- Oct 3 Herb Flemming [Nicolaiih El-Michelle], American jazz trombonist and vocalist, dies at 77
- Oct 3 Victoria Spivey, American vaudeville and blues singer, pianist, organist, and songwriter ("Dope Head Blues"; Organ Grinder Blues"), dies at 69
- Oct 7 Nikolai Lopatnikoff, Estonian-American composer (Variazioni Concertanti), dies at 73
- Oct 10 Connee Boswell, American jazz singer (Pete Kelly's Blue), dies at 68
- Oct 10 Silvana Armenulic, Yugoslavian folk singer (b. 1939)
- Oct 12 José Rozo Contreras, Colombian saxophonist, conductor, and composer, dies at 82
- Oct 23 Leonard Lee, American vocalist (Shirley & Lee - "I'm Gone"), dies at 40
- Oct 24 Richard Sturzenegger, Swiss composer and cellist, dies at 70
- Oct 27 Deryck Victor Cooke, composer, dies of a cerebral hemorrhage at 57
Country Singers
Jazz Singers
Opera Singers
Pop Singers
Rappers
Rock Singers