Events in 1947
- German electronic musician Klaus Schulze, formerly the drummer of Tangerine Dream, was born in Berlin.
- Paul Layton, singer and bassist with The New Seekers, was born in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England.
- Larry Morris, vocalist with the New Zealand garage rock group Larry's Rebels, was born in New Zealand.
- Guitarist, singer, songwriter and founding member of The McCoys Rick Derringer, born Richard Zehringer, was born in Fort Recovery, Ohio.
- American bassist and session musician Willie Weeks was born in Salemburg, North Carolina.
- Hudební historička a příležitostná skladatelka Julie Nathanson se narodila na Manhattanu v New Yorku.
- American soul and R&B singer Barbara Mason was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She became known, among other things, for the hit “Yes, I'm Ready.”
- American singer, songwriter and actress Amanda McBroom was born in Woodland Hills, California.
- British musician, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ian Anderson, best known as the frontman of Jethro Tull, was born in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland.
- American guitarist, singer and songwriter Gary Talley was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He became known as a founding member and lead guitarist of The Box Tops and also performed with Big Star.
- George Newsome, the original drummer of The Climax Blues Band, was born in Stafford, Staffordshire, England.
- David Lasley, an American session singer, songwriter and musician, was known for his work as a backing vocalist and songwriter for artists including Bonnie Raitt, James Taylor, Luther Vandross, Chic, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick, Dusty Springfield and Boz Scaggs. He died on December 9, 2021, aged 74.
- Trombonist, songwriter and co-founder of the rock band Chicago James Pankow was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Chicago was formed in Chicago in 1967 as The Chicago Transit Authority and shortened its name in 1970. In 1976, the band had the UK and U.S. No. 1 hit “If You Leave Me Now”.
- Carl Giammarese, lead singer and guitarist of The Buckinghams, was born in Chicago, Illinois.
- American singer and songwriter Donna Jean Godchaux, née Donna Jean Thatcher, was born in Florence, Alabama. She became best known as a member of Grateful Dead from 1972–1979, where she was the only woman in the lineup. Before that, she worked as a session singer in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and later sang with the group Southern Comfort. Her backing vocals appeared on at least two songs that reached No. 1 on the U.S. chart: Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” in 1966 and Elvis Presley’s “Suspicious Minds” in 1969. She also sang on recordings by Boz Scaggs, Duane Allman, Cher, Joe Tex, Neil Diamond, and others. In 1970, she married keyboardist Keith Godchaux, who later also joined Grateful Dead. She died on November 2, 2025, at a hospice in Nashville from cancer at the age of 78.
- Folk-rock singer Linda Thompson was born in London. She became best known for her work with her then-husband, British folk-rock guitarist Richard Thompson, and later worked as a solo artist.
- Margaret Truman, daughter of US President Harry S. Truman, made her first public appearance as a singer. The performance took place at the Hollywood Bowl before an audience of 15,000.
- Percussionist David Leon “Billy” Knight, brother of Gladys Knight, was born. He played, among other recordings, on “Midnight Train To Georgia” and on more than twenty other UK Top 40 hits. He died on December 6, 2002.
- British racing driver James Hunt was born. He also took part in musical collaborations.
- English drummer and percussionist Richard Coughlan was born. In 1968, he was one of the founding members of Caravan and remained a member until his death.