- Jan 2 (Graeme) "Shirley" Strachan, Australian singer (Skyhooks - "Ego Is Not A Dirty Word"; "Jukebox in Siberia"), TV host (Shirl's Neighbourhood), and carpenter (Our House), born in Malvern, Victoria, Australia (d. 2001)
- Jan 8 Vladimir Feltsman, Russian-American pianist, born in Moscow, Russia
- Jan 10 Scott Thurston, American session and touring guitarist, keyboardist and songwriter (Iggy Pop, 1973-79; Motels, 1982-84; Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, 1989-2017), born in Medford, Oregon
- Jan 11 Lee Ritenour, American jazz-fusion guitarist, born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 12 Ricky Van Shelton, American country singer ("Wild-Eyed Dream"), born in Danville, Virginia
- Jan 13 Pekka Pohjola, Finnish rock and jazz-fusion bassist, and composer, born in Helsinki (d. 2008)
- Jan 15 Boris Blank, Swiss artist and musician (Yello, Tranceonic), born in Zurich, Switzerland
- Jan 15 Melvyn Gale, English cellist (Electric Light Orchestra, 1975-79 - "Livin' Thing"), born in London
- Jan 17 Ryuichi Sakamoto, Japanese musician (Yellow Magic Orchestra) and Academy Award-winning film composer (The Last Emperor), born in Tokyo, Japan (d. 2023) [1]
- Jan 18 R. Stevie Moore, American singer, songwriter, and home recording pioneer, born in Nashville, Tennessee
- Jan 19 Dewey Bunell, British-American musician (America - "Daisy Jane"), born in Borough of Harrogate, England
- Jan 20 Ian Hill, English rock bassist (Judas Priest - "Breakin the Law"), born in West Bromwich, United Kingdom
- Jan 20 John Campbell, American blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter, born in Shreveport, Louisiana (d. 1993)
- Jan 20 Paul Stanley [Stanley Eisen], American rock guitarist, songwriter, and singer (KISS - "Rock and Roll All Nite"), born in Manhattan, New York City
- Jan 22 Teddy Gentry, American country music bassist (Alabama - "Mountain Music"), born in Fort Payne, Alabama
- Jan 22 Teresa Kaban, Polish classical pianist and co-director of the International Festival of Rediscovered and Forgotten Music, born in Gliwice, Poland
- Jan 25 Peter Garland, American composer, and musicologist, born in Portland, Maine
- Jan 25 Sara Mandiano [Françoise Castellani], French singer-songwriter, born in France
- Jan 28 George Green, American songwriter ("Hurts So Good", "Rain On The Scarecrow"), born in Seymour, Indiana (d. 2011)
- Jan 29 Kenn Kweder, American rock and folk singer-songwriter ("Diablo"; "Suzy Said So"; "Mommy And Daddy"), born in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania [1]
- Jan 30 Valery Khalilov, Russian military conductor and composer, born in Termez, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union (d. 2016)
- Jan 31 Thomas Lawrence Toscano, American conductor (Opera OGGI NY), composer, and broadcaster, born in The Bronx, New York
About January 1952
How Old? 72 years old
Generation: Baby Boomer
Leap Year: Yes
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers