Editing 1940 in music (section)

==Births==
*[[January 8]] – [[Anthony Gourdine]], American R&B vocalist ([[Little Anthony & the Imperials]])
*[[January 9]] – [[Al Downing (musician)|Al Downing]], American singer-songwriter and pianist (died 2005)
*[[January 11]] – [[Sydney Devine]], Scottish singer (died 2021)
*[[January 18]] – [[Lindsay L. Cooper]], Scottish jazz string player (died 2001)
*[[January 19]] – [[Rudolf Jansen]], Dutch pianist  (died 2024)
*[[January 22]] – [[Addie "Micki" Harris]], American R&B vocalist ([[The Shirelles]]) (died 1982)
*[[January 23]]
**[[Jimmy Castor]], African-American funk, R&B and soul saxophonist (died [[2012 in music|2012]])<ref>{{Cite news|last=Martin |first=Douglas |date=January 17, 2012 |title=Jimmy Castor, Musician Who Mastered Many Genres, Dies at 71 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/18/arts/music/jimmy-castor-musician-who-mastered-many-genres-dies-at-71.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
**[[Joe Dowell]], American singer (died 2016)
**[[Johnny Russell (singer)|Johnny Russell]], American singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2001)
*[[January 28]] – [[Trebor Jay Tichenor]], American pianist and composer (died 2014)
*[[January 30]] – [[David C. Johnson]], American composer, flautist and live-electronic performer
*[[January 31]] – [[Sandy Yaguda]], American vocalist ([[Jay and the Americans]])
*[[February 2]] – [[Alan Caddy]] ([[The Tornados]]) (died 2000)
*[[February 3]] – [[Angelo D'Aleo]] ([[Dion and the Belmonts]])
*[[February 10]]
**[[Jimmy Merchant]] ([[Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers]])
**[[Kenny Rankin]], jazz and pop singer-songwriter (died 2009)
*[[February 11]] – [[Bobby 'Boris' Pickett]], singer (died 2007)
*[[February 19]] – [[Smokey Robinson]], soul singer (The Miracles)
*[[February 20]] – [[Barbara Ellis]], pop singer (The Fleetwoods)
*[[February 25]] – [[Jesús López Cobos]], conductor (died 2018)
*[[February 28]]
**<!--February 28-->[[Marty Sanders]] ([[Jay and the Americans]])
**<!--February 28-->[[Joe South]], singer songwriter (died 2012)
*[[February 29]] – [[Gretchen Christopher]], pop singer (The Fleetwoods)
*[[March 2]] – [[Juraj Beneš]], composer (died 2004)
*[[March 10]] – [[Dean Torrence]] ([[Jan and Dean]])
*[[March 12]] – [[Al Jarreau]], singer (died 2017)
*[[March 13]] – [[Daniel Bennie]] ([[The Reflections (Detroit band)|The Reflections]])
*[[March 15]] – [[Phil Lesh]], rock bass guitarist ([[Grateful Dead]])
*[[March 16]] – [[Rock-Olga]] (Birgit Jacobsson), rock singer (died 2010)
*[[March 17]] – [[Vito Picone]], doo-wop singer ([[The Elegants]])
*[[March 25]]
**[[Anita Bryant]], singer
**[[Mina (Italian singer)|Mina]], singer
*[[March 27]] – [[Derrick Morgan]], ska musician
*[[March 29]]
**[[Ray Davis (musician)|Ray Davis]], funk bass singer ([[Parliament (band)|Parliament]], Funkadelic) (died 2005)
**[[Astrud Gilberto]], bossa nova singer (died 2023)
*[[April 1]] – [[Annie Nightingale]], radio music presenter
*[[April 12]] – [[Herbie Hancock]], jazz pianist and composer
*[[April 13]] – [[Lester Chambers]], soul rock singer ([[The Chambers Brothers]])
*[[April 17]] – [[Billy Fury]], singer (died 1983)
*[[April 24]]
**[[Bayan Northcott]], music critic and composer (died 2022)
**[[George Tomsco]], rock guitarist ([[The Fireballs]])
*[[April 26]] – [[Giorgio Moroder]], record producer
*[[May 3]]
**[[Conny Plank]], sound engineer (died 1987)
**[[Leif Rygg]], [[Hardanger fiddle]] player (died 2018)
*[[May 8]]
**[[Ricky Nelson]], singer and actor (The Nelsons) (died 1985)
**[[Toni Tennille]] ([[Captain & Tennille]])
*[[May 15]] – [[Lainie Kazan]], American actress and singer
*[[May 19]] – [[Mickey Newbury]], songwriter (died 2002)
*[[May 21]] – [[Tony Sheridan]], rock singer-songwriter and guitarist (died 2013)
*[[May 26]] – [[Levon Helm]], American rock vocalist/drummer ([[The Band]]) (died 2012)
*[[June 7]] – [[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]], singer
*[[June 8]]
**[[Sherman Garnes]] ([[Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers]]) (died 1977)
**[[Nancy Sinatra]], singer
*[[June 11]] – Joey Dee, leader of [[Joey Dee and the Starliters]]
*[[June 13]] – [[Bobby Freeman]], soul singer (died 2017)
*[[June 23]]
**[[Adam Faith]], born Terry Nelhams, pop singer, screen actor and financial journalist (died 2003)
**[[Stuart Sutcliffe]], rock bass guitarist ([[The Beatles]]) and artist (died 1962)
**[[Diana Trask]], Australian-born country and pop singer
*[[July 4]]
**[[Helen Quach]], Vietnamese-born orchestral conductor (died 2013)
**[[Dave Rowberry]], rock pianist and songwriter ([[The Animals]]) (died 2003)
*[[July 6]] – [[Jeannie Seely]], American singer-songwriter and actress
*[[July 7]] – [[Ringo Starr]], rock drummer ([[The Beatles]])
*[[July 16]] – [[Tony Jackson (singer)|Tony Jackson]], singer and bass guitarist ([[The Searchers (band)|The Searchers]]) (died 2003)
*[[July 22]] – [[Thomas Wayne (singer)|Thomas Wayne]], American singer (died 1971)
*[[August 10]] – [[Bobby Hatfield]], singer ([[The Righteous Brothers]]) (died 2003)
*[[August 12]] – [[Tony Allen (musician)|Tony Allen]], Afrobeat drummer (died 2020)
*[[August 14]] – [[Dash Crofts]], [[Seals and Crofts]]
*[[August 19]]
**[[Roger Cook (songwriter)|Roger Cook]], songwriter
**[[Johnny Nash]], reggae singer (died 2020)
*[[August 20]] – [[John Lantree]] ([[The Honeycombs]])
*[[August 31]] – [[Wilton Felder]], jazz saxophonist ([[The Crusaders (Houston group)|The Crusaders]]) (died 2015)
*[[September 2]] – [[Jimmy Clanton]], singer
*[[September 6]] – [[Jackie Trent]], born Yvonne Burgess, songwriter (died 2015)
*[[September 9]] – [[Joe Negroni]] ([[Frankie Lymon & The Teenagers]]) (died 1978)
*[[September 10]] – [[Dickie Rock]], singer
*[[September 11]] – Bernie Dwyer ([[Freddie & The Dreamers]])
*[[September 17]] – [[Lamonte McLemore]], vocalist ([[The 5th Dimension]])
*[[September 19]] – [[Bill Medley]], singer ([[The Righteous Brothers]])
*[[September 30]] – [[Dewey Martin (musician)|Dewey Martin]], rock drummer ([[Buffalo Springfield]]) (died 2009)
*[[October 1]] – [[Atarah Ben-Tovim]], flautist and children's concert promoter (died 2022)
*[[October 8]] – [[Fred Cash]], soul singer ([[The Impressions]])
*[[October 9]] – [[John Lennon]], rock singer-songwriter (murdered 1980)
*[[October 14]] – [[Cliff Richard]], singer
*[[October 17]] – [[Stephen Kovacevich]], pianist
*[[October 18]] – [[Cynthia Weil]], songwriter (died 2023)
*[[October 19]] – [[Larry Chance]], doo-wop singer ([[The Earls]])
*[[October 21]] – [[Jimmy Beaumont]], doo-wop singer ([[The Skyliners]]) (died 2017)
*[[October 23]]
**[[Ellie Greenwich]], songwriter (died 2009)
**Freddie Marsden, beat drummer ([[Gerry and the Pacemakers]])
*[[October 31]] – [[Eric Griffiths]], skiffle guitarist ([[The Quarrymen]]) (died 2005)
*[[November 2]] – [[Hugo Raspoet]], folk singer (died 2018).
*[[November 4]] – [[Delbert McClinton]], singer-songwriter
*[[November 16]] – [[John Ryanes]], doo-wop bass singer ([[The Monotones]])
*[[November 17]] – [[Luke Kelly]], folk musician ([[The Dubliners]]) (died 1984)
*[[November 25]] – [[Percy Sledge]], singer (died 2015)
*[[November 28]] – [[Bruce Channel]], singer
*[[November 29]]
**[[Seán Cannon]], Irish folk musician
**[[Mark James (songwriter)|Mark James]], born Francis Zambon, songwriter (died 2024)
**[[Chuck Mangione]], flugelhorn player and composer
*[[December 9]] – [[Clancy Eccles]], Jamaican ska/reggae singer (died 2005)
*[[December 11]] – [[David Gates]], American singer-songwriter ([[Bread (band)|Bread]])
*[[December 12]] – [[Dionne Warwick]], American singer
*[[December 19]] – [[Phil Ochs]], American protest singer (died 1976)
*[[December 21]]
**[[Ray Hildebrand]], American singer ([[Paul & Paula]])
**[[Frank Zappa]], American guitarist and composer (died 1993)
*[[December 23]]
**[[Tim Hardin]], American folk singer (died 1980)
**[[Jorma Kaukonen]], American guitarist ([[Jefferson Airplane]], [[Hot Tuna]])
**[[Eugene Record]], American singer ([[The Chi-Lites]]) (died 2005)
*[[December 28]] 
** [[Lonnie Liston Smith]], American jazz and funk musician
** [[Kurt Widmer]], Swiss opera singer and voice coach (died 2023)