A famous artist - one making music (8)
I believe the answer is:
whistler
'a famous artist' is the definition.
'whistler' can be an answer for 'artist' (painter James McNeill Whistler). I am not sure about the 'a famous' bit.
I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for whistler that I've seen before include "Artist who painted his mother in 1871" , "referee" , "He used canvas" , "American-born Victorian artist" , "pretending to be brave in the dark?" .)