Today in History and Celebrity Birthdays

Today in History for June 9: On this date: In 68 AD, the brutal and paranoid Roman emperor Nero committed suicide at age 31.

Today in Music History for June 9: In 1892, songwriter and composer Cole Porter was born in Peru, Ind.

Celebrity Birthdays for June 8: Actress Millicent Martin is 90. Actor James Darren is 88. Singer Nancy Sinatra is 84. Singer Chuck Negron (Three Dog Night) is 82. Singer Boz Scaggs is 80. Author Sara Paretsky is 77.

Today in Music History for June 8: In 1940, singer Nancy Sinatra, the eldest child of Frank Sinatra, was born in Jersey City, N.J. After hooking up with producer Lee Hazelwood, she hit No.

Today in History for June 8: In 632, the Prophet Mohammad died. His teachings, recorded in the Qur'an, forged a new religion -- Islam.

Celebrity Birthdays for June 7: Movie director James Ivory is 96. Actress Virginia McKenna is 93. Singer Tom Jones is 84. Poet Nikki Giovanni is 81. Former talk show host Jenny Jones is 78. Americana singer-songwriter Willie Nile is 76.

Today in Music History for June 7: In 1904, the Haskell Opera House was opened in Rock Island on the Quebec-Vermont border. Now classified as a historic site, it also includes a library on the main floor.

Today in History for June 7: In 1329, Scotland's national hero, Robert the Bruce, died of leprosy he had contracted during his campaigns against the English. In 1502, Pope Gregory XIII was born Ugo Buoncompagni in Bologna, Italy.

Celebrity Birthdays for June 6: Singer-songwriter Gary (U.S.) Bonds is 85. Country singer Joe Stampley is 81. Jazz pianist Monty Alexander is 80. Actor Robert Englund (Freddie Krueger) is 77. Folk singer Holly Near is 75.

Today in Music History for June 6: In 1939, singer Gary U.S. Bonds, whose real name is Gary Anderson, was born in Jacksonville, Fla. Bonds had a string of energetic dance records in the early '60s, topped by "Quarter to Three," which reached No.