Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians . Nicholas Slonimsky and Laura Kuhn, eds. Centennial ed. New York: Schirmer Books, 2001. 6 v. Ref ML105.B16 2001 Baker's is widely regarded as the most authoritative source of biographical information for musicians. Selective lists of works are included for most composers and discographies for popular and jazz musicians. The last volume contains a special index of women composers and musicians, a genre index, and an index by nationality.

Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Twentieth-Century Classical Musicians
. Nicholas Slonimsky. Laura Kuhn and Dennis McIntire, ed. New York: Schirmer Books, 1997. Ref ML105.S612 1997 This work is similar to the above publication except that it covers only twentieth-century musicians in greater depth and detail.

International Who's Who in Music and Musicians' Directory. David M. Cummings and Sean Tyler, eds. Cambridge: International Who's Who in Music, 1996/97. 2 vols. Ref ML105.I5 1996/97 and Ref. ML105.I58 1996/97 While Baker's includes musicians from all time periods, this work emphasizes biographies of musicians who are currently active throughout the world. Vol. 1. In the Classical and Light Classical Fields. Vol. 2. Popular Music.

Biographical Dictionary of Afro-American and African Musicians. Eileen Southern. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1982. (The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Black Music). Ref ML105.S7

Contemporary Composers
. Brian Morton and Pamela Collins, eds. Detroit: St. James Press, 1992. Ref ML105.C75 1992 This book contains listings for 1,000 composers who were alive at the time of publication.

Großes Sängerlexikon
. K.J. Kutsch and Leo Riemens. 3 vols. Bern: Francke, 1987-1991. Ref ML105.K83 1987 This is the most comprehensive listing of biographies of singers, primarily in the classical field, from all time periods and countries.

The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Colin Larkin, ed. 6 vols. Enfield, England: Guinness Publishing; New York: Stockton Press, 1995. Ref ML102.P66 G84 1995 Virtually all of the entries are for popular music performers or groups and most include a discography There are also a few entries for popular musical topics.

International Encyclopedia of Women Composers
. Aaron I. Cohen. 2nd. ed., rev. and enl. 2 vols. New York: Books and Music, 1987. Ref ML105.C7 1987

Who's Who in American Music: Classical
. Jaques Cattell Press, ed. 2nd. ed. New York: R.R. Bowker, 1985. Ref ML106.U3 W6 1985

Women in Music: An Encyclopedic Biobibliography. Don L. Hixon and Don A. Hennessee. 2nd. ed. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1993. 2 vols. Ref. ML105.H6 1993 This work "serves as an index to the biographies of women musicians of all periods and countries, as found in a representative selection of significant music dictionaries and encyclopedias. . . . , and other sources not confined to musicians." (p. iv)