Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in History for April 26: In 322, St. Basil was martyred by torture and beheading after he sheltered a young Christian woman named Glaphiga from the clutches of Roman Emperor Lucinius. In 387, St.

Today in Music History for April 26: In 1886, pioneer blues singer Gertrude "Ma" Rainey was born in Columbus, Ga., During her heyday in the 1920s, she was billed as the "Mother of the Blues" and served as a model for the more famous Bessie Smith.

Celebrity Birthdays for May 1: Singer Judy Collins is 86. Composer Victor Davies is 86. Actor Stephen Macht ("Suits," ''General Hospital") is 83. Singer Rita Coolidge is 80. Singer-bassist Nick Fortuna of The Buckinghams is 79.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 29: Singer Willie Nelson is 91. Conductor Zubin Mehta is 89. Rock bassist Klaus Voorman is 87. Singer Bob Miranda of The Happenings is 83. Country singer Duane Allen of The Oak Ridge Boys is 82. Singer Tommy James is 78.

Celebrity Birthdays for May 3: Singer Frankie Valli is 91. Bassist Peter Staples (The Troggs) is 81. Singer Mary Hopkin is 75. Singer Christopher Cross is 74. Drummer Cactus Moser (Highway 101) is 68. Keyboardist David Ball of Soft Cell is 66.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 27: Drummer Jerry Mercer (April Wine) is 86. Drummer Jim Keltner is 83. Opera singer Judith Blegen is 82. Country banjo player and singer Herb Pedersen is 81. Singer Ann Peebles is 78.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 30: Guitarist Johnny Farina of the instrumental duo Santo and Johnny is 84. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden is 79. Actor Perry King ("Riptide") is 77. Movie director Allan Arkush is 77.

Celebrity Birthdays for May 2: Singer Englebert Humperdinck is 89. Country singer R.C. Bannon is 80. Actress-activist Bianca Jagger is 80. Actor David Suchet is 79. Country singer Larry Gatlin is 77. Singer Lou Gramm of Foreigner is 75.

Celebrity Birthdays for April 28: Violinist Steven Staryk is 93. Actress-singer Ann-Margret is 84. Chef-author Alice Waters is 81. Singer Ginette Reno is 79. Actor Paul Guilfoyle ("CSI") is 76. Former "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno is 75.

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.