- May 1 Juraj Hatrík, Slovak composer (Monumento malinconico; Dispute Over a Plastered Dwarf), and educator, born in Orkucany, Slovak Republic (d. 2021)
- May 3 Frank Collett [Taglieri], American jazz pianist and bandleader, born in Brooklyn, New York City (d. 2016)
- May 4 David LaFlamme [Gary Posie], American electric rock violinist (It's A Beautiful Day - "White Bird"), born in New Britain, Connecticut (d. 2023)
- May 4 Nickolas "Nick" Ashford, American songwriter, record producer("Ain't No Mountain High Enough"; "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)"), and singer (Ashford & Simpson - "Solid"), born in Fairfield, South Carolina (d. 2011)
- May 5 Stanley Cowell American jazz pianist (Heath Brothers), record label co-founder (Strata-East), and educator, born in Toledo, Ohio (d. 2020)
- May 6 Ghena Dimitrova, Bulgarian operatic soprano, born in Pleven, Kingdom of Bulgaria (d. 2005)
- May 8 John Fred [Gourrier], American pop singer (John Fred and His Playboy Band - "Judy in Disguise (With Glasses)"), born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (d. 2005)
- May 8 Mahmoud Ahmed, Ethiopian singer, born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia [some sources cite May 18]
- May 9 Danny Rapp, American pop singer (Danny & Juniors - "At The Hop"), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1983)
- May 9 Pete Birrell, British rock bassist (Freddie and The Dreamers - "I'm Telling You Now"), born in Wythenshawe, Cheshire, England
- May 11 Eric Burdon, British rock vocalist (Animals - "House of the Rising Sun"; "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"; War - "Spill The Wine"), born in Walker-on-Tyne, England
- May 12 Anthony Newman, American harpsichordist and organist (Bhajeb), born in Los Angeles, California
- May 12 Ruud de Wolff, Dutch Indonesian singer and guitarist (Blue Diamonds), born in Batavia
- May 13 Joe Brown, British singer, guitarist and ukulele player ("A Picture of You"; "I'll See You In My Dreams"), born in Swarby, England
- May 13 Ritchie Valens [Valenzuela], American rock singer ("Donna"; "La Bamba"), born in Pacoima, California (d. 1959)
- May 15 K. T. Oslin, American country singer (80's Ladies), born in Crossett, Arkansas (d. 2020)
- May 15 Lainie Kazan [Levine], American stage and screen singer and actress (Lust in the Dust; Beaches: My Big Fat Greek Wedding), born in Brooklyn, New York
- May 15 Richard Edward Wilson, American contemporary classical pianist, composer (Diablerie; The Cello Has Many Secrets; Æthelred the Unready), and educator (Vassar, 1966-2016), born in Cleveland, Ohio
- May 16 Maurice Weddington, American composer (Epiphany), born in Chicago, Illinois [1]
- May 17 David Cope, American composer, born in San Francisco, California
- May 17 Malcolm Hale, American pop musician (Spanky and Our Gang), born in Butte, Montana (d. 1968)
- May 18 Lobby Loyde [John Lyde], Australian rock guitarist and songwriter (The Purple Heart; Wild Cherries; Billy Thorpe & The Aztecs), born in Longreach, Queensland (d. 2007)
- May 19 Marc-Antonio Consoli, Italian-American organist, composer (Odefonia), and educator, born in Catania, Italy
- May 21 Martin Carthy, English folk musician, born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire
- May 21 Ronald Isley, American singer (Isley Brothers - "Twist and Shout"; "This Old Heart Of Mine"), born in Cincinnati, Ohio
- May 22 Sebastian Forbes, British conductor, composer and music professor (The Aeolian Singers), born in Buckinghamshire, England
- May 23 General Johnson, American soul singer and songwriter (Chairmen of the Board - "Give Me Just a Little More Time"), and songwriter ("Patches"; "Want Ads"), born in Norfolk, Virginia (d. 2010)
- May 23 Jackson Hill, American composer and educator (Voices of Autumn), born in Birmingham, Alabama
Bob Dylan (82 years old)
May 24 American singer-songwriter ("Blowin' In The Wind"; "The Times They Are A-Changin'"; "Positively Fourth Street") and cultural icon, born in Duluth, Minnesota
- May 24 Charles Earland, American jazz Hammond organist, and bandleader, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 1999)
- May 24 Konrad Boehmer, German-Dutch composer, born in Berlin, Germany (2014)
- May 24 Tony Valentino, Italian-American rock guitarist (Standells - "Dirty Water"), born in Sicily, Italy
- May 25 Bill Young, American rocker, born in Daingerfield, Texas (d. 1999)
- May 26 Art Sharp, British rock singer (Nashville Teens - "Tobacco Road"), born in Woking, Surrey, England
- May 26 Imants Kalniņš, Latvian classical, choral and rock composer ("Hey, You There!"), born in Riga, Latvian SSR
- May 26 John Maxwell Geddes, Scottish composer and pedagogue, born in Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland (d. 2017)
- May 29 Roy Crewdson, British rock guitarist (Freddie and The Dreamers - "I'm Telling You Now"), born in Manchester, England
- May 31 Kenneth Cooper, American harpsichordist, pianist, musicologist, and professor (Barnard College, Brooklyn, NYC), born in New York City (d. 2021)
About May 1941
How Old? 82 or 83 years old
Generation: Silent Generation
Leap Year: No
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers