Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Celebrity Birthdays for March 10: Bluegrass/country singer-musician Norman Blake is 87. Actor Chuck Norris is 85. Singer Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean is 85. Playwright David Rabe is 85.

Today in History for March 10: In 1302, Pope Boniface VIII sentenced Italian poet and politician Dante Alighieri, author of "The Divine Comedy," to be burned to death for political reasons. Dante fled into exile.

Today in Music History for March 10: In 1903, legendary jazz cornet player Bix Beiderbecke was born in Davenport, Iowa. The sordid details of his tragically short life have tended to overshadow the remarkable music he produced.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 9: Actress Joyce Van Patten is 91. Canadian and World Gold Hall-of-Famer Marlene Stewart Streit is 91. NHL colour commentator Harry Neale is 88. Actress Trish Van Devere is 84.

Today in History for March 9: In 1541, Jean-Francois de la Rocque Roberval obtained authorization from France to take criminals to Canada to found a colony.

Today in Music History for March 9: In 1942, Mark Lindsay, lead singer with "Paul Revere and the Raiders," was born in Cambridge, Idaho.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 8: Composer, conductor, pianist and arranger Dick Hyman is 98. Actress Sue Ane Langdon is 89. Actress Susan Clark is 82. Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager is 81. Actor-director Micky Dolenz of The Monkees is 80.

Today in History for March 8: In 1698, the first meeting convened of the British group which later formed the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, or SPCK Today, SPCK equips Christians throughout the world with financial grants, resources, advi

Today in Music History for March 8: In 1942, "Transit Through Fire: An Odyssey of 1942," the first opera commissioned by the CBC, was broadcast on the network. The music was by Healey Willan, and was orchestrated by Lucio Agostini.

Celebrity Birthdays for March 13: Songwriter Mike Stoller is 92. Singer-songwriter Neil Sedaka is 86. Opera singer Julia Migenes is 76. Actor William H. Macy is 75. Comedian Robin Duke is 71.