- 1690 Charles Theodore Pachelbel, German-American composer (son of Johann Pachelbel), one of the first European composers to emigrate to America, born in Stuttgart, Duchy of Württemberg, Holy Roman Empire (d. 1750)
- 1747 Felice Alessandri, Italian organist, harpsichordist, pianist, and opera composer, born in Rome, Papal States (d. 1798)
- 1795 Josif Josifovich Genishta, Russian pianist, composer, and conductor, born in Moscow, Russia (d. 1853)
- 1848 Lilli Lehmann, German opera singer (Tristan und Isolde), born in Würzburg, Kingdom of Bavaria (d. 1929)
Scott Joplin (1868-1917)
American ragtime entertainer and composer ("Maple Leaf Rag"; "The Entertainer"), born in Texarkana, Texas
- 1892 Isidor Achron, American composer, born in Warsaw, Poland (d. 1948)
- 1899 Jan Maklakiewicz, Polish composer, chiefly of choral music (Kołysanka - Lullaby; Ave Maria), conductor, and educator, born in Chojnata, Poland (d. 1954)
- 1900 Cornelius Kee, Dutch organist and composer, born in Zaandam, Netherlands (d. 1997)
- 1905 [Irene] Ireene Wicker, American singer and actress (Singing Lady), born in Quincy, Illinois (d. 1987)
- 1908 Ray Carter, American orchestra leader (Arthur Murray Dance Party), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 1982)
- 1909 Hans Melchior Brugk, German composer, born in Munich, Germany (d. 1999)
- 1912 Teddy Wilson, American jazz pianist and arranger (Billie Holiday; Benny Goodman), born in Austin, Texas (d. 1986) [1]
- 1917 Richard Hervig, American classical composer (Woman with a Torch; Epitaph), and teacher, born in Story City, Iowa (d. 2010)
- 1917 Rita Corita [Hendrika Sturm], Dutch pop singer ("Koffie, koffie, lekker bakkie koffie - Coffee, coffee, nice cup of coffee"), born in Amsterdam, Netherlands (d. 1998)
- 1918 "Wild" Bill Davis, American jazz pianist, arranger, and electronic organ pioneer (Louis Jordan's Tympani Five), born in Glasgow, Missouri (d. 1995)
- 1924 Eileen Barton, American singer (Broadway Open House; "If I Knew You Were Comin' I'd've Baked a Cake"), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2006)
- 1927 Alfredo Kraus, Spanish bel canto tenor (Massenet - "Werther"; La Scala; New York Metroplolitan Opera, 1966-94), born in Las Palmas, Canary Islands (d. 1999)
- 1927 Emma Lou Diemer, American classical composer (Songs for the Earth; Fantasy for Carillon), and educator, born in Kansas City, Missouri
- 1934 Alfred Schnittke, Russian composer (St Florian; Life With An Idiot), born in Engels, Volga-German Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (d. 1998)
- 1934 Claudio Prieto, Spanish composer (Solo a Solo; Cantata manriqueña), born in Muñeca de la Peña, Spain (d. 2015)
- 1934 Martin Charnin, American Broadway stage singer, dancer (West Side Story), director, and lyricist (Annie), born in New York City (d. 2019)
- 1937 Jeremy Taylor, British teacher, folk singer, songwriter ("Ag Pleez Deddy"; "Piece of Ground"), born in Newbury, England
- 1939 Jim Yester, American rock vocalist and guitarist (The Association - "Cherish"; "Windy"; "Time For Living"), born in Birmingham, Alabama
- 1940 Wendell Morris Logan, American composer (Oberlin Conservatory of Music), born in Thomson, Georgia (d. 2010)
- 1941 Donald "Duck" Dunn, American session bassist (Stax; Booker & The MG's; The Blues Brothers), born in Memphis, Tennessee (d. 2012)
- 1941 Gary Boyle, British rock and jazz-fusion guitarist (The Echoes; Isotope), born in Patna, British India
Pete Best (82 years old)
1941 British rock drummer (The Beatles, 1960-62), born in Madras, British India
- 1941 Wayne Lamar Jackson, American soul and R&B trumpeter (Mar-Keys, The Memphis Horns), born in West Memphis, Arkansas (d. 2016)
- 1942 Bayani Mendoza de Leon, Filipino-American musician and composer (Batong-Buhay), born in Manilla, Philippines (d. 2013)
- 1942 Chinary Ung, Cambodian-American composer and music educator, born in Krong Doun Kaev, Cambodia
- 1943 Richard Tee [Ten Ryk], American jazz and session pianist and arranger (Paul Simon - "Slip' Slidin' Away"; Peter Gabriel - "In Your Eyes"; Grover Washington, Jr - "Just The Two Of Us"), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 1993)
- 1943 Robin Williamson, Scottish folk-rock singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and storyteller (Incredible String Band), born in Edinburgh, Scotland
- 1945 Lee Michaels [Olsen], American rock Hammond B-3 organist and singer ("Do You Know What I Mean"), and restaurateur (Killer Shrimp), born in Los Angeles, California
- 1947 Dave Sinclair, British progressive rock keyboard player (Caravan - In the Land of Grey and Pink), born in Herne Bay, Kent, England
- 1949 Anita Louis, American R&B singer (The Soul Children - "I'll Be the Other Woman"), born in Memphis, Tennessee
- 1949 Jim Warren, American artist whose work includes album cover art for Bob Seger and Prince, born in Long Beach, California
- 1950 Bob Burns, American rock drummer (Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1964-74), born in Jacksonville, Florida (d. 2015)
- 1953 Tod Machover, American classical and electro-acoustic composer, conductor, and educator (MIT), born in Mount Vernon, NY
- 1954 Emir Kusturica, Serbian-French filmmaker (When Father Was Away on Business; Black Cat, White Cat), and punk rock bassist (No Smoking), born in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
- 1955 Clem Burke [Clement Bozewski], American rock drummer (Blondie - "Heart Of Glass"), born in Bayonne, New Jersey
- 1955 Elvis Ramone [Clement Bozewski], American drummer (The Ramones, August 1987), born in Bayonne, New Jersey
- 1957 Chris Hayes, American rock guitarist (Huey Lewis & The News, 1980-2001 - “I Want A New Drug”), born in Sacramento, California
- 1958 Carmel [McCourt], British rock and soul-jazz singer (Storm, More More More), born in Wrawby, England
- 1960 Edgar Meyer, American classical, jazz, and bluegrass bassist, and composer, born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
- 1962 John Squire, British rock guitarist and songwriter (Stone Roses - "She Bangs the Drums"; The Seahorses), and painter, born in Altrincham, Cheshire, England
- 1964 Tony Rombola, American guitarist (Godsmack), born in Norwood, Massachusetts
- 1966 Russell Watson, British classical crossover pop-opera singer, born in Irlam, England
- 1968 Dawn Robinson, American singer (En Vogue), born in New London, Connecticut (or 1965)
- 1969 Rob Nicholson, American session and touring heavy metal bassist (Rob Zombie; Ozzy Osbourne), born in Los Angeles, California
- 1970 Chad Taylor, American rock guitarist (Live - "Lightning Crashes"), born in York, Pennsylvania
- 1970 Julieta Venegas, Mexican-American pop singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, born in Long Beach, California
- 1971 Stéphane Denève, French conductor (St. Louis Symphony, 2019-26; RSO Stuttgart, 2011–16; Royal Scottish National, 2005-11), born in Tourcoing, France
- 1972 Lawrence Brownlee, American operatic tenor (The Barber of Seville), born in Youngstown, Ohio
- 1981 Morgan James [Grunerud] American Broadway actress, singer and songwriter (Hunter; The White Album), born in Boise, Idaho
- 1985 Julia Alexandratou, Greek fashion model, singer, television presenter, and porn actress, born in Glyfada, Greece
- 1987 Megan Mullins, American country singer-songwriter, fiddler, and mandolin player, born in Fort Wayne, Indiana
- 1987 Sabi [Jenice Portlock], American hip-hop and pop singer-songwriter (The Bangz; "You Make Me Feel..."), born in Inglewood, California
Composers
Drummers
Guitarists
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Singers
Songwriters