- Jan 2 Paul Freeman, American conductor and composer (Chicago Sinfonietta, 1987 -2011; Czech National Symphony, 1996-2007), born in Richmond, Virginia (d. 2015)
Roger Miller (1936-1992)
Jan 2 American country singer-songwriter ("King of the Road"; "Dang Me"), born in Fort Worth, Texas
- Jan 3 Jos Kunst, Dutch composer, born in Roermond, Netherlands (d. 1996)
- Jan 6 Ebo Taylor, Ghanaian highlife and Afrobeat musician and composer, born in Cape Coast, Gold Coast
- Jan 7 Eldee Young, American jazz upright bassist (Ramsey Lewis Trio, 1956-66 'The In Crowd"; Young-Holt Unlimited - "Soulful Strut"), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2007)
- Jan 7 Hunter Davies, Scottish-British journalist, author (The Beatles: The Authorised Biography), and broadcaster, born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland
- Jan 7 Richard Podolor, American session guitarist, sound engineer, and record producer (Three Dog Night; Steppenwolf), born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2022)
- Jan 8 Zdeněk Mácal, Czech conductor (Milwaukee Symphony, 1986-95; New Jersey Symphony, 1992-2003; Czech Philharmonic, 2003-07), born in Bmo, Czech Republic (d. 2023) [1]
- Jan 9 Peter Fletcher, British orchestral and choral conductor, music educator and author (Roll Over Rock), born in the UK (d. 1999)
- Jan 11 Katie Webster [Kathyrne Jewel Thorne], American boogie pianist (The Swamp Boogie Queen), born in Houston, Texas (d. 1999)
- Jan 13 Ami Maayani, Israeli composer, conductor, and founder of several youth orchestras, born in Ramat Gan, Mandatory Palestine (d. 2019)
- Jan 13 Renato Bruson, Italian operatic baritone (Verdi), born in Granze, Italy
- Jan 14 Clarence Carter, American blues singer-songwriter ("Patches"), born in Montgomery, Alabama
- Jan 19 Elliott Schwartz, American composer, born in New York City
- Jan 20 Luther Tucker, American blues guitarist, born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 1983)
- Jan 24 Daniel Goode, American composer, and clarinetist (Gamelan Son of Lion), born in New York City
- Jan 24 Doug Kershaw, American Cajun, folk and bluegrass fiddle player, born in Cameron Parrish, Louisiana
- Jan 24 Jack Scott, Canadian rock and roll singer-songwriter (My True Love), born in Windsor, Ontario (d. 2019)
- Jan 28 Robert Suderburg, American pianist, composer, and conductor, born in Spencer, Iowa (d. 2013)
- Jan 29 James Jamerson, American session pop and R&B bass guitarist (Motown Records), born in Edisto, South Carolina (d. 1983)
- Jan 29 Malcolm Binns, English concert pianist, born in Nottingham, England
- Jan 30 Dries Holten, Dutch pop singer (Sandra & Andres), born in Cimahi, Dutch East Indies (d. 2020)
- Jan 30 Horst Jankowski, German jazz and easy listening pianist ("A Walk In The Black Forest"), born in Berlin, Germany (d. 1998)
- Jan 31 Marvin Junior, American R&B baritone singer (The Dells - "Oh What a Nite"), born in Harold, Arkansas (d. 2013)
About January 1936
How Old? 88 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Leap Year: Yes
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers