- Aug 5 Otto "Toby" Hardwicke, American jazz alto saxophone player (The Washingtonians, 1923-28; Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1932-46 - "Sophisticated Lady"; "In A Sentimental Mood"), dies at 66
- Aug 6 Ingolf Dahl [Marcus], German-American pianist and composer (Allegro and Arioso), dies at 56
- Aug 10 Bernd-Alois Zimmermann, German composer (The Soldiers Requiem), commits suicide at 52
- Aug 13 Viktor Trambitsky, Russian composer, dies at 75
- Aug 14 Vano Muradeli, Soviet Georgian composer (The Great Friendship; Our Leader), and pedagogue, dies at 62
- Aug 15 Karl August Andersen, Norwegian cellist and composer, dies at 66
- Aug 21 Timothy Mather Spelman, American composer, dies at 79
- Aug 22 Richard Frank Donovan, American organist, teacher, and composer (Smoek and Steel; Wood-Notes), dies at 78
- Aug 23 Nel Roos, Dutch ballerina and dance teacher, dies of a heart attack at 55
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers