Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for May 3: Singer Frankie Valli is 90. Bassist Peter Staples (The Troggs) is 80 Sports announcer Greg Gumbel is 78. Singer Mary Hopkin is 74. Singer Christopher Cross is 73. Drummer Cactus Moser (Highway 101) is 67.

Today in History for May 7: On this date: In 1274, during the Council of Lyons in France, the Eastern and Western churches were briefly reconciled. In 1355, 1,200 Jews in Toledo, Spain, were killed by Count Henry of Trastamara.

Today in Music History for May 11: In 1888, American songwriter Irving Berlin was born in Russia. He wrote nearly 1,000 songs, and had his first hit in 1911 with "Alexander's Ragtime Band.

Today in History for May 8: On this date: In 615, Pope St. Boniface IV, who sanctioned moral and material improvements for the lower clergy, died.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 30: Singer Willie Nelson is 91. Guitarist Johnny Farina of the instrumental duo Santo and Johnny is 83. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is 78. Actor Perry King ("Riptide") is 76. Movie director Allan Arkush is 76.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 29: Conductor Zubin Mehta is 88. Rock bassist Klaus Voorman is 86. Singer Bob Miranda of The Happenings is 82. Country singer Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys is 81. Singer Tommy James is 77.

Today in History for May 5: On this date: In 614, Persians seized Jerusalem and captured the True Holy Cross that St. Helena had placed there after finding it. It would be years before the Christians would recapture it.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 28: Violinist Steven Staryk is 92. Actress-singer Ann-Margret is 83. Chef-author Alice Waters is 80. Singer Ginette Reno is 78. Actor Paul Guilfoyle ("CSI") is 75. Former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno is 74.

Today in History for May 6: On this date: In 1491 BC, it is said Moses began his ascent up Mount Sinai and his inevitable appointment with the Lord to receive the Ten Commandments.

Today in Music History for May 9: In 1909, fiddler Don Messer, Canada's foremost exponent of old-time music, was born in Tweedside, N.B. "Don Messer and His Islanders" were a fixture on Canadian radio and television for more than 30 years.