [1]
Feb 8 Zdeněk Zouhar, Czech composer, and teacher, born in Kotvrdovice, Czechoslovakia (d. 2011)
Feb 9 Joe Maneri, American jazz composer, saxophone and clarinet player (Boston Microtonal Society), born in Brooklyn, New York City (d. 2009)
Feb 10 Brian Priestman, British conductor and teacher, born in Birmingham, England (d. 2014)

Leontyne Price (97 years old)

Feb 10 American opera soprano (Porgy & Bess, Aida; Metropolitan Opera. 1961-85), born in Laurel, Mississippi

Feb 11 Michel Sénéchal, French operatic tenor, and educator, born in Paris (d. 2018)
Feb 15 Gottfrid Gräsbeck, Finnish choral director, and composer, born in Turku, Finland (d. 2010)
Feb 18 (Dorothy) "Dottie" Schwartz (née Hummitzsch), American barbershop quartet vocalist (The Chordettes, 1946-52), born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin (d. 2016)
Feb 21 Pierre Mercure, Canadian composer (Kaléidoscope), born in Montreal, Quebec (d. 1966)
Feb 22 David Ahlstrom, American composer, born in Lancaster, New York (d. 1992)
Feb 22 Guy Mitchell [Albert George Cernik], American singer and actor (Red Garters; 3 Redheads from Seattle), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 1999)
Feb 23 Ivan Hrušovský, Slovak composer and educator (Rytmus), born in Bratislava, Slovakia (d. 2001)
Feb 25 Jacques-Louis Monod, French pianist, conductor, and composer (Cantus Contra Cantum), born in Asnières, France (d. 2020)
Feb 25 Ralph Stanley, American bluegrass musician, born in Dickenson County, Virginia (d. 2016)
Feb 25 René Thomas, Belgian jazz guitarist, born in Liège, Belgium (d. 1975)
Feb 26 Donald Gramm, American concert and opera bass-baritone, born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (d. 1983)
Feb 28 Don Helms, American steel guitarist (Hank Williams's Drifting Cowboys; Patsy Cline), born in New Brockton, Alabama (d. 2008)

Harry Belafonte (1927-2023)

Mar 1 Jamaican-American Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award-winning calypso singer ("Banana Boat Song"), actor (Buck & the Preacher), and human rights activist, born in Harlem, New York

Mar 2 Siegfried Köhler, German composer (Tausend Sterne sind ein Dom), born in Meissen, Germany (d. 1984)
Mar 2 Witold Szalonek, Polish composer (Satire), educator, and musicologist, born in Czechowice-Dziedzice, Poland (d. 2001) [1]
Mar 4 Robert DiDomenica, American flautist, composer and educator, born in New York City (d. 2013)
Mar 5 Jack Cassidy, American stage and screen actor (Shangri-La; The Eiger Sanction: She Loves Me; Columbo), and Grammy Award-winning singer, born in Richmond Hill, Virginia (d. 1976)
Mar 6 (Adanelle) "Norman" Treigle, American operatic bass-baritone, born in New Orleans, Louisiana (d. 1975)
Mar 8 Dick Hyman, American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, and organist, born in New York City
Mar 8 Jaromir Podešva, Czech composer (Fragments of the Quinguennium), music theorist, and pedagogue, born in Brno, Czechoslovakia (d. 2000)
Mar 8 Josef Berg, Czech composer and musicologist, born in Brno, Czechoslovakia (d. 1971)
Mar 9 Hans Ludwig Schilling, German composer, born in Mayen, Germany (d. 2012)
Mar 9 John Beckwith, Canadian composer, pianist, educator, and musicologist, born in Victoria, British Columbia (d. 2022)
Mar 10 Donn Trenner, American jazz pianist, arranger, and orchestra leader (Steve Allen's Westinghouse Show), born in New Haven, Connecticut (d. 2020)
Mar 15 Carl Smith, American country singer ("Deep Water"; "Ten Thousand Drums"; "Why, Why"), born in Maynardville, Tennessee (d. 2010)
Mar 16 (Reuben) "Ruby" Braff, American jazz trumpeter and cornetist, born in Boston, Massachusetts (d. 2003)
Mar 16 Olga San Juan, American actress, dancer and comedian (Variety Girl, 1 Touch of Venus), born in New York City (d. 2009)
Mar 17 Sulkhan Nasidze, Georgian composer, born in Tiflis, Transcaucasia, Soviet Union (now Tblisi, Georgia) (d. 1996)

John Kander (97 years old)

Mar 18 American musical theater and film composer, with Fred Ebb (Cabaret; Chicago; New York, New York; Funny Lady), born in Kansas City, Missouri

Mar 18 Lester "Big Daddy" Kinsey, American Chicago blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player, born near Pleasant Grove, Mississippi (d. 2001)
Mar 20 John Joubert, British South African composer (The Raising of Lazarus; An English Requiem), and educator, born in Cape Town, Union of South Africa (d. 2019)
Mar 23 Osvaldo Lacerda, Brazilian composer (Piratininga), and music professor, born in São Paulo, Brazil (d. 2011)
Mar 24 János Decsényi, Hungarian composer (Farewell to a Vanished Century), born in Budapest, Hungary

Mstislav Rostropovich (1927-2007)

Mar 27 Soviet-Russian cellist and conductor, born in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR

Mar 29 Bianco [Eugene Capobianco], American jazz, easy-listening, and session harpist, born in Hartford, Connecticut (d. 2007)
Mar 31 Dave Hassinger, American recording engineer and record producer, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2007)
Apr 1 Amos Milburn, American R&B singer and pianist ("One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer"), born in Houston, Texas (d. 1980)
Apr 3 Pierre D'Archambeau, American concert violinist, born in Yverdon, Switzerland (d. 2014)
Apr 6 Gerry Mulligan, American saxophonist and orchestra leader (Jazz On A Summer Day), born in Queens, New York City (d. 1996)
Apr 7 Babatunde Olatunji, Nigerian percussionist (Drums of Passion), educator, and social activist, born in Ajido, Lagos (d. 2003)
Apr 8 Oliver "Ollie" Mitchell, American musician and bandleader (The Wrecking Crew), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2013)
Apr 11 Domenico Guaccero, Italian composer, born in Palo de Colle, Italy (d. 1984)
Apr 15 Annapurna Devi [Roshanara Khan], Indian classical surbahar (bass sitar) player, and music teacher, born in Maihar, British India (now part of Madhya Pradesh, India) (d. 2018)
Apr 16 Edie Adams [Edith Enke], American businesswoman, singer, actress and comedian (Murial Cigar), born in Kingston, Pennsylvania (d. 2008)
Apr 17 Christopher Whelen, British composer and conductor, born in London, England (d. 1993)
Apr 17 Graziella Sciutti, Italian operatic soprano, teacher, and opera producer, born in Turin, Italy (d. 2001) [1]
Apr 19 Don Barbour, American singer (The Four Freshmen), born in Columbus, Bartholomew County, Indiana (d. 1961)
Apr 22 (Lorenzo) "Laurel" Aitken, Cuban-Jamaican singer and one of the pioneers of Caribbean pop and ska music, born in Havana, Cuba (d. 2005)
Apr 22 Pascal Bentoiu, Romanian composer, born in Bucharest, Romania (d. 2016)
Apr 23 Russell Smith, American composer, born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (d. 1998)
Apr 24 "Fatty" George [Pressler], Austrian swing jazz clarinettist, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 1982)
Apr 24 Seymour Bernstein, American concert pianist, teacher, and composer, born in Newark, New Jersey
Apr 25 Ernst Widmer, Swiss-Brazilian composer, born in Aarau, Switzerland (d. 1990)
Apr 27 Connie Kay, American jazz drummer (Modern Jazz Quartet, 1955-94), born in Tuckahoe, New York (d. 1994)
Apr 29 (Cecil James) "Big Jay" McNeely, American R&B saxophonist, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2018)
May 1 Billy Byers, American jazz trombonist and arranger, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 1996)
May 5 Charles Rosen, American pianist and musicologist (Sonata Forms), born in New York City (d. 2012)
May 13 Karl-Heinz Köper, German conductor, and composer (Tuba-Tabu; Pop Corn Concerto), born in Hanover, Germany (d. 2011)
May 16 Paul Angerer, Austrian violist, violinist, conductor (Concilium Musicum Wien), harpsichordist, composer and radio host, born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2017)
May 20 David Barlow, British composer and pedagogue, born in Rothwell, England (d. 1977)
May 20 Walter Aschaffenburg, German-American composer, born in Essen, Germany (d. 2005)
May 24 Charles "Majeed" Greenlee, American jazz trombonist (Archie Shepp), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 1993)
May 28 Bernhard Lewkovitch, Danish organist and composer (Tre Madrigali di Torquato Tasso), born in Copenhagen, Denmark (d. 2024)
May 31 (James) "Red" Holloway, American jazz tenor saxophonist, born in Helena, Arkansas (d. 2012)
Jun 2 André Vandernoot, Flemish flautist and conductor (Royal Flemish Opera, 1959-73), born in Brussels, Belgium (d. 1991)
Jun 3 (Homer) "Boots" Randolph, American session saxophonist ("Yakety Sax"), born in Paducah, Kentucky (d. 2007)
Jun 9 Franco Donatoni, Italian composer, born in Verona, Italy (d. 2000)
Jun 11 Beryl Grey [Groom], English prima ballerina (Sadler’s Wells/Royal Ballet, 1941-57), artistic director, and dance teacher, born in Highgate, London, England (d. 2022) [1]
Jun 11 Josef Anton Reidl, German composer, born in Munich, Germany (d. 2016)
Jun 13 Attila Zoller, Hungarian-American jazz guitarist, educator (Vermont Jazz Center, 1974-98), and inventor (bi-directional pickup), born in Visegrád, Hungary (d. 1998)
Jun 13 Knut Wiggen, Norwegian computer music pioneer and composer, born in Buvika (d. 2016)
Jun 13 Slim Dusty [David Kirkpatrick], Australian country music singer-songwriter, born in Kempsey, New South Wales (d. 2003)
Jun 15 Joji "George" Kawaguchi Japanese jazz drummer and bandleader, born in Fukakusa, Kyoto, Japan (d. 2003)
Jun 17 Martin Böttcher, German composer and conductor, born in Berlin (d. 2019)
Jun 18 Simeon Pironkov, Bulgarian composer, born in Lom, Bulgaria (d. 2000)
Jun 19 Karel Kupka, Czech composer and choirmaster, born in Rychvald, Moravia, Czech Republic (d. 1985)
Jun 20 John M Dengler, American jazz multi-instrumentalist - bass sax/trumpet/trombone (The Intensely Vigorous Jazz Band), born in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania (d. 1994) [1]

Bob Fosse (1927-1987)

Jun 23 American choreographer, film and stage director (All the Jazz, Cabaret, Damn Yankees), born in Chicago, Illinois

Jun 27 Johnny "Big Moose" Walker, American electric and Chicago blues pianist, organist, and bass guitar player (Muddy Waters; Junior Wells; Elmore James), born in Stoneville, Mississippi (d. 1999)
Jul 1 Hans Eklund, Swedish composer, born in Sandviken (d. 1999)
Jul 2 Brock Peters [George Fisher], American actor and singer (Carmen Jones, To Kill a Mockingbird), born in New York City (d. 2005)
Jul 2 Ruth Berghaus, German choreographer and opera director, born in Dresden, Germany (d. 1996)
Jul 4 Reid Miles, American photographer, and album cover art designer (Blue Note Records, 1955-67), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1993)
Jul 5 Beverly Tyler, American singer and actress (Fireball, The Youngest Profession, Big Town), born in Scranton, Pennsylvania (d. 2005)
Jul 6 Charles Whittenberg, American composer, born in St. Louis, Missouri (d. 1984)
Jul 6 Nilo Soruco, Bolivian singer-songwriter ("Ya la pagarán"; "La Caraqueña"), born in Tarija, Bolivia (d. 2004)
Jul 7 (Carl) "Doc" Severinsen, American trumpeter and bandleader (The Tonight Show, 1962-92), born in Arlington, Oregon
Jul 7 Charlie Louvin [Loudermilk], American country singer-songwriter, and guitarist (Louvin Brothers - "The Only Way Out (Is to Walk Over Me)"), born in Section, Alabama (d. 2011)
Jul 9 Ed Ames [Edmund Dantes Urick], American popular singer (Ames Brothers - "My Cup Runneth Over"), and actor (Daniel Boone - "Mingo"), born in Malden, Massachusetts (d. 2023) [1]
Jul 11 Herbert Blomstedt, American conductor (Dresdner Staatskapelle, 1975-85; San Francisco Symphony 1985-95), born in Springfield, Massachusetts
Jul 12 (Secondo) "Conte" Candoli, American jazz, big band, and session trumpeter (Woody Herman; Stan Kenton; The Brothers Candoli; The Tonight Show, 1967-92), born in Mishawaka, Indiana (d. 2001)
Jul 12 Pavle Merku, Italian-Slovene composer and ethnomusicologist, born in Trieste (d. 2014)
Jul 16 Mindy Carson, American popular music vocalist (Club Embassy, Ford Star Revue), born in New York City
Jul 18 Carlo Franci, Italian composer and conductor, born in Buenos Aires, Argentina (d. 2019)
Jul 18 Kurt Masur, German conductor (New York Philharmonic, 1991-2002; Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, 1970-96), born in Brieg, Lower Silesia, Weimar Germany (now Brzeg, Poland) (d. 2015)
Jul 20 Michael Gielen, Austrian conductor (Frankfurt Opera, 1967-87); Cincinnati Symphony, 1980-86); Southwest German Radio Symphony, 1986-99), and composer, born in Dresden, Germany (d. 2019)
Jul 24 Wilfred Josephs, English composer, born in Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne (d. 1997)
Jul 27 Guy Carawan, American folk singer and folklorist (popularized "We Shall Overcome"), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2015)
Jul 31 Ștefan Niculescu, Romanian composer, born in Moreni, Dâmbovita, Romania (d. 2008)
Aug 4 Jess Thomas, American tenor known for his singing in Richard Wagner operas, born in Hot Springs, South Dakota (d. 1993)
Aug 5 Gunnar Bucht, Swedish composer, padagogue, and musicologist, born in Stocksund, Sweden
Aug 11 Raymond Leppard, British-American harpsichordist, conductor (Indianapolis Symphony, 1987-2001; BBC Northern Symphony, 1973-80), and composer (Lord Of The Flies), born in London, England (d. 2019)
Aug 12 Porter Wagoner, American country singer, discovered Dolly Parton ("Y'All Come"; "A Satisfied Mind"), born in West Plains, Missouri (d. 2007)
Aug 13 Joe Puma, American session and jazz guitarist (Herbie Mann; Artie Shaw's Gramercy Five; Chuck Wayne), born in the Bronx, New York City (d. 2000)
Aug 15 Joe Castro, American bebop and West Coast jazz pianist (Teddy Edwards Quartet; June Christy), born in Miami, Arizona (d. 2009)
Aug 16 Dennis Moss, British jazz tenor saxophonist, born in Surrey, England (d. 2008)
Aug 21 Wilhelm Killmayer, German composer, born in Munich, Germany (d. 2017)
Aug 22 Aleksandar Obradovic, Serbian composer, born in Bled, Slovenia (d. 2001)
Aug 23 Martial Solal, French jazz pianist and composer, born in Algiers, French Algeria
Aug 24 Roger Danneels, Flemish accordionist, arranger, composer, bandleader, and Hammond organist, born in Bruges, Belgium (d. 1982)
Aug 29 Marion Williams, American gospel singer (Stars of Faith), born in Miami, Florida (d. 1994)
Aug 30 Piet Kee, Dutch organist and composer, born in Zaandam, Netherlands (d. 2018)
Sep 1 Tommy Evans, American doo-wop, and R&B singer (Drifters, 1956-62 - "Save The Last Dance For Me"), born in Wayne County, Michigan (d. 1984)
Sep 2 Tzvi Avni, Israeli classical composer (Meditations On A Drama), born in Saarbrücken, Germany
Sep 6 Keith Humble, Australian composer, born in Geelong, Australia (d. 1995)
Sep 7 Graham Dudley Whettam, British composer, born in Swinden, Wiltshire (d. 2007)
Sep 8 Charles "Specs" Wright, American jazz drummer (Dizzy Gillespie; Cannonball Adderly; Red Garland), born in Philadelphia, Philadelphia (d. 1963)
Sep 8 Harlan Howard, American country music songwriter ("I Fall To Pieces"; "Busted"; "Too Many Rivers"), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2002)
Sep 8 Harmonica Fats [Harvey Blackston], American blues session and touring harmonica player ("Tore Up"), born in McDade, Louisiana (d. 2000)
Sep 9 Elvin Jones, American jazz drummer (John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme"), born in Pontiac, Michigan (d. 2004)
Sep 20 John Dankworth, English jazz musician and composer, born in Woodford, Essex, England (d. 2010)
Sep 20 Keith "Red" Mitchell, American jazz double bassist, composer, and lyricist (Hampton Hawes; André Previn), born in New York City (d. 1992)
Sep 21 Ward Swingle, American vocalist, jazz musician, composer, arranger, and conductor (The Swingle Singers - Jazz Sebastian Bach), born in Mobile, Alabama (d. 2015)
Sep 25 Sir Colin Davis, British conductor (Covent Garden, 1970-85; Bavarian Radio Symphony, 1983-93; London Symphony, 1995-2006), born in Weybridge, Surrey (d. 2013)
Sep 26 Romano Mussolini, Italian jazz pianist, and bandleader, born in Villa Carpena, Forlì, Kingdom Of Italy (d. 2006)
Sep 27 "Earring" George Mayweather, American blues harmonica player, born in Montgomery, Alabama (d. 1995)
Sep 27 Boris Porena, Italian composer, music theorist, poet, and writer, born in Rome, Italy (d. 2022)
Sep 27 Red Rodney [Robert Chudnick], American jazz trumpeter (Charlie Parker Quintet), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1994)
Sep 30 Hossein Dehlavi, Persian composer, conductor and teacher (Sarbaz; Plectrum Orchestra), born in Tehran, Persia (d. 2019)
Oct 1 Márta Kurtág [née Kinsker], Hungarian classical pianist, born in Esztergom, Hungary (d. 2019)
Oct 4 Walter Bishop, Jr, American bebop jazz pianist, music theorist, and educator, born in New York City (d. 1998)
Oct 5 John W. Downey, American classical composer (A Dolphin), born in Chicago (d. 2004)
Oct 6 Paul Badura-Skoda, Austrian pianist (Mozart Interpretation), born in Vienna, Austria (d. 2019)
Oct 7 Al Martino [Jasper Cini], American pop singer ("Here in My Heart"), and actor (The Godfather), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2009)
Oct 8 (Georgeanne) "Gigi" Durston, American cabaret and big band singer (Sonny Kendis Show; Russ Case Orchestra), born in Baltimore, Maryland
Oct 8 Al Duncan, American blues drummer, born in McKinney, Texas (d. 1995)
Oct 10 Thomas Wilson, Scottish composer, born in Trinidad, Colorado (d. 2001)
Oct 13 (Leon) "Lee" Konitz, American jazz saxophonist (Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2020)
Oct 13 Anita Kerr [née Grilli], American pop and country singer, composer, and producer (The Anita Kerr Singers), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2022) [1] [2]
Oct 14 (Ione) "Joyce" Bryant, American cabaret artist (Drunk With Love), missionary, schoolteacher, and opera singer, born in Oakland, California (d. 2022) [1]
Oct 21 Nadia Nerina [Nadine Judd], South African-British ballerina (Sadler's/Royal Ballet, 1949-68), born in Bloemfontein, Orange Free State, South Africa (d. 2008)
Oct 23 William "Sonny" Criss, American bebop jazz saxophonist (Jazz U.S.A.), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 1977)
Oct 24 Gilbert Bécaud [François Gilbert Léopold Silly], French singer, pianist, composer and actor (Nathalie) known as "Monsieur 100,000 Volts" for his energetic performances, born in Toulon, France (d. 2001)
Oct 24 Renato de Grandis, Italian composer, born in Venice, Kingdom of Italy (d. 2008)
Oct 25 Barbara Cook, American stage singer and actress (The Music Man), born in Atlanta, Georgia (d. 2017)
Oct 27 Bernard Parmegiani, French composer (L'Oeil écoute - The Eye Listens), born in Paris (d. 2013)
Oct 27 Dominick Argento, American composer (Colonel Jonathan the Saint), born in York, Pennsylvania (d. 2019)
Oct 28 Dame Cleo Laine, British actress and jazz-pop singer ("Flesh to a Tiger"), born in Middlesex, England
Nov 4 Vittorio Fellegara, Italian composer, born in Milan, Italy (d. 2011)
Nov 7 Ivor Emmanuel, Welsh singer and actor (Zulu, Show Boat, Kiss Me, Kate), born in Margam, Wales (d. 2007)
Nov 8 Chris Connor [Mary Jean Loutsenhizer], American jazz singer ("I Wonder What Became of Me"), born in Kansas City, Missouri (d. 2009)
Nov 8 Ivo Vinco, Italian operatic bass singer, born in Verona, Italy (d. 2014)
Nov 8 Ken Dodd, British singer and comedian described as "the last great music hall entertainer", born in Knotty Ash, Liverpool, England (d. 2018)

Patti Page (1927-2013)

Nov 8 American pop singer ("With My Eyes Wide Open, I'm Dreaming"; "Tennessee Waltz"), born in Claremore, Oklahoma

Nov 11 Mose Allison, American jazz and blues piano player, singer, and composer ("Everybody's Cryin' Mercy"; "Your Mind Is on Vacation"), born in Tippo, Mississippi (d. 2016)
Nov 14 Narciso Yepes, Spanish classical guitarist (Orquesta Nacionale 1947), born in Lorca, Spain (d. 1997)
Nov 17 Robert Drasnin, American clarinetist, composer, and film and television music supervisor (CBS, 1977-91), born in Charleston, West Virginia (d. 2015)
Nov 18 Hank Ballard [John Henry Kendricks], American rocker (The Midnighters - "The Twist" - pre-Chubber Checker), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2003)
Nov 18 Lawrence Moss, American contemporary classical, opera, and electronic music composer, and educator, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2022)
Nov 19 Joe Hunter, American pianist and bandleader of Motown's house band - The Funk Brothers (1959-64), born in Jackson, Tennessee (d. 2007)
Nov 21 (Carlos) "Charlie" Palmieri, American salsa and charanga music bandleader, musical director, and piano player (Tito Puente; Alegre All-Stars), born in South Bronx, New York City (d. 1988)
Nov 22 Grady "Fats" Jackson, American tenor sax player, born in Asheville, North Carolina (d. 1994)
Nov 24 Alfredo Kraus, Spanish bel canto tenor (Massenet - "Werther"; La Scala; New York Metroplolitan Opera, 1966-94), born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands (d. 1999)
Nov 24 Emma Lou Diemer, American classical composer (Songs for the Earth; Fantasy for Carillon), and educator, born in Kansas City, Missouri
Nov 25 Dick Wellstood, American jazz pianist, born in Greenwich, Connecticut (d. 1987)
Dec 1 Grant Beglarian, Armenian-American composer (Of Fables, Foibles, and Fancies), educator (University of Southern California, 1969-86), and arts administrator, born in Tiflis, Georgia (d. 2002)

Andy Williams (1927-2012)

Dec 3 American pop singer ("Moon River"; "Days of Wine and Roses"; "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"), born in Wall Lake, Iowa

Dec 3 Isabelle Harriet Lucas, Canadian-born British actress and singer (Outland, Comics), born in Toronto, Ontario (d. 1997)
Dec 4 John Jeffreys, Welsh-English classical composer, and pianist, born in Isle of Thanet, England (d. 2010)

Bhumibol Adulyadej (1927-2016)

Dec 5 King of Thailand (1946-2016), jazz saxophonist and composer, born in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Dec 6 Akira Miyazawa, Japanese jazz saxophonist, born in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, Japan (d. 2000)
Dec 6 Jacques Bondon, French composer, born in Boulbon, Bouches-du-Rhône, France (d. 2008)
Dec 7 Helen Watts, British contralto, born in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales (d. 2009)
Dec 7 Vlastimir Peričić, Serbian composer, born in Vršac, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (d. 2000)
Dec 9 Pierre Henry, French composer (considered pioneer of musique concrète), born in Paris (d. 2017)
Dec 14 Richard Cassilly, American tenor, born in Washington, D.C. (d. 1998)
Dec 23 (Cornelius) "Pinocchio" James, American jazz and R&B singer (Lionel Hampton Revue), born in Macon, Georgia