- May 1 Juraj Hatrík, Slovak composer (Monumento malinconico; Dispute Over a Plastered Dwarf), and educator, born in Orkucany, Slovak Republic (d. 2021)
- May 3 Frank Collett [Taglieri], American jazz pianist and bandleader, born in Brooklyn, NYC (d. 2016)
- May 4 David LaFlamme [Gary Posie], American electric rock violinist (It's A Beautiful Day - "White Bird"), born in New Britain, Connecticut (d. 2023)
- May 4 Nickolas "Nick" Ashford, American songwriter, record producer("Ain't No Mountain High Enough"; "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)"), and singer (Ashford & Simpson - "Solid"), born in Fairfield, South Carolina (d. 2011)
- May 5 Stanley Cowell American jazz pianist (Heath Brothers), record label co-founder (Strata-East), and educator, born in Toledo, Ohio (d. 2020)
- May 6 Ghena Dimitrova, Bulgarian operatic soprano, born in Pleven, Kingdom of Bulgaria (d. 2005)
- May 8 John Fred [Gourrier], American pop singer (John Fred and His Playboy Band - "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)"), born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (d. 2005)
- May 8 Mahmoud Ahmed, Ethiopian singer, born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia [some sources cite May 18]
- May 9 Danny Rapp, American pop singer (Danny & Juniors - "At The Hop"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1983)
- May 9 Pete Birrell, British rock bassist (Freddie and The Dreamers - "I'm Telling You Now"), born in Wythenshawe, Cheshire, England
- May 11 Eric Burdon, British rock vocalist (Animals - "House of the Rising Sun"; "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"; War - "Spill The Wine"), born in Walker-on-Tyne, England
- May 12 Anthony Newman, American harpsichordist and organist (Bhajeb), born in Los Angeles, California
- May 12 Ruud de Wolff, Dutch Indonesian singer and guitarist (Blue Diamonds), born in Batavia
- May 13 Joe Brown, British singer, guitarist and ukulele player ("A Picture of You"; "I'll See You In My Dreams"), born in Swarby, England
- May 13 Ritchie Valens [Valenzuela], American rock singer ("Donna"; "La Bamba"), born in Pacoima, California (d. 1959)
- May 15 K. T. Oslin, American country singer (80's Ladies), born in Crossett, Arkansas (d. 2020)
- May 15 Lainie Kazan [Levine], American stage and screen singer and actress (Lust in the Dust; Beaches: My Big Fat Greek Wedding), born in Brooklyn, New York
- May 15 Richard Edward Wilson, American contemporary classical pianist, composer (Diablerie; The Cello Has Many Secrets; Æthelred the Unready), and educator (Vassar, 1966-2016), born in Cleveland, Ohio
- May 16 Maurice Weddington, American composer (Epiphany), born in Chicago, Illinois [1]
- May 17 David Cope, American composer, born in San Francisco, California
- May 17 Malcolm Hale, American pop musician (Spanky and Our Gang), born in Butte, Montana (d. 1968)
- May 18 Lobby Loyde [John Lyde], Australian rock guitarist and songwriter (The Purple Heart; Wild Cherries; Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs), born in Longreach, Queensland (d. 2007)
- May 19 Marc-Antonio Consoli, Italian-American organist, composer (Odefonia), and educator, born in Catania, Italy
- May 21 Martin Carthy, English folk musician, born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire
- May 21 Ronald Isley, American singer (Isley Brothers - "Twist and Shout"; "This Old Heart Of Mine"), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
- May 22 Sebastian Forbes, British conductor, composer and music professor (The Aeolian Singers), born in Buckinghamshire, England
- May 23 General Johnson, American soul singer and songwriter (Chairmen of the Board - "Give Me Just a Little More Time"), and songwriter ("Patches"; "Want Ads"), born in Norfolk, Virginia (d. 2010)
- May 23 Jackson Hill, American composer and educator (Voices of Autumn), born in Birmingham, Alabama
Bob Dylan (82 years old)
May 24 American singer-songwriter ("Blowin' In The Wind"; "The Times They Are A-Changin'"; "Positively Fourth Street") and cultural icon, born in Duluth, Minnesota
- May 24 Charles Earland, American jazz Hammond organist, and bandleader, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1999)
- May 24 Konrad Boehmer, German-Dutch composer, born in Berlin, Germany (2014)
- May 24 Tony Valentino, Italian-American rock guitarist (Standells - "Dirty Water"), born in Sicily, Italy
- May 25 Bill Young, American rocker, born in Daingerfield, Texas (d. 1999)
- May 26 Art Sharp, British rock singer (Nashville Teens - "Tobacco Road"), born in Woking, Surrey, England
- May 26 Imants Kalniņš, Latvian classical, choral and rock composer ("Hey, You There!"), born in Riga, Latvian SSR
- May 26 John Maxwell Geddes, Scottish composer and pedagogue, born in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland (d. 2017)
- May 29 Roy Crewdson, British rock guitarist (Freddie and The Dreamers - "I'm Telling You Now"), born in Manchester, England
- May 31 Kenneth Cooper, American harpsichordist, pianist, musicologist, and professor (Barnard College, Brooklyn, NYC), born in New York City (d. 2021)
About May 1941
How Old? 82 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Leap Year: No
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers