- Jan 10 Lazar Weiner, Russian-born American composer, dies at 84
- Jan 16 Harald Søltoft Agersnap, Danish cellist, pianist, conductor, and composer (Royal Danish Theatre, 1931-66), dies at 82
- Jan 18 Burnet Corwin Tuthill, American composer (Laurentia), dies at 93
- Jan 19 Elis Regina (Costa), Brazilian pop-samba-bossa nova singer ("Arrastão" - "Pull the Trawling Net"), dies from cardiac arrest after consuming alcohol, cocaine and tranquilizers at 36
- Jan 22 Tommy Tucker [Robert Higginbotham], American R&B singer-songwriter, and piano player ("Hi-Heel Sneakers"), dies due to a poorly ventilated home improvement project at 48
- Jan 30 Riccardo Nielsen, Italian composer (99th Psalm; La via di Colombo), dies at 73
Lightnin Hopkins (1912-1982)
Jan 30 American blues musician (Ball of Twine), dies of esophageal cancer at 69
- Jan 31 Jiří Srnka, Czech classical and film score composer, dies at 74
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
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