Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in Music History for May 30: In 1903, songwriter Alex Kramer was born in Montreal. With his wife, Joan Whitney, Kramer was among the first songwriters to join BMI when the ban on broadcasting the music of ASCAP composers began in 1941.

Today in History for May 28: In 1089, Lanfranc, the first Norman Archbishop of Canterbury, died. During his time as archbishop, he rebuilt the cathedral, based on the design of his former abbey in Caen, in northern France.

Today in History for May 27: In 1534, Jacques Cartier explored Belle Isle on his second voyage to Canada. In 1564, John Calvin, a leader of the Protestant Reformation, died in Geneva at age 54.

Today in History for May 26: In 735, Bede the Venerable, known as the father of English church history, Benedictine monk, priest, writer, hymn writer, died at about age 62.

Today in Music History for May 27: In 1799, George Washington Doane, American Episcopal clergyman, was born.

Today in Music History for May 28: In 1878, Canadian soprano Louise Edvina was born in Montreal. She spent much of her career in London, and became one of the city's favourite artists in the early 1900s.

Today in Music History for May 16: In 1896, violinist Frantz Jehin-Prume, the first musician of international reputation to choose Canada as his home, gave his final concert in Montreal with pianist Victoria Cartier.

Today in History for May 16: In 587, Irish monk St. Bredan died. He's known for setting out in the Atlantic with two other monks in a skin boat and possibly travelling as far as North America.

Celebrity Birthdays for May 16: Jazz drummer Billy Cobham is 81. Actor Danny Trejo is 81. Rock guitarist and composer Robert Fripp, founder of King Crimson, is 79. Actor Bill Smitrovich is 78. Rock singer-songwriter Jonathan Richman is 74.

Celebrity Birthdays for May 15: Actress-singer Anna Maria Alberghetti is 89. Counterculture icon Wavy Gravy is 89. Actress-singer Lainie Kazan is 85. Actress Gunilla Hutton ("Petticoat Junction," ''Hee Haw") is 83.