- Jan 2 (Woodward) "Tex" Ritter, American country singer (5 Star Jubilee, "Wayward Wind"), dies of a heart attack at 67
- Jan 4 Karel Janeček, Czech composer, dies at 70
- Jan 5 Lev Oborin, Russian-Soviet pianist (winner of 1st International Chopin Competition, 1927), composer and pedagogue, dies at 66
- Jan 10 Eddie Safranski, American jazz double bassist and orchestra leader (Jonathan Winters Show), dies at 55
- Jan 13 Raoul Jobin, French-Canadian operatic tenor (1930-58), and educator (Conservatoire de musique du Québec, 1960-71), dies at 69
- Jan 15 Karel Salmon [Karl Salomon], Israeli operatic bass-baritone singer, composer, and conductor, dies at 76
- Jan 16 Roy Bargy, American pianist and composer (Jimmy Durante Show), dies at 79
- Jan 26 Wiktor Labunski, Polish-American composer, dies at 78
- Feb 2 Jean Absil, Belgian organist and composer (Benedictions; Peau d'Ane), dies at 80
- Feb 15 Kurt Magnus Atterberg, Swedish composer, dies at 86
- Feb 20 David Monrad Johansen, Norwegian composer, dies at 85
- Feb 23 Harry Ruby [Harry Rubenstein], American composer and screenwriter, dies at 79
- Feb 25 Julian Dash, American swing jazz tenor saxophonist, and composer ("Tuxedo Junction"), dies at 67
- Feb 28 Bobby Bloom, American singer-songwriter ("Montego Bay"), dies in a self-inflicting gun cleaning incident at 28
- Mar 1 Bobby Timmons, American jazz pianist (Moanin'), dies of cirrhosis, at 38
- Mar 3 Barbara Ruick, American actress (Carousel; Fearless Fagan), and singer (Jerry Colonna Show), dies of an aneurysm at 43
- Mar 4 Mihail Andricu, Romanian pianist, composer, violinist, and music professor (Bucharest Conservatory, 1926-59), dies at 79
- Mar 7 Alberto Rabagliati, Italian singer and actor (b. 1906)
- Mar 8 Willem "Wim" Sonneveld, Dutch singer considered one of the 'Great Three' of Dutch cabaret (My Fair Lady), dies from a heart attack at 56
- Mar 9 Harry Womack, American gospel and R&B singer and bassist (Womack Brothers; The Valentinos - "It's All Over Now"), stabbed to death by his girlfriend at 28
- Mar 10 Quinto Maganini, American composer (The Argonauts), dies at 76
- Mar 28 Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, American blues singer, songwriter and guitarist (That's Alright), dies of a heart attack at 68
- Mar 28 Dino Ciani, Italian pianist, dies in a car accident at 32
- Mar 28 Dorothy Fields, American singer (The Way You Look Tonight), dies at 68
- Apr 1 Alfred Ernest Whitehead, English-Canadian composer, dies at 86
- Apr 13 Stanley Smith, American actor and singer (King of Jazz; Soup to Nuts; Good News), dies at 71
- Apr 14 Al Morgan, American jazz double-bassist (Cab Calloway; Fats Waller; Louis Jordan), dies at 65
- Apr 15 Giovanni D'Anzi, Italian pianist and songwriter ("Malinconia d'amore"), dies at 68
- Apr 17 Herbert Elwell, American composer (Happy Hypocrite), dies at 75
- Apr 17 Vinnie Taylor, American rock guitarist (Sha Na Na), dies of a drug overdose at 25
- May 4 Geraldo [Gerald Walcan Bright], British "sweet music" dance band lbandeader (Gaucho Tango Orchestra), dies of a heart attack at 69
- May 4 Israel Citkowitz, Polish-American composer (The Lambs), and pedagogue, dies at 65
- May 8 Graham Bond, British R&B musician, dies jumping under a train at 36
- May 9 Lyubomir Pipkov, Bulgarian pianist, composer, music educator, and (with his father) Antarctic glacier namesake, dies at 69
- May 23 Kathleen Cannell, American fashion and dance writer, dies at 82
- May 24 Edward "Duke" Ellington, American bandleader, composer and pianist ("Take the A Train"; "It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)"), dies of cancer at 75
- Jun 14 Knud Jeppesen, Danish organist, composer, educator (Royal Danish Academy, 1920-47; Aarhus University, 1946-57), and musicologist (La frottola), dies at 81
- Jun 27 Cliff Friend, American pianist and songwriter, dies at 80
- Jul 6 Carlos Isamitt, Chilean composer, dies at 87
- Jul 8 Morris "Moose" Charlap, American Broadway composer (Peter Pan; Kelly), dies at 45
- Jul 27 Lightnin' Slim [Otis Hicks], American Louisiana blues electric guitarist, singer, and songwriter ("Nothing But The Devil"; "Bad Luck And Trouble"), dies of stomach cancer at 61
Cass Elliot (1941-1974)
Jul 29 American pop vocalist (Mamas & The Papas - "California Dreaming"; "Monday, Monday"; solo - "Dream A little Dream Of Me"; "Make Your Own Kind of Music"), dies of a heart attack in London at 32
- Jul 30 Lev Knipper, Russian-Soviet composer (Poem of the Komsomol Fighter; Tales of a Plaster God), and secret agent, dies at 75
- Aug 6 Gene Ammons, American jazz saxophonist ("The Happy Blues"), dies of bone cancer at 49
- Aug 9 Bill Chase, American jazz-rock trumpet player and bandleader (Chase), dies in a plane crash at 39
- Aug 11 Vicente Emilio Sojo, Venezuelan composer, dies at 86
- Aug 13 (Harold) "Tina" Brooks, American hard-bop jazz saxophonist, and composer ("True Blue"), dies of liver failure at 42
- Aug 20 Ilona Massey [Hajmássy], Hungarian-American film, stage, and radio actress and singer (Ilona Massey Show), dies of cancer at 64
- Aug 25 Gus Viseur, Belgian-French jazz button accordionist, dies at 59
- Sep 3 Harry Partch, American composer (Revelations in the Courthouse Park; Delusion Of The Fury), dies at 73
- Sep 9 Soltan Hajibeyov, Azerbaijani composer and People's Artist of the USSR, dies at 55
- Sep 20 Robert Herberigs, Flemish composer (La Chanson d'Eve), dies at 88
- Sep 23 Robbie Mcintosh, Scottish drummer (Average White Band), overdoses at 24
- Oct 8 Harry Carney, American tenor and baritone jazz saxophonist (Duke Ellington Orchestra, 1927-74), dies at 64
- Oct 12 Hendrik Diels, Flemish conductor, dies at 73
- Oct 12 Joseph Frederick Wagner, American composer, conductor (Boston Civic Symphony, 1925 to 44), and teacher, dies at 74
- Oct 13 Josef Krips, Austrian conductor (London Symphony, 1950-54; Buffalo Philharmonic, 1954-63; San Francisco Symphony, 1964-70), dies of lung cancer at 72
- Oct 16 Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar, noted Carnatic musician (b. 1895)
- Oct 24 David Oistrakh, Soviet violinist considered one of the pre-eminent violinists of the 20th century (Moscow Conservatory), dies at 66
- Nov 8 Ivory Joe Hunter "The Baron of the Boogie", American R&B singer, piano player, and songwriter ("Since I Met You Baby"), dies of lung cancer at 60
- Nov 9 Egon Wellesz, Austrian-British composer (Alkestis; The Leaden Echo and the Golden Echo), teacher, and musicologist (Byzantine), dies at 89
- Nov 11 Alfonso Leng, Chilean dentist and composer (Doloras), dies at 90
- Nov 19 George Brunies, American musician (b. 1902)
- Nov 21 Frank Martin, Swiss composer (In Terra Fax), dies at 84
- Nov 23 Páll Ísólfsson, Icelandic organist and composer, dies at 81
- Nov 25 Nick Drake, English singer-songwriter (Pink Moon), dies of a drug overdose at 26
- Dec 4 Sophie-Carmen "Sonia" Eckhardt-Gramatté, Russian-Canadian pianist and composer, dies at 75
- Dec 8 Hugues Panassié, French jazz critic, record producer, and impresario (Hot Club de France), dies at 62
- Dec 9 Jorge Croner de Vasconcelos, Portuguese composer, dies at 64
- Dec 15 Erich Walter Sternberg, German-Israeli composer (co-founder of Israel Philharmonic Orchestra), dies at 83
- Dec 20 André Jolivet, French composer (Jeune France, Mana), dies at 69
- Dec 26 Farid al-Atrash [El-Atrache], Syrian composer, musician, virtuoso oud player, and actor (Akher kedba), dies of heart disease at 59
- Dec 26 Knudåge Riisager, Danish composer (director of the Royal Danish Academy of Music 1956-67), dies at 77
- Dec 26 Robert Levine Sanders, American composer, dies at 68
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