- Jan 1 F.R. David [Elli Fitoussi], French pop singer-songwriter ("Words"), born in Menzel Bourguiba, French Tunisia
- Jan 2 Dawn Silva, American funk and R&B singer (Sly & The Family Stone; Parliament-Funkadelic; The Brides of Funkenstein - "Disco To Go"), born in Sacramento, California
- Jan 2 Glen Goins, American funk guitarist and singer (Parliament-Funkadelic - "Fantasy Is Reality"), born in Plainfield, New Jersey (d. 1978)
- Jan 2 John Barlow Jarvis, American Grammy Award-winning songwriter ("Love Can Build A Bridge"), touring and session pianist (Vince Gill; James Taylor), and recording artist, born in Pasadena, California
- Jan 3 Marc Ysaÿe, Belgian progressive rock drummer and vocalist (Machiavel), born in Ixelles, Belgium
- Jan 3 Ross The Boss [Ross Friedman], American guitarist (The Dictators), born in the Bronx, New York
- Jan 4 Eugene Chadbourne, American avant-garde jazz composer, guitarist and banjo player, born in Mount Vernon, New York
- Jan 5 Bryan Hitt, American rock drummer (REO Speedwagon - "Keep on Loving You"), born in Center, Texas
- Jan 8 Jerry Vivino, American rock and R&B saxophonist (Max Weinberg 7; Vivino Brothers), born in Paterson, New Jersey
- Jan 9 Lance Hoppens, American rock bassist (Orleans - "Still the One"; "Dance With Me"), born in Bay Shore, Long Island, New York
- Jan 15 Roger McLachlan, New Zealand rock bassist (Little River Band; Stars), born in Riverton, New Zealand
- Jan 17 Cheryl Bentyne [Benthien], American jazz singer and vocal arranger (The Manhattan Transfer, 1979-2023), born in Mount Vernon, Washington
- Jan 18 Tom Bailey, English rock vocalist, keyboardist (Thompson Twins - "Hold Me Now", "Doctor! Doctor!"), and record producer, born in Halifax, West Yorkshire
Katey Sagal (70 years old)
Jan 19 American actress and singer-songwriter (Married With Children - "Peg"), born in Los Angeles, California
- Jan 23 Edward Ka-Spel [Sharp] British avant-garde singer-songwriter (Legendary Pink Dots), born in London, England
- Jan 23 Franco De Vita, Venezuelan spanish singer (Extranjero), born in Caracas, Venezuela
- Jan 23 Richard Finch, American disco and rock bassist, songwriter and producer (KC and the Sunshine Band - "Shake Your Booty"; "I'm Your Boogie Man"), born in Indianapolis, Indiana
- Jan 24 Glenn Worf, American session and touring upright and electric bassist (Mark Knopfler), born in Dayton, Ohio
- Jan 25 Jan Sandström, Swedish classical music composer (Motorbike Concerto: Snowflakes), born in Vilhelmina, Sweden
- Jan 28 Shawn Murray, American rock drummer (Mink Deville), born in New York
- Jan 29 Dick Manitoba, American punk rock singer (The Dictators), born in New York City
- Jan 30 Alides Hidding, Dutch singer-songwriter (Time Bandits), born in Schoonoord, Netherlands
- Jan 30 Jochen Kowalski, German concert and operatic countertenor (Hamburg State Opera, 1984-present), born in Wachow, East Germany (now part of Nauen, Germany)
- Jan 31 Adrian Vandenberg, Dutch rock guitarist (Whitesnake), born in the Hague, Netherlands
About January 1954
How Old? 70 years old
Generation: Baby Boomer
Leap Year: No
Country Singers
Jazz Musicians
Opera Singers
Pop Stars
Rappers
Rockers